Quality over quantity has been the right choice for Harmony Hill Nursery in Downingtown, writes Kelli Rodda for Nursery Management.

Chris Uhland, CEO of Harmony Hill Nursery, originally focused on increasing the number of trees he could grow. But the huge shift in the market brought on by the recession forced him to rethink his business plan.

So, instead of focusing on volume, he decided to stand out from the crowd of tree-growers by working instead on the quality of his trees.

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“We added landscape-size shrubs and species of trees that weren’t too common in our region, such as redbuds and American hornbeams,” said Uhland.

Today, popular species of tree like October Glory red maple stand alongside more unusual offerings like Paperbark maples.

Uhland admitted that raising his prices made him nervous at first, but he also knew that the increase was justified by the changes he had made to his business over the last 15 years.

“Our product has shifted so much in 15 years,” he said. “When our customers come to the farm and see the improvements we’ve made – better material, better quality – they know they’re getting their money’s worth.”

Read more about Harmony Hill Nursery in Nursery Management here.

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