Grower of the Year Award

Bradner’s Growing Concern is a four acre nursery owned by Len and Denise Smit in the City of Abbotsford. Specifically, it resides in the community of Bradner, an area where the residents are very community minded and involved. We started developing the business in the summer of 1997 building our first two greenhouses. Work commenced part-time each evening and weekends until March 2005 when Denise came home to concentrate on the day to day operations. Since 1997 we steadily grew the operation to the fourteen greenhouses and coldframes that exist now. Between the greenhouses/coldframes and outdoor stock we use approximately four acres of the property. We employ two seasonal full-time local employees and up to four full to part-time employees through the busy spring season.

We produce a variety of container grown shrubs, perennials and conifers. The better part of our stock goes out to garden centers so we strive for a consistent, high quality product in which that customer base demands. Another important part of our business is the long standing contracts we have to grow for customers in B.C., Alberta and Manitoba.

The crops we are well known for in the industry are winter and summer heathers, lavenders in various sizes and our rosemary patio pots in various forms including the very popular topiaries and cones.

We use automation (potting machine, flat filler and irrigation system) and streamlining (Lean Flow) as much as possible to simplify growing and to reduce the stress on our employees.

We market our product by availability list to retailer garden centers and wholesalers in BC and Alberta. Another sales outlet has been the virtual auction at United Flower Growers.