For most of her life, Ashton Redden dreamed about owning a greenhouse – getting to spend her days surrounded by plants and flowers, nurturing them from seeds, and spreading the joy with her community.
Five years ago, Redden’s dream came true.
“A few years before the pandemic, I had asked the (now previous) owners of Riverdene Garden Centre if I could take over the business. At first, the answer was no. In 2020, the opportunity to buy came up again, and this time, they said yes!” said Redden.
Redden’s been going strong with Riverdene ever since, and is excited to be celebrating her 5th anniversary this year.
Redden has always had a love for nature; aside from the Greenhouse, she also works full-time at the Research Centre. While her previous knowledge of growing and caring for plants was beneficial when taking over Riverdene, she still faced plenty of learning curves as a first-time business owner.
“My main goal when I started was just figuring out how to operate a greenhouse, honestly. Where to order new products from, what varieties to order, managing the weather fluctuations in early March when the seeds were growing… it was a lot, I’m always busy, but it’s definitely been worth it,” she said.
As she’s learned the basics of business ownership, Redden’s been adding her own personal touches to the place wherever she can. She’s brought in a good selection of indoor plants, added some unique perennials, annuals, and water plants, and is always accepting feedback from her customers and community.
“It’s also been important to me to take what I’ve learned and pass that onto my staff and my customers. Whether that’s helping them understand watering or fertilizer needs, tips for how to get the most product out of their vegetable plants, or getting the best eco-friendly varieties.”
Since day one, Redden has been dedicated to giving her customers the best. During the off-season, she keeps ahead of the trends in the industry and in online spaces, discovering what types of products people are looking forward to in the next season and which varieties are going to thrive the best in our specific climate.
Redden also posts regularly on social media, offering tips for choosing and taking care of your new plants.
In the next few years, Redden is looking forward to introducing new products and services to better serve her clients both during and outside of the season. Future plans include educational classes and planting parties, but many of them are still under wraps. One change you might have noticed, though, is the flower garden next to the Greenhouse building.
“Customers will be able to go out and choose their own flowers to cut to create a custom bouquet,” said Redden. “We’re just getting started with it, so the details aren’t quite finalized yet, but it’s definitely something to be looking forward to.”
As she reflects on the last five years in business, Redden is most grateful for the community support.
“Swift Current is a great, supportive community,” she said. “I’m glad to offer a source of happiness for so many people – seeing gardens around town, you can see how much love people put into them. And I’m grateful to be in a place where I can offer my support in return; we support a few community groups like daycares and sports, and have supplied fundraiser products for schools.”
Riverdene Garden Centre will be celebrating its anniversary all month long with deals in store. They’re also hosting a special celebration event on Saturday, June 7th, with tiered discounts, refreshments, DIY planters, and giveaways all day long.
Need some gardening tips? New flowers? More house plants? Check out Riverdene Garden Centre on Instagram or visit their website.