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Couple grows the 'garden-tainment' trend

Rich and Jaclyn Kator are giving new life to an old South Elgin garden center that first opened in the 1950s when the original owner raised fresh-cut carnations in the greenhouses and sold them to area florists.

The Flower Wagon Garden Center and Nursery became a garden center in 1971 and has had four or five different owners over the years. The Kators purchased the business at 989 W. Spring St. in late 2011. They have been working tirelessly ever since to update its looks, marketing and merchandising - and to make better use of its entire site of nearly five acres.

Horticulture has been in Rich's blood since he was in high school, working at Frank's Nursery and Crafts in Mount Prospect. In fact, that is where he met Jaci.

For her, it was just a summer job. For Rich, it became an avocation and he went on to work at several other large garden centers in Des Plaines and Cary before deciding he wanted to work for himself. Before long, the couple saw the South Elgin business and property were for sale and they began to realize Rich's dream.

"Garden-tainment is extremely popular right now," Rich said. "Outdoor spaces have turned into extended living spaces. Outdoor kitchens, bars and lounge areas are popular in addition to the traditional patio set. Generation X and the millennials are driving this industry shift.

"Sustainability is also more important than in the past," he said. "Organic alternatives and growing vegetables from home grow bigger each year."

When the Kators purchased he business, the Flower Wagon was just a diamond in the rough that had been all but hidden by overgrown privacy hedges and a fence. The small sign that announced the center's presence was pretty much obscured and the woman who owned it only had it open four months out of the year.

Rich, his father and Jaci immediately set to work, making it more visually appealing and making sure those driving by knew there was a garden center that was open for business. They tore down the fence, removed the hedges and updated signs. Almost four years later, there is no excuse for someone to drive by and not notice the Flower Wagon.

The Flower Wagon has long been known for lovely hanging baskets. In fact, it sells more than 50 varieties of them. The business also sells 100,000 annuals it grows each year on site in its four large greenhouses.

Now it is also known for custom planters, as well as perennials and shrubs.

"This year we grew over 2,000 hanging baskets and about 7,000 one-gallon perennials among other plants," Jaci Kator said. "We are different because we grow 80 percent of the plant material we sell, so we can offer high-quality plants for very reasonable prices. We also carry a really big variety of plants - many that you cannot find at a big box store."

Keep in mind that planting flats of flowers or garden vegetables is a great family project, Rich said. "Get the kids involved by having them help dig the holes. You can teach them about gardening at the same time."

Rich is also willing and able to look at photos of homeowners' trouble spots around their homes and offer advice about to what to plant in each location for optimum growth and beauty, sketching out informal plans at no charge. He also diagnoses problems and offers "prescriptions for mainly organic treatment" of plants that have attracted bugs or succumbed to disease. He spends much of his time looking over leaves brought to the store in plastic bags, Jaci said.

"We want to bring the old agricultural culture of Elgin to the garden center," Rich said. "That is why we started selling trees and shrubs and it is my dream to bring a farmers market to the property, too. I would even love to be growing things on the three acres in the back. Since we are considered farmland, we can do anything related to agriculture here."

But the Kators have also greatly increased the center's merchandise, adding small fountains, garden-related gift items and seasonal decor like pumpkins, mums, Swiss chard, kale, cornstalks and hay bales to the retail mix. Then they close after Halloween.

"We are closed for five months and that gives us time to attend conventions to see what's new in the industry, order products for the following year and do prep work for our greenhouse planting season, which begins in February," Jaci said.

For more information, call (847) 695-9034 or visit www.theflowerwagon.net.

The Flower Wagon Garden Center and Nursery in South Elgin has become known for hanging baskets. The business sells more than 50 varieties of them. Courtesy of the Flower Wagon
Rich and Jaclyn Kator bought the Flower Wagon Garden Center and Nursery in late 2011.
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