Horsford Gardens and Nursery

What Horsford Gardens and Nursery does

Horsford Gardens and Nursery is a privately-held retail nursery and garden center operating on a single 42+ acre site in Charlotte, Vermont, founded by Frederick Hinsdale Horsford in 1893 and currently owned by Charlie Proutt. The business grows approximately 90% of the plants it sells from cuttings, seeds, or root division across 20 acres of dedicated growing stock, leveraging restored antique Lord & Burnham glass greenhouses and integrated pest management using beneficial insects as its core production technology. Its catalog spans 1,400+ varieties across perennials, deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, fruit and nut plants, groundcovers, roses, vines, annuals, and herbs, supported by bulk materials (compost, mulch, soil) and a garden shop carrying tools, pottery, and locally-made gifts.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and geographically constrained: the nursery is open for in-person shopping April 15 through October 31, online ordering is fulfilled by curbside pickup, and live plants are not shipped. Local delivery and planting services extend reach into Vermont and parts of New York (including ferry-served New York regions) at tiered rates of $48-$350 by region, with installation priced at half the cost of the plant. The only nationwide channel is seasonal wreath and centerpiece shipping via USPS Priority and UPS Ground during the holidays. Landscape design and build services are delivered through Distinctive Landscaping, a co-located partner firm, and the company runs a recurring program of educational workshops (Garden Focus Talks, watercolor, felting, author readings) and a community Arbor Day tree-donation partnership with Vermont Urban and Community Forestry that has run for over 25 years.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across one-time plant sales, bulk materials, gift certificates ($25-$500), delivery and installation services, gift shop merchandise, workshop fees, and landscape design/build contracts. Customer segments are predominantly local home gardeners, with secondary exposure to professional landscapers and Vermont/New York residents using delivery services; there are no named enterprise or institutional accounts and no wholesale or shipping-based plant revenue. The company has no external investors, no parent, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed funding rounds, and is operated as a closely-held family business following co-owner Eileen Schilling's passing in 2021.

Name

Horsford Gardens and Nursery

Legal name

Horsford Gardens and Nursery

Website

https://horsfordnursery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Horsford Gardens and Nursery is a family-owned retail nursery in Charlotte, Vermont, operating on 42+ acres since 1893. It propagates roughly 90% of plants sold, serving local home gardeners and professional landscapers via on-site retail, regional delivery, planting, and co-located landscape design services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden Center & Nursery

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)

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), Soils, Mulch, Fertilizers & Lawn Care Chemicals Retail (CRAIAIAC), Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Retail plant nursery
• Garden center operations
• Landscape design services
• Field-grown perennials
• Greenhouse annuals production

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Plant Sales: Retail sales of trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, fruit trees, and ornamental plants through in-person nursery visits and online catalog with curbside pickup.
2. Bulk Materials: Sales of compost, mulch, topsoil, and raised bed mix available for local delivery or pickup.
3. Gift Certificates: Gift certificates sold in denominations from $25 to $500, available for pickup or mail delivery.
4. Delivery and Planting Services: Local delivery of plants to Vermont and parts of New York, plus installation services at half the cost of the plant.
5. Garden Shop Sales: Sales of garden tools, pottery, bulbs, locally made gifts, and hand-crafted items.
6. Event Workshops: Fees charged for educational workshops including watercolor painting, felting, garden focus talks, and author readings.
7. Landscape Design Services: Distinctive Landscaping, located at Horsford Gardens and Nursery, provides landscape architecture and design services with professional installation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Retail garden center and nursery that grows roughly 90% of its plants on 40+ acres in Charlotte, Vermont. Sells field-grown perennials, shrubs, trees, roses, fruits, vegetables, and greenhouse annuals/tropicals directly to consumers, while also providing landscape design and installation, bulk landscape materials, and seasonal wreaths and centerpieces.

Product overview

Horsford Gardens and Nursery operates as a traditional nursery and garden center offering a comprehensive range of plants and gardening products. The core offering is the Plant Catalog featuring trees (deciduous and evergreen), shrubs (broadleaf evergreens, deciduous, evergreen), perennials (with 775+ varieties), annuals, groundcovers, roses, vines, and fruit/nut plants. Supporting products include Greenhouse Plants (annuals, herbs, vegetables grown in restored antique Lord & Burnham glass greenhouses), Bulk Materials (compost, mulch, soil), and a Garden Shop selling tools, pottery, and gifts. Services include Local Delivery and Planting, Landscape Design via Distinctive Landscaping, and Events/Workshops. The business also offers Gift Certificates and seasonal Wreaths & Centerpieces for nationwide shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Field-Grown Plant Catalog (perennials, shrubs, trees, roses, fruits, vegetables) Retail offering of perennials, shrubs, trees, roses, fruit plants, and vegetables, approximately 90% of which are grown on-site across 40+ acres of fields. Aimed at home gardeners and landscapers in Vermont and upstate New York seeking regionally acclimated plant material.
• Greenhouse Annuals & Tropicals Annuals and tropical plants produced in restored antique Lord & Burnham greenhouses and sold at the garden center. Targeted at residential and commercial customers seeking seasonal color and tropical specimens.
• Garden Shop (pots, gifts, home goods) On-site garden shop carrying pots, gifts, and home goods alongside the nursery, providing a one-stop browsing experience for garden center visitors.
• Bulk Landscape Materials (mulch, loam, stone) Bulk landscape materials sold by the cubic yard, with a reduced rate on orders of three or more yards. Offered to homeowners and landscape professionals for project use.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates redeemable at the garden center, offered as a convenient gift option for customers.
• Wreaths & Centerpieces Seasonal wreaths and centerpieces produced and sold by the nursery, primarily for the holiday season.
• Local Delivery and Planting
• Landscape Design | Build
• Events & Workshops
• Display Gardens

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Distinctive LandscapingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistinctive Landscaping is a design|build landscape architecture firm located at Horsford Gardens and Nursery. They offer landscape design services and professional plant and hardscape installation. The partnership leverages Horsford's plant resources and nursery location to provide complete landscape solutions to customers.
• Vermont Urban and Community ForestryminorOthersHorsford's partners with Vermont Urban and Community Forestry for the Greening Schools on Arbor Day program, donating trees to local schools in Chittenden and Addison counties for over 25 years.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• White Flower Farm: Connecticut-based mail-order nursery and garden center offering a broad catalog of perennials, shrubs, and trees with display gardens; comparable to Horsford as a grower-retailer that grows a substantial share of its own plants and sells to regional homeowners.
• Bluestone Perennials: Mail-order perennial specialist that grows and ships a wide variety of perennials directly to consumers; comparable to Horsford in its grower-retailer focus and perennial-heavy product mix, though serving a national rather than local customer base.
• Iseli Nursery: Specialty wholesale grower of conifers, Japanese maples, and ornamental trees; comparable to Horsford as a focused grower of niche ornamental nursery stock serving both retail and landscape professionals.
• Cornell Farm (Portland, OR): Independent garden center and nursery offering plants, garden shop merchandise, and landscape services on a multi-acre property; comparable to Horsford in its combination of retail nursery, garden shop, and integrated landscape services model.
• Proven Winners: National branded plant grower network producing annuals, perennials, and shrubs for retail garden centers; comparable to Horsford on the production/growing side and as a supply competitor for plant categories sold at independent garden centers.

Broad incumbents

• Monrovia Nursery Company: Major U.S. wholesale grower of ornamental shrubs, trees, and perennials sold through independent garden centers and retailers; comparable to Horsford as a producer of landscape-grade nursery stock with broad plant catalog depth.
• Bailey Nurseries: Large wholesale nursery producing shrubs, trees, and perennials for garden centers across North America; comparable to Horsford as a grower of nursery stock and as an upstream supplier/competitor for the same plant categories sold at retail.
• Burpee (W. Atlee Burpee & Company): Heritage seed and plant company selling annuals, vegetables, and perennials through mail order and retail; comparable to Horsford on the heritage brand dimension and as a consumer-facing plant retailer, though operating at much larger national scale.

Emerging players

• Brent and Becky's Bulbs: Specialty mail-order bulb grower and retailer based in Virginia; comparable to Horsford as a grower-retailer that propagates much of what it sells and serves enthusiast home gardeners with deep product expertise.

Regional players

• High Country Gardens: Mail-order nursery specializing in water-wise perennials and plants adapted to colder and western U.S. climates; comparable to Horsford's emphasis on locally-adapted plants and direct-to-consumer fulfillment model, though serving different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horsford-gardens-and-nursery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Horsford Gardens and Nursery