Gordon L. Luke's Greenhouse, 77 Grahamville St, North East, PA 16428, US

Although Johnston's Evergreen Nursery was started in 1953 in Erie County by Richard and Jean Johnston, the nature of the business has been passed down from generation to generation. His father had a nursery in Clearfield County and there is still a tree farm there to this day being run by his brother. Now, we are proud to say the 'love' for plants is being carried on by Richard's two sons, John & Gary, and nine other family members who work here in various capacities. The farm has certainly grown in other ways since it originated, from 30 acres to approximately 450 that are currently being worked. Over the years, we have always tried to supply the area with variety. We decided to grow and supply our customers with anything they may need for around their homes or businesses. We do not just specialize on a few types of stock, and since much of what we sell is grown in our fields, it is all indigenous to our climate. As we grow, we learn. We learn from the experience of our fathers and grandfathers right up through the horticultural educations of our granddaughters and grandsons. We constantly strive to try new plants and techniques of planting. Hopefully, we can continue to better ourselves and share our love of the environment with the tri-state area well into the future. Presently, we are striving to grow a higher quality plant through chemical root pruning, proper weed control, and balanced fertility. We had this same desire in the past when trying to think of a way to provide hand dug plants with a packaging to secure the roots, decreasing transplant shock. By originating the flat-welded, self-forming, wire basket for hand dug plants, we were able to assure increased livability. Now, this wire basket is used in many forms nationwide. It feels great when you can better the plants you are growing, but it is even better when your ideas are used by many to increase the quality of the nursery industry as a whole. Our nursery has grown very fast. What we grow, how we grow it, and who is doing the growing has made big strides in the last five years. Through all these changes the thing we consider as our biggest accomplishment is not that our nursery is successful, but that with all the family that is involved in this nursery we are able to be happy, get along, and work together. That is one of our achievements that we are most proud and thankful for. Hard work, creativity, risk taking, determination, morals, faith, even luck built and continues to build this nursery. There are standards that have been with this nursery from its beginning. Our roots are deep; however, at times the purpose of the nursery is buried by the mud on this farm or forgotten about because of the overwhelming nature of the business. Our goal, at Johnston's Evergreen Nursery, is to carry on being committed to the ideals the nursery with which we grew up.

Luke Gordon L

Agway