Meet Shelby Jackson of Carolina Native Nursery

Katie McDaniel: When did you realize you loved plants and this could be a career?

Shelby Jackson: I was actually in college and a semester shy of becoming a sociologist. I took a job at a garden center in Atlanta, and I fell in love. I’m from the suburbs of D.C., so horticulture was never on my radar. My mom was a gardener, but it was never a career option. I had no idea it existed. I don’t even think I knew the word horticulture until I was 21 years old. I got my plant sciences degree (at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville), specializing in native plants and public horticulture. I fell in love with it. I loved knowing the names of plants. I grew my first tomatoes that summer, and I was blown away that you could plant a seed and something could come out of it. It brought a lot of joy to my life.

KM: In a matter of hours last fall, an estimated 4 feet of devastating floodwaters from Hurricane Helene swept through Carolina Native Nursery, wiping out 90% of the inventory and causing significant damage to its infrastructure. What was it like experiencing that, and how has recovery been?

SJ: It was pretty horrifying. Unless you’ve been through any type of natural disaster, it’s hard to explain the emotional trauma. For me, I’m a pretty sensitive soul ... so it was a really emotional time. The first couple days, we had no cell service, so no one knew what was going on. We had no clue that so many people were lost and communities were just torn apart. I made it over to the nursery on Sunday. I think the storm was on Friday, and that was the first time I could get out of my neighborhood. The nursery was demolished. There were no plants left. About a mile and a half down the road before I got to the nursery, I was seeing pots on the side of the road, and I knew it was not going to be good. It was a few weeks of lots of tears and just not knowing what you’re going to do. ... You’re worried about your friends and your neighbors and your business and your employees. It was tough. So, it’s definitely been a journey. I think we stopped crying after the first two weeks. I think with a leader like Bill Jones, he is a man on a mission and a man with a plan. We just followed the plan, and we got back to work. Luckily, our industry is full of hardworking, generous, kind, thoughtful individuals. We asked for help, and it was amazing to see our horticulture community push around and come back and help us.

KM: As a native plant supplier, what is trending among your customers?

SJ: With garden centers, it’s flowering perennials. I think our perennial businesses really increased dramatically over the past few years, because you can have a tiny little garden, and you can always find a spot for a native perennial. ... Folks want to save the bees, the pollinators, butterflies and support the birds, so we’re seeing a huge trend just in that. The perennials are an easy push, and they’re easy to sell because they’re so beautiful.

KM: What does the future of native plants look like?

SJ: Bill started this company in 2003, and I remember when I came on, we were a quarter of the size that we are now. I think the people out there are reading more, learning more and paying attention. ... You see the toughness of these plants and the support that they’re offering to our environment, our wildlife and our insect population, so I think it’s going to keep growing by leaps and bounds.

KM: What do you like to do for fun?

SJ: I love to travel. My husband and I try to take at least one big trip a year and go somewhere new. I have two really cute dogs at home, so I like to hang out with them. I love reading. I’m a big book nerd and bird nerd, so I’m watching the birds and getting outdoors as much as possible.

Katie McDaniel is associate editor of sister publication Nursery Management. Contact her at kmcdaniel@gie.net.