Fort Collins Nursery

What Fort Collins Nursery does

Fort Collins Nursery is a family-owned retail garden center founded in 1932 in Fort Collins, Colorado, and currently owned by Jesse Eastman, who purchased the business from his father in 2010. The company operates a single physical retail location at 2121 East Mulberry Street comprising nearly 17,000 sq. ft. of indoor shopping space (including a greenhouse and garden shop), 3 acres of outdoor shopping along the Poudre River, and 6 acres of on-site production. A separate production facility in Ault handles perennial processing and greenhouse construction. The company sells annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, roses, ornamental grasses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, native plants, houseplants (including rare collector varieties), seeds, and gardening supplies; it also offers a delivery and planting service covering northern/eastern Colorado and Southern Wyoming.

The company serves two customer segments: individual home gardeners in Northern Colorado (primary) and wholesale/landscape professionals (secondary, with 25-40% volume discounts and contract growing). Revenue is generated through one-time retail plant and merchandise sales, wholesale transactions, fee-based delivery and planting services ($50 per man-hour plus materials), the Garden Club loyalty program ($25 spent = 1 point worth $0.50, redeemable at 10+ points), and event revenue from the Rock Garden Concert Series ($30-$37 per ticket, with 100% of profits donated to local nonprofits). Strategic supplier partnerships include Western Native Seed for native plant propagation, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. for specialty ornamental trees, and CSU Extension for educational content. The company employs multiple Colorado Certified Nursery Professionals and operates as a private corporation under the legal name Fort Collins Retail Nursery, Inc., with no external institutional investment disclosed.

Name

Fort Collins Nursery

Legal name

Fort Collins Retail Nursery, Inc.

Website

https://fortcollinsnursery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fort Collins Nursery is a family-owned retail garden center in Fort Collins, Colorado, founded in 1932, serving home gardeners and wholesale landscape professionals across Northern Colorado with plants, gardening supplies, delivery, and planting services from a 17,000 sq. ft. facility plus production acreage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Garden Center

NAICS

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

SIC

Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Plants, Seeds & Nursery Retail (Garden Centers) (CRAIAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursery Production (Woody Ornamentals: Trees, Shrubs, Roses) (AFAGAHAF), Landscape Plant & Nursery Stock Wholesalers (Grower-Wholesalers) (AFAGAHAM), Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Retail garden center
• Garden nursery plants
• Landscaping supplies
• Wholesale nursery stock
• Garden shop merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins, Colorado

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Plant and Merchandise Sales: Primary revenue from selling plants (annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables, seeds, bulbs), gardening supplies, tools, fertilizers, pest controls, pottery, garden décor, and related merchandise directly to consumers at retail pricing
2. Wholesale Sales: Wholesale pricing discounts offered to approved wholesale customers on perennials (40% off), woodies (30% off), and annuals/vegetables/seeds/bulbs/hard goods (25% off)
3. Delivery and Planting Services: Fee-based delivery and planting services covering northern and eastern Colorado and Southern Wyoming, with hourly labor charges of $50 per man-hour plus materials for difficult access or digging conditions
4. Garden Club Membership: Loyalty reward program where members earn points ($25 spent = 1 point worth $0.50) and receive special pricing on seasonal merchandise, advance event notices, and birthday/holiday discounts
5. Event Tickets and Concert Revenue: Rock Garden Concert Series events generating ticket revenue ($30-$37 per ticket) with 100% of profits donated to charitable beneficiaries

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fort Collins Nursery operates a retail garden center selling live plants (annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, roses, ornamental grasses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, houseplants, and native perennials grown on-site), garden supplies (tools, fertilizers, pest controls, pottery, garden décor), and seeds. The business complements retail plant sales with wholesale accounts for landscapers, a Garden Club loyalty program, delivery and planting services across northern Colorado, and community events including a Rock Garden Concert Series.

Product overview

Fort Collins Nursery is a retail garden center offering a comprehensive range of plant and gardening products through multiple sales channels. The core offering consists of nearly 17,000 sq. ft. of indoor shopping space (including a greenhouse and garden shop), 3 acres of outdoor shopping along the Poudre River, and 6 acres of on-site production space. Their product portfolio includes live plants (annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, roses, ornamental grasses, fruits, vegetables, herbs), with branded sub-categories such as Proven Winners and First Editions flowering shrubs and native perennials grown locally. They offer houseplants including rare collector varieties, seeds (including High Mowing Organic Seeds), and general gardening supplies through their garden shop. The business operates a Garden Club loyalty program, provides delivery and planting services, and maintains a wholesale account program for trade customers. The company also hosts events including a Rock Garden Concert Series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Native Perennials Native plants grown on the Front Range including Rocky Mountain Penstemon, Narrowleaf Coneflower, Showy Goldenrod, Black Eyed Susan, Rocky Mountain Columbine, Indian Blanket, Maximilian Sunflower, Common Yarrow, and Sulphur Flower, propagated from seeds sourced from Western Native Seed. For regional gardeners seeking climate-appropriate species.
• Proven Winners and First Editions Flowering Shrubs Premium branded flowering shrubs including Beyond Midnight Bluebeard Caryopteris, Pugster Pico Punch Butterfly Bush, Sister Disco Scotch Broom, Above and Beyond Climbing Rose, and Fireside Ninebark. For gardeners seeking branded, high-performance flowering shrubs.
• Rare Houseplant Varieties Rare collector houseplants including Hoya Hypolasia, Hoya Benchaii, Scindapsus Halimoon, Scindapsus Peasun, Anthurium Queen, Epipremnum Bali, and Monstera Lemon Lime. For houseplant collectors and enthusiasts.
• Houseplants Wide selection of houseplants including snake plants, ferns, philodendrons, fiddle leaf figs, Chinese evergreen, dieffenbachia, schefflera, succulents, palms, carnivorous plants, orchids, anthuriums, agaves, and bromeliads. For indoor gardeners and home decorators.
• Fall Crop Seeds Seeds for fall vegetable crops including cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, kale, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. For home vegetable gardeners in Northern Colorado.
• High Mowing Organic Seeds Fully organic and Non-GMO Project Verified seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds. For organic gardeners and consumers seeking certified non-GMO vegetable and flower seeds.
• Hardy Perennial Hibiscus Herbaceous perennials known as Rose Mallow featuring huge exotic flowers in white, pink, red, and bi-colors. Varieties include Valentine's Crush, Berry Awesome, Perfect Storm, and Cherry Choco Latte. For perennial garden enthusiasts.
• Mums and Asters Autumn flowering perennials in yellow, pink, magenta, red, and lavender colors for fall containers and flower beds. For seasonal color and fall decorating.
• Ornamental Grasses Over 50 varieties of ornamental grasses that add texture, softness, color, and movement to gardens, available in #1 and #5 container sizes. For landscape designers and home gardeners.
• Hydrangeas Varied selection of hydrangeas in different plant sizes, flower sizes, colors, and bloom times for partial to full shade locations. For shade gardeners.
• Pest Control Products Organic and conventional pest control solutions including live ladybugs, lacewings, beneficial nematodes, Monterey B.t., diatomaceous earth, Fertilome Triple Action Plus, Safer soap, Arber Bio Insecticide, and beetleGONE. For gardeners managing pest issues.
• Onion Plants Onion sets, seeds, and plants including Red Zeppelin, Red Candy Apple, Superstar, and Walla Walla varieties. For home vegetable gardeners.
• Raspberry Spear and Ivory Spear Crabapple Trees Columnar crabapple trees from J. Frank Schmidt and Son Co. featuring narrow upright form with disease resistance, brilliant flowers, and persistent fruit. For landscape designers and homeowners seeking ornamental columnar trees.
• Fall Annuals Cool-season annuals including pansies, flowering cabbage and kale, dusty miller, snapdragons, and dianthus. For seasonal fall color and containers.
• Cool Season Veggies Starter plants and seeds for cool season crops including Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, kale, spinach, peas, radish, and beets. For vegetable gardeners in Northern Colorado.
• Garden Club Membership Loyalty rewards program where members earn points with purchases ($25 spent = 1 point worth $0.50, redeemable at 10+ points), receive special pricing on seasonal merchandise, advance notice of events and sales, and birthday/holiday discounts. Requires minimum 1 purchase per calendar year to remain eligible. For repeat retail customers.
• Delivery and Planting Service Delivery and planting service covering northern and eastern Colorado and Southern Wyoming, with hourly labor charges of $50 per man-hour plus materials for difficult access or digging conditions. For customers who purchase plants and need professional delivery and installation.
• Wholesale Account Program Wholesale pricing program offering 40% discount on perennials, 30% on woodies (trees and shrubs), and 25% on annuals, vegetables, seeds, bulbs, and all hard goods. Pre-order requests and contract growing available. For landscapers, contractors, and resellers.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Supplier of specialty ornamental trees including Raspberry Spear and Ivory Spear Crabapple varieties, released as 2017-2018 new varieties developed through 30+ years of breeding and evaluation
• Western Native SeedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSourced seeds for native plant production from Western Native Seed, supporting Fort Collins Nursery's Grow Native initiative and on-site native plant cultivation program
• The Matthews HouseminorOthers100% of Rock Garden Concert ticket profits donated to The Matthews House, a local nonprofit benefiting from the nursery's event fundraising
• Project Self-SufficiencyminorOthers100% of Rock Garden Concert ticket profits donated to Project Self-Sufficiency, a local nonprofit benefiting from the nursery's event fundraising
• The Family Center/La FamiliaminorOthers100% of Rock Garden Concert ticket profits donated to The Family Center/La Familia, a local nonprofit benefiting from the nursery's event fundraising
• Sproutin' UpminorOthersNonprofit takes over Discount Alley sales during Labor Day Yard Sale (September 7), with all funds raised supporting Sproutin' Up's mission to improve lives of children, teens and families in under-resourced Fort Collins neighborhoods through farming and job-skill training
• Horseshoe CapitalminorOthersSeries sponsor for Rock Garden Concert Series, supporting the nursery's community events programming
• Odell Brewing Co.minorOthersProvides beer for Rock Garden Concert Series events, supporting the nursery's community event experience
• CSU ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing educational resources for Colorado gardeners including planting guides, soil resources, xeriscaping, lawn care, and other Extension materials curated on the nursery's Newcomers Info page
• Local Nonprofits (Donation/Sponsorship Program)minorOthersDonation and sponsorship program accepting requests from local charities, civic organizations, schools, and churches requiring 30 days advance notice. Distributes plant donations and sponsorship support to community events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lowe's Companies: National big-box home improvement retailer with extensive garden center departments selling plants, trees, and gardening supplies across the U.S. Competes with Fort Collins Nursery for price-sensitive gardening customers in the Fort Collins market but lacks the horticultural expertise and curation focus.
• The Home Depot: National big-box home improvement retailer with sizable garden center operations including live plants, trees, and gardening supplies. Competes broadly with Fort Collins Nursery across plant categories but offers limited horticultural advisory services or regional plant specialization.

Emerging players

• The Sill: Online-first houseplant retailer offering curated indoor plants with subscription and single-purchase options. Overlaps with Fort Collins Nursery's houseplant category on rare/collector varieties but competes via direct shipping and a digitally native brand rather than physical retail.
• Bloomscape: Direct-to-consumer online plant retailer shipping houseplants and indoor plants nationally with a digitally native brand. Comparable to Fort Collins Nursery's houseplant category (where Fort Collins also stocks rare varieties) but competes via convenience and shipping rather than in-store experience.

Others

• Monrovia Nursery Company: Large wholesale nursery grower supplying branded premium plants to independent garden centers and retailers nationwide. Comparable to Fort Collins Nursery's production function (Fort Collins grows on-site) and is a supplier/competitor at the wholesale nursery stock level.
• Bailey Nurseries: Major wholesale nursery producer and the company behind the Endless Summer hydrangea and other branded plant lines sold at Fort Collins Nursery. Compares as an upstream supplier/producer whose products the subject company retails and competes against at the wholesale-grower level.

Direct peers

• Echter's Nursery & Garden Center: Family-owned retail garden center and greenhouse in Arvada, Colorado operating since the 1960s. Closely comparable to Fort Collins Nursery in retail garden center format, regional Colorado focus, plant selection depth, and event/community programming model.
• Tagawa Gardens: Family-owned retail garden center in Centennial, Colorado offering annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, and garden supplies with seasonal events. Highly comparable to Fort Collins Nursery as a Colorado-based independent garden center competing for similar regional gardening customers.
• Bath Nursery & Garden Center: Long-running independent garden center based in Fort Lupton, Colorado serving the northern Front Range. Directly comparable to Fort Collins Nursery in regional garden retail, plant selection, and Front Range customer base, though slightly larger footprint.
• Gulley Greenhouse & Garden Center: Independently owned garden center and greenhouse located in the Fort Collins, Colorado market, directly overlapping Fort Collins Nursery's primary trade area. Operates a comparable retail-plus-production garden center model serving northern Colorado consumers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FortCollinsNursery
• Facebookfacebook.com/FortCollinsNursery
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortcollinsnursery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fort-collins-nursery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

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 Fort Collins Nursery