Greenhouse gals: Their passion is purchasing plants

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

These women really love plants.

How much do they love plants?

So much that Janet Erb of Boone and Pat Turner of Ames make the 100-plus-mile trip from their hometowns to the Floyd County area several times each spring and early summer. Last year they traveled here seven times.

So much that they have come up with special rules and suggestions regarding the trips.

So much that Erb’s husband removes the back seats and puts in shelves in her minivan so they can haul more of the area’s bounty. “I’m the envy of all my friends,” she said.

And so much that they make a special trip to the Press newspaper office when The Area Greenhouse Guide is published so they can pick up a handful of guides to take back to their friends to plot their excursions.

“We call it a mental health day,” said Turner about their trips.

“Pat and I come first and pick up the maps,” said Erb. “I highlight them.”

It all started eight years ago.

Both women used to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a new employee who had come from Rockford told them about all the greenhouses in this area.

In 2009 they decided to see for themselves. And they were hooked.

The quality and variety of plants in area greenhouses is incredible, they said.

The Mennonites have “just a different way of life here,” Turner said.

“They know us by name, now,” said Erb of many of the greenhouse families.

“Everybody tells us by the time you have gas and food for the trip the plants get really expensive, but it’s about the fun,” Erb said.

“We don’t drink. We don’t smoke. We don’t gamble. This is what we do,” she added.

She also noted that “we leave our husbands at home.”

“We never look at our checkbook or credit cards until we’re done,” said Turner. “We’re glad we don’t live any closer — we’d be broke.”

They’ve had some interesting experiences over the years.

“We’ve had to learn to maneuver our way around,” said Turner. “One time we got stuck in a driveway. We wondered if we could get their horse and buggy to pull us out, but we didn’t need to.”

They usually travel together a couple of times a year. Other times they drive separately and each bring a friend along.

Friends are welcome, but only one extra person per car — to leave room for the plants, they echoed.

And they don’t bring back plants for others.

“We tell them to come along and follow us — in their own vehicles,” Erb said.

Both said they enjoy flowers and vegetables, and both have large gardens. They buy mostly annual plants, and said the hanging flower baskets available in the area are gorgeous.

They have developed guidelines over the years, and Erb even has a three-page printed list of suggestions as well as comments on places to eat and the best greenhouses that she shares with friends.

Among the suggestions:

• The best selection is before Mother’s Day.

• June is when the prices start being marked down.

• Most places now take credit cards, but bring some cash just in case.

• Avoid the weekends when it’s crowded.

• Don’t buy everything at the first place. Each place has something new or different, and they’re close enough that you can go back if you need to.