Why We Grow: A Tribute to the People We Serve
Who We Grow For
At Win Gardens, we spend a lot of time with plants. But really, this work is all about people.
We grow for the ones who walk their land before sunrise with a clipboard in hand. For the garden centers arranging plants in neat rows, answering endless questions with patience and love. For the landscapers loading up truck beds before most of the town is even awake. For the designers balancing color, ecology and climate resilience on a single sheet of paper. For the community builders, the habitat restorers, the native plant champions. These are the people who bring our plants to life.
We serve a diverse client base, from local partners to customers across Colorado and parts of Utah, with over 100 clients to date. And we’re so proud to grow for them.
We asked one of our clients to share a bit about what they do and why they do it. Here’s from our very own Stephanis (Steph) Griggs:
Bookcliff Gardens
Grand Junction, CO
“Bookcliff Gardens is a locally owned, for 57 years, company located in Grand Junction, Colorado. We are the largest retail nursery between Denver and Salt Lake City, carrying a complete line of trees, shrubs, roses, vines, berries, grapes, evergreens, and natives. We do a high percentage of our own growing in house, including annuals, perennials, and vegetables. We also have a wide selection of pottery, fountains, statuary, garden art, chemicals, seeds, mulches, soils, amendments…and more! We have a landscape design division that works with residential and commercial clients. We also offer maintenance service which includes residential and commercial.”
“Now for a bit of history about our company! Ed Settle started the company in 1968 by growing greenhouse tomatoes and selling them to local markets. He also raised carnations in the greenhouses for cut flowers. In the mid 1970’s he started growing bedding plants, and his son, Bill, joined the company to help run the greenhouses. Nursery stock and garden goods soon followed. As the business grew, two new partners were added. Dennis Hill managed the retail and nursery, and Dan Komlo managed the landscaping and maintenance division. Dennis and Dan co-owned the business from the mid 1980’s until October of 2019 when Bookcliff Gardens took new ownership under Rick and Stephanie Griggs.”
“We really enjoy our collaboration with Win Gardens greenhouse. Our philosophy is “local supports local”! We have been supplementing our greenhouse with Win Gardens since they started their business. Win Gardens offers excellent customer service, and high quality products!”
Thank you to Steph for her kind words, and for her ability to bring our community together through Bookcliff Gardens.
The Heart Behind the Work
We’re often asked what we specialize in, and the answer is simple. We grow strong, regionally adapted plants for people who care about where their plants come from. And the truth is, our plants wouldn’t matter nearly as much without the thoughtful folks who take them the rest of the way.
We think about our customers constantly. When we’re checking for healthy root systems, cleaning up trays, or planning what to start next, we’re imagining where those plants will go. We picture a local nursery getting ready for a weekend rush. A crew planting hundreds of perennials on a trail restoration project. A landscape architect building a microclimate-friendly front yard in a tight city space. A designer carving out a shady oasis in an otherwise sun-scorched backyard.
Every plant we grow is part of someone else’s bigger vision. That’s the most exciting part of our work.
People Who Care as Much as We Do
What we’ve come to love about the people we grow for is how deeply they care. These are not folks who just toss plants into a space and walk away. They’re intentional, knowledgeable and in it for the long haul.
Take Steph from Bookcliff Gardens, for example. She’s deeply committed to learning more about native plants and expanding their presence in the nursery. Not only is she growing the selection, she’s also helping raise community awareness about the importance of these regionally adapted species.
Our clients care about the pollinators. They care about root systems. The soil life. They’re paying attention to microclimates and drought tolerance and long-term viability. They know that planting isn’t just about filling space. It’s about shaping how land feels and functions for years to come.
We’ve watched our customers push back against flashy trends in favor of what’s better for the land. We’ve seen them educate others with kindness and patience. We’ve watched them try new things, fail, learn and keep going. That kind of grit and curiosity is what keeps us inspired.
All Kinds of Projects, One Common Thread
Our clients wear a lot of hats. Some are managing huge installations across multiple sites. Others are running local nurseries that serve entire communities with just a few staff members. Some are replanting after fires or floods. Others are helping young families build pollinator gardens from scratch.
The projects vary, but what stays the same is the care. These are people who ask good questions, think ahead and work with nature instead of against it. They’re grounded in the realities of the land they’re working with. And they know the value of a plant that was grown right, not rushed or forced or filled with inputs that don’t belong.
We notice when someone takes the time to ask about plug depth or root health or bloom succession. We notice when someone shares feedback about how a certain plant performed or how one of their customer’s responded. That kind of communication makes us better growers. It keeps us honest, responsive and always improving.
The Joy of Collaboration
We don’t think of this as a one-way relationship. Our customers are part of the process, not just the end point.
When someone tells us a certain native species is working really well in an unexpected zone, we take note. When someone has a creative idea for combining plants in a way we hadn’t considered, we listen. When someone’s facing a challenge and needs to pivot fast, we do our best to support them.
This work is collaborative by nature. The better we know the people we grow for, the better we can meet their needs. And the better we meet their needs, the more they can do with the plants we grow. It’s a loop of trust, care and shared learning. That’s the kind of work we want to keep doing.
Looking Ahead, Growing Together
As each season shifts, we keep asking ourselves how we can serve our customers better. What varieties are needed more often? What planting windows are changing? How are climate patterns affecting the timing and types of plants people need?
The world is shifting, and so are our landscapes. More people are paying attention to native plants, to water-wise choices, to soil health and ecological function. That means our role as growers matters more than ever. And it means the people we grow for are doing some of the most important work out there.
If you’re one of them, thank you. Seriously. Thank you for being in this with us. Thank you for choosing regional plants. Thank you for your late nights, your early mornings, your muddy boots and your sunburned necks. Thank you for caring, teaching and sharing.
We’re proud to be your grower.
And if you’d like to be featured in a future spotlight, let us know. We’d love to hear your story, highlight your work and keep building this community of people who grow with purpose.
