WRITTEN BY DAVE AND LINDA HOPPER
2018 is a milestone year for us at Natural Plus Nursery. We founded the nursery in April of 1978. Prior to starting up the nursery, Dave graduated from ISU with a degree in Landscape Architecture and was working for a large nursery in Des Moines.
When Dave wanted to start his own business, we returned to the current place of Natural Plus because it had special meaning for us. It was initially owned by my grandfather and is where I initially grew up. My parents had a typical farm in the 1950’s with crops, dairy cows, pigs, and chickens. The farm buildings are now all gone, but the house, the memories, and the ambiance of rural living remain. This place has been in the family now for almost 80 years.
Over the years Natural Plus has faced many obstacles and challenges – interest rates of 18%, financial issues, weather issues, gypsy moths, me working both at the nursery and at Mercy Dialysis Center, and the coming of “big box stores” thinking they should all get in to the nursery business.
But 40 years later, Natural Plus is still operating. We give thanks to our parents for financial and moral support, for our children and their hard work and tolerance of this life, for hard working employees, and most of all for all the wonderful customers who have supported us - some of whom have become lifelong friends and acquaintances.
In 2013, our son David left his job with the DNR, and his wife, Mary, left her job as an OT to take over the nursery. They face the same challenges we faced, and many new ones including a more impatient and demanding technology dominated world. But they have risen to the challenge and hope to make improvements as the years go by, and most of all continue to serve you.
Again – we thank YOU , our customers for supporting us! And we hope to get to meet many new customers.
Help us celebrate 40 years at our Spring Open House May 11-19!
New varieties of plants are continually being developed. Growers are adding new varieties of barberries, spireas, rhododendrons, ninebarks, hydrangeas, perennials, and many other plant species.
We would especially like to inform you of hardy disease resistant Elms. These new varieties are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease which wiped out virtually all of the elms about 30-40 years ago. These beautiful, vase shaped trees can now be added back to your landscape and will add interest, beauty , and shade.