Longfellow's Greenhouses

What Longfellow's Greenhouses does

Longfellow's Greenhouses is a family-owned retail nursery and greenhouse operation founded in 1977 by Lawrence and Mavis Longfellow in Manchester, Maine. The business grows and sells plants across annuals (geraniums, specialty annuals, hanging baskets, fall mums, poinsettias), houseplants, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, vegetables, and herbs from a 32 gutter-connected greenhouse facility at 81 Puddledock Road. Production scale is substantial for an independent operator, with roughly 150,000+ plants produced annually in-house and over 500 perennial varieties stocked, supplemented by a retail shop offering soils, tools, gifts, home decor, and "Made in Maine" products.

The business serves primarily individual home gardeners in the New England region through a direct-to-consumer physical retail model, with no e-commerce ordering capability and only a limited scheduled curbside delivery service for larger purchases. Ancillary revenue streams include mum and poinsettia fundraisers for schools and non-profits, a points-based Loyalty Club, gift cards in any denomination, seasonal workshops and events (Spring Open House, Autumn Craft Show, Maine Maple Weekend), and weekly rotating specials. Brand reputation is anchored by two consecutive "Best of Maine Garden Center/Nursery" designations from Down East Magazine (2024, 2025) and a documented multi-generational customer base.

Ownership has remained entirely within the Longfellow family since founding, with Scott and Sandy Longfellow having assumed control in 1987 and a third-generation transition to Will, Evan, and Ellie Longfellow currently underway. The business operates with approximately 13 named full-time staff across greenhouse production, nursery, retail, marketing, and office functions, with combined industry experience exceeding 100 years. The company is privately held with no external investors, funding history, or parent organization disclosed.

Name

Longfellow's Greenhouses

Legal name

Longfellow's Greenhouses

Website

https://longfellowsgreenhouses.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Longfellow's Greenhouses is a family-owned, third-generation retail nursery and greenhouse in Manchester, Maine that grows and sells annuals, perennials, houseplants, trees, shrubs, and herbs directly to home gardeners from a 32-greenhouse facility, supplemented by fundraising, gift cards, and a loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Garden Center / Retail Nursery

NAICS

Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424), Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production (1114)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Retail garden center
• Greenhouse plants
• Annuals perennials
• Nursery stock
• Gardening supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Plant Sales: Direct retail sales of greenhouse-grown plants including annuals, perennials, houseplants, vegetables, herbs, trees, shrubs, and seasonal plants (mums, poinsettias). Also includes flowering hanging baskets and nursery stock.
2. Garden Center Retail Products: Sales of gardening supplies, tools, fertilizers, soils, pottery, home decor, gifts, birding supplies, and pet products from their retail shop.
3. Gift Cards: Physical gift cards sold in any denomination, redeemable for all products and services at Longfellow's Greenhouses.
4. Fundraising Programs: Mum and poinsettia fundraisers offered to schools and non-profit organizations.
5. Loyalty Club: Points-based loyalty program: earn 1 point per dollar spent, redeem $10 in rewards for every 300 points. Includes extended guarantees on trees, shrubs & vines and no-receipt returns for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Longfellow's Greenhouses operates a 32-greenhouse retail garden center in Manchester, Maine that grows and sells annuals, perennials, houseplants, vegetables, herbs, trees, shrubs, and seasonal plants directly to home gardeners. The business also operates a retail shop selling gardening tools, soils, pottery, birding supplies, gifts, and home decor, and supports a Loyalty Club, gift cards, fundraising programs for schools/non-profits, and seasonal events and workshops.

Product overview

Longfellow's Greenhouses operates a 32-greenhouse nursery and garden center in Manchester, Maine. The business functions as a retail nursery offering a diverse portfolio of products organized into several core categories: Annuals (including geraniums, specialty annuals, hanging baskets, fall mums, and poinsettias), Houseplants (year-round tropical selections), Nursery & Perennials (over 500 varieties of perennials, trees, shrubs, and vines), Vegetables & Herbs (edible plants), Soil Amendments (potting soils and mulches), and a full Retail Store (gardening tools, fertilizers, pottery, birding supplies, Made in Maine products, gifts, and home decor). The business also offers supplementary services including a Plant Guide planning tool, Loyalty Club membership, Fundraising Program for organizations, Weekly Specials rotating discounts, Events & Workshops, and Delivery Services. Gift Cards are available as a gift product. The operation grows most of its perennials and herbs on-site and has expanded from 12 greenhouses in 1977 to 32 today.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annuals Seasonal flowering plants grown on-site that complete their life cycle in one growing season, including geraniums, specialty annuals, hanging baskets, fall mums, and poinsettias. For home gardeners in the New England region.
• Houseplants Year-round indoor plants including classic and rare/exotic varieties ranging from 2-inch starter pots to 14-inch pots, plus tropical selections and houseplant accessories. Marketed as one of the largest houseplant departments in Maine.
• Nursery & Perennials Hardy perennials, trees, shrubs, and vines including over 500 varieties of perennials (most grown on-site) and more than 350 varieties of trees, shrubs, and vines, with around 45 rose varieties suited to northern climates.
• Vegetables & Herbs Vegetable plants and culinary herbs including basil, catnip, chives, cilantro, dill, scented geranium, oregano, lemongrass, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Over 200 varieties of herbs and scented geraniums are offered, with over half grown on-site.
• Soil Amendments Potting soils, composts, peat moss, and mulches (including coco mulch, pine bark mulch, and cedar) from brands such as Coast of Maine, Fox Farm, ProMix, Bumper Crop, and Sol Soils.
• Retail Store Physical retail shop featuring gardening tools, fertilizers, pottery, birding essentials, Made in Maine products, pet items, gifts, kids department, and home decor.
• Gift Cards Physical gift cards available in any denomination, redeemable for all products and services at Longfellow's Greenhouses. Can be shipped to purchaser or directly to recipient.
• Fundraising Program Seasonal mum and poinsettia fundraising program for schools, PTAs, churches, and other non-profit organizations seeking profitable, low-risk community fundraising options.
• Loyalty Club Membership rewards program for repeat customers: earn 1 point per dollar spent, redeem $10 in rewards for every 300 points. Includes extended guarantees on trees, shrubs & vines and no-receipt returns for members.
• Delivery Services Delivery service for plants and products with Monday and Friday delivery schedules, curbside delivery only, and additional fees for extra delivery personnel. Location-based quotes available.
• Events & Workshops Educational events including workshops, lectures, demonstrations, and seasonal events such as Georgia Peach Truck visits, Designing Women Artisan Market, and the Autumn Craft Show.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted Best of Maine Garden Center/Nursery two years in a row (2024 & 2025) by Down East Magazine readers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Armstrong Garden Centers: California-based multi-location garden center chain offering a similar breadth of plants, garden supplies, and gift items. Comparable retail garden center model operating in a different geographic market than Longfellow's.
• Pike Nurseries: Multi-store independent garden center chain serving the Atlanta metro with annuals, perennials, trees, and landscape services. Comparable scaled independent garden center operator, though operating in the Southeast rather than New England.

Direct peers

• White Flower Farm: Litchfield, Connecticut-based horticultural brand selling perennials, annuals, shrubs, and houseplants primarily through mail order and online channels. Comparable curated plant assortment and New England heritage, though distributed via catalog rather than retail storefront.
• Weston Nurseries: Long-established Massachusetts-based garden center with extensive perennial, tree, and shrub selection plus landscaping services. Comparable New England family/independently operated garden center competing for the same regional customer base.
• Mahoney's Garden Centers: Family-owned New England garden center chain with multiple locations in Massachusetts, offering a comparable mix of greenhouse-grown annuals, perennials, nursery stock, and gardening supplies. Closely comparable business model, regional customer base, and product breadth to Longfellow's.
• Russell's Garden Center: Independent garden center in Wayland, MA offering annuals, perennials, houseplants, and gardening supplies with strong seasonal programming. Comparable independently operated New England retail nursery targeting home gardeners.
• Logee's Greenhouses: Connecticut-based greenhouse specializing in tropical and houseplant varieties, with both retail and mail-order channels. Comparable greenhouse-grown specialty plant focus and New England footprint, with similar depth in rare/exotic varieties.
• Cavicchio Greenhouses: Multi-generation greenhouse and garden center operation in Sudbury, MA producing its own annuals, perennials, and nursery stock at scale. Directly comparable grower-retailer hybrid model in the New England market.

Broad incumbents

• Costa Farms: Largest horticultural grower in North America, producing indoor and outdoor plants at scale for big-box retailers and its own retail brands (e.g., Trending Tropicals). Comparable greenhouse production scale and plant category breadth, but operates as a national incumbent across multiple retail channels.
• Home Depot Garden Centers: National big-box home improvement retailer with seasonal garden centers selling annuals, perennials, trees, and gardening supplies. Competes for the same home gardener customer base with broader convenience and price positioning, but with limited expert horticultural service.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/162193413796090
• Instagraminstagram.com/longfellowsgreenhouses
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/longfellows-greenhouses

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Longfellow's Greenhouses