Spotlight on shrubs

Ed Overdevest, owner of Overdevest Nurseries, keeps his parents’ “immigrant spirit” alive in all that they do, such as upholding environmentally conscious growing practices and being Veriflora-certified. His parents, John and Jean, immigrated from Holland to Southern New Jersey in 1952 and started the nursery, specializing in azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwoods and Japanese maples. Today, they grow more than 2,000 varieties of shrubs, trees, perennials, ornamental grasses and annuals for the independent garden center channel in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. The Bridgeton, New Jersey-based nursery has grown to around 300 acres in production and 95 employees.

When you grow that many varieties of plants and cater to that many clients, you have to grow the best-performing, most sought-after plants, which is why Overdevest plants and sells Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs (PWCC). Additionally, Overdevest is committed to his parents’ vision of growing the highest quality plants, making ColorChoice Shrubs a natural fit. “Simply put, these are leading edge plants that consumers want,” Overdevest says.

These reliable shrubs are landscaper and garden center favorites, and Overdevest attributes this to Proven Winner’s quality, saying, “great genetics are the name of the game, and PWCC keeps raising the bar every year.”

When asked about favorite varieties, he says, “we have personal favorites, but we particularly like great plants that sell well. PWCC gives us many candidates to choose from. If I had to pick one, I would go with Weigela My Monet. This selection does it all with its multi-season appeal — spring flowers and season extending foliage interest. It also just happens to be one of our best-selling plants.”

Overdevest adds, “Hydrangeas continue to stand out in terms of consumer interest. The macrophylla types, especially reblooming selections — like those from PWCC — remain the emotional favorite of gardeners. The paniculata types keep gaining in popularity thanks to their exceptional summer interest and performance advantages.”

The Overdevest team makes sure they are supplying the most desired, reliable and highest quality plants to clients. ColorChoice Shrubs meet all those requirements, ensuring a symbiotic relationship between Proven Winners and Overdevest Nurseries. Proven Winners’ stellar marketing and new flowering shrubs varieties tend to draw positive attention, he says. “New plants generally command a higher margin because of consumer interest in the latest and greatest. But it still takes good marketing to get the word out. PWCC is an industry leader in that arena as well.”

As the third generation enters the family business that started out as a backyard farm, Overdevest remains committed to quality, sustainability and meeting the needs of independent garden centers. Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs allow Overdevest to do just that.

For more:springmeadownursery.com; overdevestnurseries.com