Sally Benson \u2014 March 11, 2015<\/p>\n

\nIf you had the opportunity to build your dream, what would you do? Invest in time travel? Conquer the stock market? Retire in comfort to a tropical isle?<\/p>\n

Well, if you\u2019re Jim Berry, you start a new business.<\/p>\n

For nearly 40 years, the Texas-born plantsman has been developing and growing plants, always eager to find the best genetics and to fill a unique niche in the market. Throughout his decades in the horticulture industry, Berry has endeavored to produce the very best shrubs\u2014those with superior vigor, outstanding ornamental characteristics and solid market potential. Much of this work was done in Alabama, when he was employed by Flowerwood Nursery and Plant Development Services Inc., but he\u2019s since returned to Texas to establish his own operation.<\/p>\n

A new start<\/h3>\n

In 2006, after 25-plus years out of state, Berry founded J. Berry Nursery in Grand Saline. Situated in East Texas, Grand Saline is, according to Berry, \u201can historic nursery area. It used to be the rose capital of the world,\u201d Berry claims. The town of Tyler, home of the Texas Rose Festival, is only about 30 miles to the southeast; Dallas and Fort Worth are slightly more than an hour west.<\/p>\n

With the encouragement of his son and partner, Jonathan, Berry put down roots on the site of the former Hawkins Nursery. \u201cWe liked the looks of [the property] because it had infrastructure that we could put into production immediately,\u201d he says. \u201cWe liked the availability of water; we liked access to the Fort Worth\/Dallas metroplex.\u201d<\/p>\n

The nursery business is in Jonathan\u2019s blood\u2014he\u2019s been part of the industry all of his life, Jim says\u2014and he holds a degree in economics from Tulane. Couple that with Jim\u2019s decades of experience and background in production innovation, and a new family business was bound to be the result. Still, a new start isn\u2019t easy, and Berry knows that keen insight, careful planning and a bit of serendipity all may contribute.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were fortunate that I had name recognition with Home Depot,\u201d Jim explains. \u201cI also had relationships with the Conard-Pyle company that allowed me to obtain a Knock Out\u2122\/Drift\u2122 license to propagate.\u201d<\/p>\n

A sound business plan got J. Berry Nursery up and running. \u201cThose factors all came into bearing and we were off to a real fast start in 2006,\u201d Berry says. \u201cWe\u2019d been studying the market opportunities and thought that Texas had an economy that we could be successful in. We viewed the Texas market as pretty commoditized,\u201d which left the door open for unique, highquality shrubs. \u201cWith a vibrant economy, we imported plants from coast to coast to meet the needs of the Texas market.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I couldn\u2019t have done it on my own, and I don\u2019t think that Jonathan could have done it on his own, but together we were able to get started,\u201d Berry concludes. \u201cThen Home Depot took us on as a vendor, and we were heavily involved in the Knock Out rose business for quite a while. We popped out a lot of very high quality Knock Out roses that were needed for the market.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Acres of J. Berry Nursery\u2019s Black Diamond\u2122 crape myrtles greet marked name D\u00e9j\u00e1 Bloom\u2122, as well as the sun at the nursery\u2019s Grand Saline location in Texas.<\/em><\/strong>All photos Courtesy of J. Berry Nursery<\/span><\/p>\n

The J. Berry brands<\/h3>\n

Functioning as a licensed grower for branded products can provide a measure of stability for a nursery, and many companies have thrived on such programs. J. Berry Nursery produces a line of groundcovers for a group of independent garden centers, and continues to work with premium rose programs. But product innovation is Jim Berry\u2019s passion, and he wanted to serve the market with fewer commodity plants and more specialty selections. The result\u2014so far\u2014is three lines of flowering shrubs, all developed and marketed under the J. Berry Nursery name.<\/p>\n

The distinctive Black Diamond series of crape myrtles features dramatic, almost inky foliage that provides a unique foil for brilliant, jewel-toned blooms. The original group of five cultivars was developed in cooperation with the USDA.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe worked with the USDA on the breeding phase and the evaluation\/trial period, and then launched them into the market in September of 2012,\u201d explains Berry. \u201cThe scientist was Dr. Cecil Pounders at the Thad Cochran Southern Horticultural Laboratory in Poplarville, Mississippi. For the first year we co-branded with their names, but today it\u2019s exclusive to Black Diamond. That\u2019s a trademark that we own.\u201d The series includes \u2018Pure White\u2019, \u2018Best Red\u2019, \u2018Blush\u2019, \u201cCrimson Red\u2019 and \u2018Red Hot\u2019.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

J. Berry Nursery received the award for Best 10 x 10 Booth at the TPIE Show in Fort Lauderdale in January, as well as the \u201cCool New Product\u201d award for the company\u2019s Patio Party\u2122 hibiscus.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

More selections are on the way, including \u2018Purely Purple\u2019, \u2018Mystic Magenta\u2019 and \u2018Shell Pink\u2019. \u201cThis year, we\u2019ll have three new additions to the color palette, and those originated from my breeding,\u201d Berry says. The regional launch is scheduled for mid-summer to fall of this year. \u201cBecause we don\u2019t do comprehensive distribution across the crape myrtle market,\u201d Berry explains, \u201cit\u2019ll be Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, through a broad assortment of retailers.\u201d Most of the rollout will be 3-gallon sizes, but, Berry says, \u201cWe\u2019ll have our first crop of 7-gallons this summer, and we realize that we\u2019ve got to get larger sizes out there so that the landscape supply sector will be satisfied.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company also produces a line of reblooming azaleas under the trademarked name D\u00e9j\u00e1 Bloom\u2122, as well as Patio Party\u2122 hibiscus, a relatively new series of tropical hibiscus. All three brands, which are suitable for unique seasonal color, are marketed in some Northern states under the On-the-Go Patio\u2122 umbrella brand, also developed by J. Berry Nursery. Berry would like to see the brands extend further and, he says, \u201cWe\u2019re actively seeking licensed growers; we\u2019re open to licensing all of our brands.\u201d<\/p>\n

The newer Patio Party brand is the result of Berry\u2019s experience and a happy relationship with a French breeding company. \u201cOne of their specialties is tropical hibiscus,\u201d Berry says, \u201cand I\u2019ve been breeding tropical hibiscus for five years. My objectives are exotic flowers, high bud count, excellent foliage, disease resistance and branching structure.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brand recently received a warm welcome at the TPIE show in Florida in January. \u201cPatio Party was selected by a panel of independent garden center owners and operators as one of the 15 coolest products. So it was quite a debut for us and our products,\u201d Berry beams.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

J. Berry Nursery\u2019s Patio Party\u2122 line of tropical hibiscus often serves as the \u201cthriller\u201d in mixed containers. Shown here is \u2018Best Friend\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\nFocusing on retail<\/h3>\n

Knowing your product and your market is, of course, key to any successful business. Early on, Berry elected to concentrate on growing for retailers. That approach includes contracts with Big Box stores as well as independent garden centers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re pretty much retail focused. We don\u2019t turn landscape business away, but our product offering has just evolved tailored to retail. The larger retailers view us as a specialty grower,\u201d Berry explains. \u201cWe don\u2019t grow commodities; they have suppliers that grow commodities. So they look for innovation from us, and we grow a limited number of items as part of their program. I try to look for high-value product\u2014clematis, oakleaf hydrangea, and more recently it\u2019s the Black Diamond crape myrtles.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Black Diamond\u00ae crapemyrtle blooms range from \u2018Purely Purple\u2019 and \u2018Shell Pink\u2019 (pictured) to \u2018Red Hot\u2019 and \u2018Pure White\u2019. All flower colors are highlighted by the brand\u2019s deep foliage.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve learned that you need to ship retail-ready product in the store at the appropriate level,\u201d he continues. \u201cAnd it really does fit in with my overall philosophy: That we need to serve the market, the people who are shopping. So if we stay focused on the end consumer, delivering them value and long-term success, then we\u2019re pretty secure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zeroing in on the retail customer has proved to be a successful strategy for the young company, but it\u2019s not without its challenges, both in terms of adapting to working within retailers\u2019 requirements and learning who those consumers are, and what they want.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re faced with the changing demographics and trends, so we\u2019re trying Continued from page 17 Rich, dark foliage is a distinctive, distinguishing characteristic of J. Berry Nursery\u2019s branded Black Diamond\u00ae crapemyrtles. \u2018Mystic Magenta\u2019 is pictured here. Black Diamond\u00ae crapemyrtle blooms range from \u2018Purely Purple\u2019 and \u2018Shell Pink\u2019 (pictured) to \u2018Red Hot\u2019 and \u2018Pure White\u2019. All flower colors are highlighted by the brand\u2019s deep foliage. to recognize the new consumer, the consumer of the future, and the way they live their lives,\u201d Berry says. \u201cThe future\u2019s certainly going to be different from the past.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung people are living in much more dense urban environments, and they quite often are very fluid in where they live. So we think they have small spaces, a patio or a deck or a window, and that they\u2019re liable to move. And they like to nurture, so they want to be able to take their plants with them. Container gardening is here to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

But how does a grower assess what the new consumer will want, or need? You study, you listen to younger employees, and you learn to trust your instincts. \u201cWe\u2019re not real sophisticated,\u201d Berry claims. \u201cHorticulture is an art and a science, so to be a horticulturist you need to have an outlook on life of what is beautiful. And you marry that with the scientific capability of producing it and evaluating the status of its ability to thrive in the environment. I find plants I like, and if I think it\u2019s really good, I grow a lot of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rich, dark foliage is a distinctive, distinguishing characteristic of J. Berry Nursery\u2019s branded Black Diamond\u00ae crape myrtles.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\nSurviving\u2014and thriving<\/h3>\n

Jim and his son Jonathan started a new business in 2006. They soon were joined by another son, Benjamin, who studied horticulture at Auburn University and spent time working in nurseries in Europe. Then in 2007, the Great Recession hit. The housing market tanked, banks failed, green industry businesses struggled. Many of them did not survive.<\/p>\n

So how did a new company manage to hold on, much less grow and thrive?<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s not been easy,\u201d Berry admits. \u201cOf course, the Knock Out license that I had gave me a very valuable license to produce a highly appreciated product.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2018Mystic Magenta\u2019 is pictured here.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew we were too heavily invested with one customer and one product line, so we attempted diversification by acquiring Westlake Ace Hardware and Calloway\u2019s Garden Centers, and then we developed the Black Diamond crape myrtle and identified a range of clematis and oak leaf hydrangeas. And now we\u2019re on the verge of what I think is a very significant project with these Patio Party hibiscus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berry credits his staff for keeping him on his toes and for keeping the company ahead of the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I\u2019m not a spring chicken, but I have a young staff and I value that young staff,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019re contemporary and they can move mountains through technology, and they can lean on my accumulated knowledge base, and I get to do what I want to.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate to identify some key players: a good production manager, good leaders out in the field, competency in the office and in marketing. The level of technology required to do business with today\u2019s technologically savvy retailers is something I don\u2019t understand, but I\u2019ve got people who do. I\u2019ve come to respect everyone\u2019s opinion. Collectively, we make pretty good decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2018Red Tiara\u2019 is just one of J. Berry Nursery\u2019s repeat blooming D\u00e9j\u00e1 Bloom\u2122 azaleas. Others include \u2018Fuchsia Parasol\u2019, \u2018Pink Jewel\u2019, \u2018Cherry Pi\u00f1ata\u2019 and \u2018Orchid Showers\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Berry acknowledges his good fortune. \u201cWe\u2019ve been real blessed, I\u2019ll tell you. It\u2019s been hard work, but we\u2019re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We established J. Berry as bringing innovation to the market. And I think we still operate on that mind set.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s been critical all along has been J. Berry Nursery\u2019s willingness to listen and learn, as well as lead. Staying nimble, keeping an eye on the consumer and being willing to adjust to new technologies all help. Or, as Berry says, \u201cDifferentiating; assessing the market and determining what\u2019s needed \u2014 and what\u2019s not available. And then working real hard to identify the genetics, present them in a retail-ready way, appropriately addressing branding and style. Staying consumer focused.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always said that if I could create my own future, I might as well do that. If I can lead the market, why follow it?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sally Benson \u2014 March 11, 2015 If you had the opportunity to build your dream, what would you do? Invest in time travel? Conquer the stock market? Retire in comfort to a tropical isle? Well, if you\u2019re Jim Berry, you start a new business. For nearly 40 years, the Texas-born plantsman has been developing and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nursery","tag-business"],"yoast_head":"\n