Growing up at English Gardens was an adventure few of my friends could ever imagine.  At a very early age, I was taken on rides on “two wheeler” carts, and climbed stacks and stacks of bagged top soil for fun and exercise.  My friends were my cousins, who often joined me and my siblings, as we hung out at the garden center.  Back then, “bring your kid to work day” was an everyday experience.  English Gardens was our playground and a way for us to connect to our dads, who spent most of our waking hours at work.  One of our favorite activities was to play “store” with pretend cash registers and pads of paper, which we used to “take orders.”  Little did the 7 of us know, our dad’s workplace would someday become our very own.

One thing I know for sure, on the job training from a very early age, taught me a lot of skills that made school come pretty easy.  As a cashier, I learned to give change for a $50 bill without a computer screen telling me the correct amount to give back.   When we had sales, I had to calculate the discount and deduct the amount before ringing the register.  Basic math was never a problem.  From doing payroll, paying vendor bills, and sending invoices out to our customers, I learned many practical skills in accounting.   Balancing company accounts, preparing tax reports and writing employee handbooks all were all learned on the job.  And what I didn’t know, I had to find out quickly from other family members or an outside source, which helped make me more resourceful.   “Bloom where you are planted” was a plaque on the wall in my parent’s kitchen, and for me, it was prophetic.

Childhood is a unique experience for everyone.  For me, every Sunday was filled with an Italian dinner at my grandparent’s house.  The house was always loud and filled with the aromas of everything homemade and mostly homegrown.  From tomatoes to sweet grapes growing on the vine, I had everything I needed to thrive. 

Flash forward to 2014.  It is our 60^th year in business and none of us can imagine how fast the time has gone by.  The upside of being in a family business is working with close relatives.  The downside can sometimes be the same. Working with our father, uncles, aunts, cousins, sisters, brothers and in-laws can have some land minds, which must be carefully navigated.  But for me, separating my family life to my current career at English Gardens is almost impossible to do.

So, as we reach our 60 year milestone, thank you for being a part of our growth and success.  Without you, we would not be here to celebrate.    And it is my hope we have brought just a little bit of beauty into your life along the way.

Best regards,

Linda Vespa Yugovich

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