Located on 9.5 acres in Pontiac, Goldner Walsh Nursery is an eclectic mix of plants and locally made products. As the longest continually operating business in Pontiac, the nursery aims to bring customers back to nature.

Founded in 1953 by Al Goldner, the nursery is housed in an historic building, which has been a plant business since 1890. The business served as the flower

provider for the high society of the 1900s and still offers the same flower cut services with a focus on domestically grown plants.

Today Goldner Walsh has a full-service landscape design and installation department, a nursery, greenhouses and a garden center. The staff helps every customer find a plant that will work with the space

available.

For college students, owner Tim Travis recommends cacti.

“They fit into a contemporary style, they’re not fussy, they’re very bold and super easy to grow,” Travis said.

Goldner Walsh also specializes in terrariums (which are indoor plant collections). The staff will work with customers to create their own mix of plants and creates their own

terrariums.

Some speciality plants that the business offers include tropical plants and carnivorous plants such as Venus Fly Traps and pitcher plants.

“The kids totally dig (the carnivorous plants),” Joel Miller, nursery manager and staff horticulturalist, said.

In addition to the plant services they offer, the nursery rents it’s historic space for special events. Goldner Walsh has space outside, as well as greenhouse space indoors. They also sell products made by Michigan businesses and artists.

“I don’t have a lot of everything,” Travis said, “but I have a lot of cool stuff.”

Travis really enjoys that the money from local businesses go towards the community.

“We generate so much new money locally,” Travis said. “It just keeps circling.”

The nursery also hosts many charity events and art openings. In the summer they sell produce, an effort to offer fresh fruits and vegetables and help local farmers.

Travis believes another aspect that makes Goldner Walsh special is the level of expertise that such a speciality business provides.

John Pollock is the head greenhouse tropical plant grower at Goldner Walsh. He is often frustrated with the non-plant specific information that is provided on plant packaging in larger chain retailers.

“The thing is,” Pollock said, “with smaller mom and pop places and local places, you get good information.”

According to Travis, because Goldner Walsh is motivated by passion instead of profit, the prices at the local nursery are often cheaper than those at larger chain stores.

Goldner Walsh Nursery is located at 559 Orchard Lake Roadin Pontiac, Mich. For more information, check out their Facebook page at on.fb.me/guBJYL

[slideshow id=24]

Contact campus editor Sarah Hunton via e-mail at [email protected]