At PlantMasters it’s all in the family.
D & E VanThomme Greenhouses was establish from the ground up in the Detroit area in 1940. Over time, the VanThomme brothers separated, and Plantmasters was born in Bingham Township, in 1989.
Matriarch Tina married into the family business.
“She shares stories of digging up pansies from the fields, and selling them for only a few cents a piece at the Detroit market,” Plantmasters’ website states.
She and her late husband, Don, moved north. Today, 35 years later, Plantmasters continues make things grow.
Tina’s son Tristan VanThomme serves as the property/equipment manager; daughter-in-law Crystal, production manager and general manager and grand-daughter, Rachel VanThomme, retail manager.
She is a fifth generation Plantmaster. Her younger cousins, Dahlia and Lilly, daughters of Tristan and Crystal, are aptly named and probably have a greenthumbs as well. Plantmasters grows their own — planting in their greenhouses well before the snow melts and winter gives way to spring.
The end results: a selection of 50 annuals available in 4/5-inch pots; 80 different perennials along with fruit bushes, vegetable plants; tropical plants and house plants such as orchids.
New to shoppers this spring is an additional greenhouse constructed over the winter.
“It will provide more space for our annual plants,” Crystal VanThomme said.
Plantmasters also offers seeds and bulbs for flowers that will produce flowers this summer. These include gladious and dahlias.
Also available is a season business planter program.
Designed to keep local businesses in color with fresh material year-round, Plantmasters will fill requests for planters four times per year covering the four seasons.
Each flower arrangement is be lowmaintenance and catered to your amount of sunlight.
In the spring, from late April to early May, the planters include cold tolerant blooming flowers such as pansies and columbine; summer, from early June, heat-loving flowers and foliage; fall cold tolerant fall flowers such a snapdragons, ornamental kale, ornamental grasses, and mums.
And in the winter, a fresh-cut evergreens, with décor such pine cones, bows, and ornaments.
Plantmasters also offers bulk mulch and compost. Through May 18, they are offering Happy Frog organic fertilizer half off and hanging baskets, $5 off.
From May 19 through June 1, Jack’s Classic 1.5 # fertilizer will also be offered with a 50% discount.
