Another reason for the nursery's success can be attributed to their willingness to do as little or as much as the customer wants. If a customer buys a tree or shrub growing at the nursery, it will be dug out, wrapped, and either put it their vehicle, or delivered, or even planted for them. Horticultural advice is offered for every need.
Landscape designers and coordinators are available who can turn any property into a horticultural Paradise. The nursery offers landscape designs to match any home and budget, and will go to the home to make it a custom design, even if the customers does his or her own work.
Housel explained that a home landscaping design, completed by the nursery and including plants, may cost from $1,000 to $10,000, with the average home project running $2,000 to $3,000. Masonry and art scape work can add to the cost.
Lawn refurbishing and reseeding is usually done with a dormant seeding in the fall that provides for good early spring growth, almost like adding an extra year to the seeding.
Shade trees are still an important part of the business, but favored tree varieties have changed through the years. Red oaks and Norway maples are still major shade trees, even though they require a longer growing period than some of the faster growing varieties such as locust and tulip trees. Blue spruce and Douglas firs remain popular as do arborvitae for screening.
Among the newer varieties that have proven popular at the nursery are the Red Sunset maple, the Cleveland Select pear, a newer version of the popular Bradford pear, and the Prairie Fire crab apple.
Housel explained why location is important when planting shade trees. "Shade trees will give the most benefit if they are planted on the west or southwest sides of a house," he said. "That gives the home shade during the hot afternoons in summer, but allows for the sun to shine through in the winter when the trees shed their leaves and the sun gives warmth."
Housel noted that evergreens used to be the favorites for ornamental plantings, but today's homeowners want more color. Popular choices for color in the home landscape include spirea, weigalia, and holly. Boxwood, a long-lived evergreen with small shiny leaves, is still popular, he said.
For long summer color, his customers like the newer Knock-out rose as well as the lower growing carpet rose.
All trees at Housel's Nursery are hand dug, even some that are 25 feet high and 3 feet in diameter at the roots. Lifting and loading is done with a tractor.
Housel's nursery has been in business for nearly 70 years. And you know that if a global recession can't make a dent in its success, this family-owned and operated enterprise must have some deep and trusted roots in the local community.