I was reading one of my favorite on-line publications and catalogs, Old House Gardens http://www.oldhousegardens.com/ when I saw the following:
"Bankruptcy Stuns Fans of Wayside, Park Seed, Jackson and Perkins. The economy is picking up, but it's still a tough world out there. On April 2, (2010) three of the oldest and most highly respected plant suppliers in the country filed for bankruptcy protection. According to a spokesperson for the three, "The horticulture industry is challenging and highly seasonal in the best of times. As the general economic situation declined starting in 2008, demand for luxury, non-essential purchases dropped sharply. . . . Seeking court protection and restructuring is clearly our best option for returning to a position where we can focus on delighting our customers."
There are few among gardeners who haven't received a catalog from one of the above; many have ordered from them. Jackson and Perkins also supplies many nurseries with roses. J & P was founded in 1872 and is currently owned by "outside investors".
Park Seed has been around since 1868. Wayside (started in 1916) was purchased by Park Seed in 1975. I'm not sure, but it looks as if all three are now owned by the same outside investors. Whether it's the economy or the outside investors' business management that proved to be the problem, the end result is not a good one.
Loosing these three respected large suppliers would affect American gardening in a negative way. Let's hope the restructuring will help them through this period until they can again be financially secure.
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