Local plant nursery gears up for spring

SALISBURY, Md. – Spring is in bloom and so are the flowers.

At William’s Market in Salisbury, gardener John McCaig worked to prepare the flower nursery for the busy season.

“We’re obviously getting ready for spring,” McCaig said. “We’re ordering stuff, we’re getting new stuff every week and lots of plants are on the way.”

With so many people on the Eastern Shore looking forward to seeing bright flowers in their gardens and fresh produce on their tables, McCaig has been tending to hundreds of plants on site, ensuring only the best end up at people’s homes.

“We’re constantly having to reorder, reorder, reorder,” McCaig said. “We have a large clientele. We have fine quality plants; we make sure that we go for a good quality as opposed to a whole bunch that aren’t any good.”

To be a plant parent like Joe Schiaffino means to appreciate all types of different greenery.

Looking forward to the warmer months, he said he typically goes for the show stopping flora to put in his front yard.

“We have the typical daffodils, tulips, crocuses. For the spring, we look for different shrubs, something that will be a conversation piece, where people walking by will say, ‘Ooh,” Schiaffino said.

While many may think that beginning a gardening journey is a walk in the park, Laurie Hortie said it’s actually quite the opposite. She pointed to patience and commitment being two traits of successful gardeners.

“It’s somewhat of a labor of love, and I think when people do it, they enjoy the fruits of it, then they see the benefits of it. Once you start, it’s easier to keep up,” Hortie said.

And with many people picking up the hobby since the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hortie said growing food right in your backyard can be a more sustainable option.

“I think more people are growing more on their own to provide, and also, it’s expensive at the store,” Hortie said. “It tastes better when you grow it yourself, it really does.”