About
Lake Kountry’s History began its inception in 1988 with three simple things: a 2-place trailer to display nursery stock, $2500 cash (from the sale of the family boat) to buy that nursery stock, and the vision to develop a family nursery and landscaping business to encompass the skills and passion of a young and growing family. Parents Steve & Lori and sons Steve Jr. (7), Joe (5) and newborn baby Brian (aptly named “Buggy Boy” by endearing customers who would scoop him up out of his buggy and cuddle him as “mom” checked them out). The addition of son #4, Chad, in 1990 completed the first “employee list”! With no “official” employees yet, when Lori needed to bring the boys to various appointments she would simply leave a note at the checkout counter asking customers to please leave a note on what they had purchased and she would send them a bill in the mail! No credit cards back then – just good, honest “gardeners” who felt totally at home shopping in a beautiful and relaxing environment! Believe it or not, many customers would figure out their bills and just leave cash or a check – those were truly the “good old days”! For the boys, “playing in the dirt” meant working alongside mom, dad, grandmas and grandpas, creating landscaping areas and planting/caring for trees, shrubs and flowers! Joe loved planting morning glory seeds “all by himself”, then happily selling them for 25 cents to customers as they checked out, saving the money for a new toy John Deere tractor. (That tradition continues today, in his memory, as all customers coming to the nursery each year receive a “heavenly blue” morning glory plant. Hundreds are given away each year, along with a note that reminding all to cherish and love those we hold dear to us.)
