Sunny skies ahead for Blue Sky Nursery

Things don’t always go as planned, and sometimes they take a turn for the better. When over 45 years ago Don and Alice Klamer bought 3,000 blueberry cuttings with the dream of starting a pick-your-own blueberry farm, little did they know that their humble beginnings would evolve into one of Ontario’s premier wholesale nurseries. Meet Blue Sky Nursery of Lincoln, Ontario, Canada.

Initially, Don and Alice leased land before buying a run-down fruit farm with 21 acres on the south shore region of Lake Ontario in 1985. In the beginning, ericaceous plants were the primary focus. In the early 90’s the nursery line was expanded to include daylilies, hostas and ornamental grasses. Today, the nursery encompasses 80 acres and services garden centers, nurseries and landscape contractors in Ontario with a wide selection of perennials, broadleaf evergreens, ornamental grasses, flowering shrubs, and small fruits. While Don unfortunately passed much too soon, his vision continues to be carried on by his wife Alice, his son Clinton, who serves as general manager, and a highly qualified, dedicated and knowledgeable team.

While expanding into new product lines is always exciting, sourcing starter plants can present a challenge. Especially finding a high-quality, reliable source of ornamental grass liners proved to be challenging. This is when Emerald Coast Growers entered the picture.

“Customers were asking for ornamental grasses, but not a lot of nurseries had good availability,” explains Peter Zwaagstra, nursery manager for Blue Sky Nursery. “This brought us to Emerald Coast Growers 30 years ago,” Zwaagstra continues. “They had the selection, quality, and reliable availability we were looking for.”

In their 30 years of doing business together, both companies have experienced tremendous growth and have witnessed the ever-increasing popularity of ornamental grasses. Both companies grow a much wider selection today. In fact, ornamental grasses have become Blue Sky’s number one commodity, and Zwaagstra credits Emerald Coast with playing a big role in their success. “Emerald Coast has been crucial in our growth in this segment,” Zwaagstra explains. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Blue Sky Nursery buys primarily 38-cell and 72-cell liners from Emerald Coast and finishes them in 1-gallon pots. With almost 200 species and varieties of ornamental grasses on offer, Blue Sky relies on dependable sources to deliver high quality material on time. “With Emerald Coast, I know that I will always get an excellent product, consistent quality, and reliable availability with high fulfillment rates,” states Zwaagstra. “Plus, their team is always a true pleasure to work with.”

While the Klamers might not have realized their dream of owning a blueberry farm, what they’ve grown their business into is much to be proud of. Their combination of vision, hard work, and aligning themselves with the right industry partners has allowed Blue Sky Nursery to grow into the powerhouse it is today. In fact, the company has been recognized as one of the Industry’s Top 50 Companies by Nursery Management magazine. Both Blue Sky and Emerald Coast are looking forward to continuing to grow together.

For more: ecgrowers.com and blueskynursery.ca