Quality Gardens, 409 Route 228 West, Valencia, grows all of its annuals and perennials on-site. That is thousands of plants a year.

We also have an extensive shrub and tree nursery, rose collection, and houseplants. Along with the green goods.

We have a one-of-a-kind glass house where we sell home and garden decor and garden care products. Then we have a farmers' market where we sell all-local produce and gourmet cooking mixes.

With every passing year, we carry and grow the newest and most desired plant selection, along with the tried and true varieties. We realize, with the economic climate the way it has been, that many more people are growing their own seasonal foods not only in the gardens but also in containers.

We carry hundreds of types of pottery for container gardening and a multitude of veggies and herbs for people to choose from that can be grown successfully in containers.

We have realized that more and more people want to not only make their outdoors a livable space but also have it flow with the inside of their home. That is why we have a 5,000-square-foot building dedicated for home and garden decor.

We also have been working on having demonstration classes and workshops so our customers can learn about gardening and landscaping in their own yards. Many of the classes are free and open to the public.

We employ 10 to 15 workers depending on the season.

Tom McMeekin started this business 23 years ago because of his love for horticulture. It has grown from one greenhouse to 15.

The grounds also include an open-air shrub and tree nursery, farm market and landscape design division. The newest addition has been a state-of-the-art glass house that is the only one of its kind in the United States.

The garden center market has changed drastically over the 23 years Quality Gardens has been in business. Homeowners' desires have changed and still are changing.

The goal of any business is to evolve with the customer base.

That is why we not only sell green goods, but everything that a customer could want to make their home and yard a showplace. We sell several American artisan goods, such as pottery, jewelry and glass — all of which is of the highest quality and would be hard to find anywhere else.

Our goal is to keep our customers on their toes, and we want them to be surprised with every visit. We also want to educate our customers. That is why we are having workshops and demonstration classes to broaden their knowledge.

We also are creating a children's section full of toys and educational tools. We want the next generation to love and to understand nature as much as we do.

We also have open houses full of music, art and food. We want it to be a one-of-a-kind experience when they come.

This article was submitted by Quality Gardens.