The new Great Falls Garden Center will hold its Grand Opening on May 1. The center’s owners waited a month to hold the Grand Opening because they wanted to ensure their technical and delivery systems were seamless before inviting the community to celebrate the garden center’s renovation.
“We gave it a 1-month trial. We were trying all our systems out,” said Matt Statz.
Statz and the other owners have been welcoming residents to the center for a few weeks now, but they are still offering surprises for their customers. “We have the largest variety of flowering and unusual plants and plant material in the area, and we’ve got trucks arriving daily,” said Statz. These plants include the prized David Austin roses, which the center has brought in from California.
“Since opening, the response from the neighbors has been overwhelming. Customers are coming in here to say thanks and tell us how much they appreciate what we’ve done to the place,” said Statz.
The renovation to the Great Falls Garden Center has even caught the attention of local officials, who are lauding the efforts to make over the garden center as an example for the community. “I think what they’ve done with the garden center is incredible. Compared to what used to be there, this is something that really reflects the community,” said Dranesville District supervisor Joan DuBois.
“This place really was a dump. We hauled 50 tractor trailers of stuff out of here. Everything went,” said Statz of the facelift. “We’re the most proud of the feel of the place. You can come in stroll around and look at what’s here. You don’t even need to buy anything,” said Statz.
The garden center it replaced had fallen into disrepair over the years and sat vacant for a year while new owners were found.
NOT ONLY WERE new owners found, but a new greenhouse was found as well. “The back greenhouse was packed to the ceiling with material that had accumulated over the years. They used it as a storage shed and never cleaned it out,” said Statz.
That rediscovered greenhouse now holds the Great Falls Garden Center’s collection of rare and exotic house plants, including a wide selection of orchids.
“There’s a misconception that because a shop is in Great Falls the prices will be higher. We accounted for that in the very beginning and regularly check our prices against our competitors,” said co-owner Jim Moshos.
“We’re different than the mainstream. We’re boutique without the boutique prices,” added Statz.
Plans are in the works to improve the parking situation in the future, which Statz hopes will be necessary as more people get to know what they offer and take advantage of their services. In addition to plants, Great Falls Garden Center also has landscaping and design services available. “We are regularly traveling the United States, South America and abroad to expand what we have here. We’ve got material people won’t find anywhere else,” said Statz.
The Great falls Garden Center is located on Georgetown Pike just past the Village Center.