Bigelow Nurseries

What Bigelow Nurseries does

Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned wholesale nursery and retail garden center founded in 1915 by Palmer W. Bigelow and now operated in its third generation, with the fourth generation actively involved. Headquartered in Northborough, Massachusetts, the company operates over 700 acres of growing capacity across four locations in central Massachusetts and maintains one of the largest above-ground tree and evergreen inventories in the country. It produces Northern-hardy shade and flowering trees, evergreen and deciduous shrubs, perennials, and native plants, and has specialized in native plant material for decades for both retail homeowners and landscape professionals doing wetland restoration and habitat projects. Growing practices are grounded in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with encouragement of organic controls to retail customers.

The business operates two core channels: a wholesale division selling field-grown (B&B) and container-grown plant material to landscape contractors, designers, municipalities, and smaller landscape companies, with delivery throughout the six New England states; and a retail garden center selling directly to homeowners at the Northborough location with loading assistance. The company holds Massachusetts statewide vendor contract FAC122 for landscaping and green roof products, enabling direct government procurement, and is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). Marketing relies on industry association memberships, a website with catalog and inventory tools, an active Facebook presence, and direct sales staff engagement rather than broad advertising.

Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; wholesale customers receive credit terms and cash discounts, while retail customers pay per-unit and may purchase gift cards. Massachusetts sales tax of 6.25% applies unless a valid exemption is on file. The company employs 11-50 staff, several of whom hold professional certifications including Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist (MCH), MCLP, and NHCLP designations. In the 1980s, the firm eliminated its landscape installation division to avoid competing with its wholesale customers and added large container growing operations to complement field production, a structural choice that continues to define the business today.

Name

Bigelow Nurseries

Legal name

Bigelow Nurseries, Inc.

Website

https://bigelownurseries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bigelow Nurseries is a family-owned, fourth-generation wholesale nursery and retail garden center in Northborough, Massachusetts, operating over 700 acres to supply Northern-hardy trees, shrubs, perennials, and native plants to landscape professionals, homeowners, and government buyers throughout New England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Nursery and Retail Garden Center

NAICS

Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursery Production (Woody Ornamentals: Trees, Shrubs, Roses) (AFAGAHAF), Native Species & Restoration Plant Nurseries (AFAMADAF), Forest Nurseries, Seed Orchards & Genetic Improvement (AFAMAAAD)

Keywords

• Wholesale nursery stock
• Retail garden center
• Landscape plant material
• Native and flowering trees
• Container and field-grown shrubs

Headquarters

HQ city

Northborough

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Nursery Sales: B2B sales of field-grown (B&B), container shrubs, perennials, trees, and evergreens to landscape contractors, designers, municipalities, and smaller landscape companies. Delivery throughout New England with freight charges based on location and order size.
2. Retail Garden Center Sales: B2C sales to homeowners through retail garden center. Customers can browse perennial and container yards during business hours with loading crew assistance available Monday-Friday.
3. State Contract Sales: Statewide vendor for Massachusetts contract FAC122 covering landscaping and green roof products, enabling direct procurement by government entities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bigelow Nurseries is a family-owned grower and seller of landscape plant material operating a wholesale nursery division and a retail garden center. The wholesale division supplies Northern-grown shade trees, flowering trees, evergreen and deciduous shrubs, perennials, and native plants to landscape contractors, designers, and municipalities, while the retail garden center serves homeowners and walk-in customers with the same regional inventory.

Product overview

Bigelow Nurseries operates as a single unified nursery business with two main divisions: Wholesale and Retail Garden Center. The wholesale division serves landscape professionals with field production, container growing, and B&B inventory, while the retail garden center caters to homeowners. Both divisions share the same inventory system with multiple growing locations in Central Massachusetts, offering shade/flowering trees, evergreen/deciduous shrubs, perennials, and native plants. The company grows on over 700 acres and maintains one of the largest above-ground tree and evergreen inventories in the country.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Nursery Stock Wholesale supply of Northern-grown shade trees, flowering trees, evergreen and deciduous shrubs, perennials, and native plants sold to landscape contractors, designers, and municipalities in the New England market.
• Retail Garden Center On-site garden center selling trees, shrubs, perennials, and native plants directly to homeowners and retail customers for residential landscaping projects.
• Balled-and-Burlapped (B&B) Field-Grown Trees and Shrubs Field-grown landscape trees and shrubs harvested with root balls wrapped in burlap, supplied to professional landscape buyers for installation projects.
• Container-Grown Shrubs and Perennials Shrubs and perennials grown and sold in containers, available for both wholesale and retail purchase for landscape and garden use.
• Native and Climate-Adapted Plant Material Native plants and regionally adapted species grown for sale to both professional landscapers and retail customers seeking plants suited to local New England conditions.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record.

• AmericanHortOthersNational trade association for the horticulture industry representing growers, retailers, landscapers, and suppliers. Membership provides industry advocacy and networking.
• New England Nursery AssociationOthersRegional trade association serving nursery and landscape professionals across New England states
• Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape AssociationOthersState-level industry association representing nursery and landscape businesses in Massachusetts
• Cape Cod Landscape AssociationOthersRegional trade association serving landscape professionals on Cape Cod
• Massachusetts Association of Landscape ProfessionalsOthersState association for landscape professionals in Massachusetts
• Massachusetts Tree Warden and Forestry AssociationOthersProfessional association for tree wardens and forestry professionals, supporting municipal green infrastructure
• Massachusetts Farm BureauOthersAgricultural advocacy organization representing farm and nursery businesses in Massachusetts
• Massachusetts Flower Growers AssociationOthersTrade association for flower and plant growers in Massachusetts
• Maine Nursery and Landscape AssociationOthersRegional trade association serving nursery and landscape professionals in Maine
• Better Business BureauOthersAccredited business member providing consumer trust verification and dispute resolution

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Bigelow-Nurseries/113318591581

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bigelow Nurseries