By Duncan Allison

Awards have been flowing freely this year for North Creek Nurseries in recognition of their leadership in using ecologically based and sustainable practices in the production of a wide range of mainly native plants for their customers throughout the country.

This 28-year-old company has focused on selecting and propagating a range of perennials, grasses and ferns of largely native species and their cultivars. New additions to their offerings are evaluated over three years so that they are ruggedly adapted, will flourish in different ecological environments, and stand the test of time.

North Creek Nurseries is based in Landenberg and employs 87 full time staff. The company supplies their plants in bulk to nurseries and contractors but not direct to the public.

Steve Castorani, one of the two founders and now owner of the company, believes passionately in the value of plants for enhancing our lives and benefiting everyone consciously or unconsciously.

Consequently, North Creek not only produces several million plants each year but offers advice to help landscape architects and designers in selecting the most suitable combination of plants to provide both functional use and favorable aesthetic impact. This holistic approach to landscaping ensures that plants are selected that will not only flourish in the particular environment but give pleasure.

In selecting plants to add to their catalog Steve and his staff also do their best to ensure that any new varieties will not become invasive.  Japanese Miscanthus grass (Maiden hair grass), (native of Asia) is an example of an ornamental that is still very widely planted that has shown to spread rapidly and tends to overwhelm native vegetation. North Creek made a conscience decision to stop producing it 27 years ago.

A further example of North Creek’s commitment to sustainability is to avoid the use of pesticides such as the neonicotinoid insecticides which might affect bees. Nurseries supplying their plants can then truly state that the plants are neonic-free.

The awards recognize the ecologically responsible practices which North Creek has believed in since the company started. Clearly they were ahead of their time, but there is now increasing significance placed on sustainability so that our fragile ecosystem can be preserved.

Greenhouse Grower Magazine selected North Creek for their 2016 Operation of the Year Award and also for their Excellence in Sustainable Production award.

In May, Greenhouse Product News Magazine recognized 40 industry professionals under the age of 40 who are helping to determine the future of the horticulture industry. Erin Kelly, Production Manager and Ryan McGinty, Farm Manager, were both chosen among the list of industry-to-be giants. This was national recognition by the two industry publications.

It quickly becomes evident that North Creek places major emphasis on building up and maintaining a highly skilled and loyal work force. While 40 of the 87 employees are under 40, there are many long term employees who have been with the company almost since its beginning.

Providing a safe work environment, with health care and good facilities does indeed allow the company to say that “bringing garden-worthy plants to market is the work of truly passionate and committed people.”

Sustainability was not fashionable when North Creek started yet today there is increasing awareness of how critical it has become particularly with regard to our environment. Steve Castorani has proved that the principles and practices of sustainability can be applied to a business when combined with sound business management. “People, planet + profit”.