GreenSmith owner Jon Kolozvary is committed to
supporting Ohio-made and grown products. He
offers a unique variety, including hundreds of
magnificent hanging baskets that will leave the
center for Mother’s Day. Photos by Benjamin
Margalit
We specialize in unusual plants from small
growers across the state.
The GreenSmith Garden Center brings you the
best Ohio has to offer. Here’s why buying locally
has more benefits than you might think.
By: Ken McEntee
Date: 04/23/2009
The clever gardeners who fill their yards with selections of gorgeous and unique plants from The
GreenSmith Garden Center not only beautify their landscapes, but also help to grow Ohio’s economy.
“Everybody carries the common annuals like impatiens and geraniums,” notes Jon Kolozvary, owner of the
garden center and gift shop in Hinckley. “We specialize in unusual plants that you won’t find at the big box
retailers, or even at the larger garden centers. We search them out from mom and pop growers from all
around Ohio.”
Jean Reynolds, manager of the garden center, travels the state two or three times a week, going off the
beaten path to find the fresh and unusual flowers, shrubs and other plants.
“We have things you’ve never seen,” Jon promises. “By Thursday or Friday of every week, we have a
selection that is completely different from what we had the week before. There are at least 200 to 300 new
plants every week.”
Jon, who grew the garden center and gift shop from the seeds of his successful landscaping business six
years ago, is adamant about supporting local businesses and our neighbors from all over Ohio.
The gift shop features the products of about 40 local vendors who sell their goods on consignment, as well
as a selection of “Ohio Proud” products. Ohio Proud, a marketing program created by the Ohio Department
of Agriculture, identifies and promotes agricultural products that are made or grown in the Buckeye State.
“When you buy Ohio Proud products, all the money stays in Ohio,” Jon says.
The quaint, two-story gift shop—an old farmhouse that once hosted a coffee house in the heart of
Hinckley—offers locally made products ranging from greeting cards and gourmet dog biscuits, to
personalized crafts, honey, maple syrup, gourmet vinegars and salad dressings.
“We have products from right here in Hinckley, along with Richfield, North Royalton, Brunswick and other
places in the area,” Jon says.
Consignees have their own shelves to display their products,
“The store is always changing,” Jon says. “We insist that the vendors change their displays to keep it fresh
and interesting. You can visit today and it will be a different store the next time you come in. I don’t even
know what the place will look like next week.”
If you visit on weekends, you’re likely to enjoy the aroma of fresh baked bread.
One of the largest displays belongs to Boswell’s Beanery & Blends, a family-owned business in Hinckley that
offers dressings, sauces and dips, along with custom-blended coffees and gourmet teas.
Woodcrafts like birdhouses, posts and signs are personalized with your family name by another family
business. And one entire room is dedicated to buzzard apparel and gifts.
You may be thinking that an assortment of locally made products would make up a great gift basket.
Jon agrees.
The GreenSmith staff is available to help you select a perfect combination of items to create a great
personalized or themed basket.
“We do hundreds of patio pots and container gardens every year,” says Jon, who started The GreenSmith
Landscaping service 14 years ago. After outgrowing his garage in Middleburg Heights, Jon bought the five-
acre Hinckley site that once housed the Grace Brothers Garden Center. His intention was to expand his
landscaping business while planning to open a garden center in the future.
“We opened the garden center a little sooner than I expected,” Jon recalls. “People were coming in and
looking at the plants and trees we stocked for the landscaping business. We had to keep telling them that
they weren’t for sale. Finally we just opened the garden center and gift shop.”
Along with a huge selection of perennials, annuals and herbs, The GreenSmith features an expert staff that
is willing to help with the most technical questions.
Jon was trained in horticulture at the Agricultural Technical Institute, a branch of The Ohio State University,
in Wooster. Many other GreenSmith staffers also took nursery training at OSU. Their expertise comes
together at GreenSmith’s unique “planting bar,” a large work area where the staff will help you arrange your
own custom container gardens.
“Instead of buying the plants and making the arrangements at home, we give you one-on-one service to
create perfect combinations on-site,” Jon says. “You leave with a beautiful container that is ready to place.”
The personalized service isn’t confined to the planting bar.
“You will get friendly, helpful service from the time you get out of your car, to the time we help you load it up
and leave the parking area,” Jon promises.
If you don’t have the time to build a custom container, you’re invited to choose from the expertly designed
containers on display at the garden center.
“For Mother’s Day we have the best selection of the year,” Jon says. “We will have more than 300 hanging
baskets to choose from.”
The rustic garden center, with the tranquil tinkling of the many fountains and water features on display,
carries an assortment of landscaping materials and soil amendments in bags and bulk, including organic
fertilizers and other products, like the popular Sweet Peet—an organic mulch made in Brunswick.
“We have a lot of wells in Hinckley and people are looking for organic products that won’t contaminate the
water,” Jon says.
The garden center also carries birdseed, Ohio-made birdhouses and decorative statues and other
ornaments, like rugged, Amish-made trellises and arbors that create delightful accents to a garden.
“We designed our garden displays to inspire our customers with ideas they can take back to their own
yards,” Jon says. “All of the plants in the gardens are labeled so people know exactly what they’re looking
at.”
For those big jobs, like planting one of the rare trees that are found exclusively at the garden center, The
GreenSmith Commercial and Residential Landscaping service is available for professional installation.
The GreenSmith will host its annual perennial plant exchange on Saturday, May 23, from 10:00 a.m. until
noon. The open house gives you the chance to bring your own potted and labeled perennials to exchange
with other home gardeners.
“We have great events like this at least once a month,” Jon says. “Like our popular Christmas open houses
held every weekend during the holiday season .”
The GreenSmith Garden Center and Gift Shop is located at 1340 Ridge Road (Rt. 94), in Hinckley. Call the
garden center at 330-278-7112 for more information.
You can visit their website at www.greensmithlandscaping.com.
Date: 04/23/2009
The clever gardeners who fill their yards with selections of gorgeous and unique plants from The
GreenSmith Garden Center not only beautify their landscapes, but also help to grow Ohio’s economy.
“Everybody carries the common annuals like impatiens and geraniums,” notes Jon Kolozvary, owner of the
garden center and gift shop in Hinckley. “We specialize in unusual plants that you won’t find at the big box
retailers, or even at the larger garden centers. We search them out from mom and pop growers from all
around Ohio.”
Jean Reynolds, manager of the garden center, travels the state two or three times a week, going off the
beaten path to find the fresh and unusual flowers, shrubs and other plants.
“We have things you’ve never seen,” Jon promises. “By Thursday or Friday of every week, we have a
selection that is completely different from what we had the week before. There are at least 200 to 300 new
plants every week.”
Jon, who grew the garden center and gift shop from the seeds of his successful landscaping business six
years ago, is adamant about supporting local businesses and our neighbors from all over Ohio.
The gift shop features the products of about 40 local vendors who sell their goods on consignment, as well
as a selection of “Ohio Proud” products. Ohio Proud, a marketing program created by the Ohio Department
of Agriculture, identifies and promotes agricultural products that are made or grown in the Buckeye State.
“When you buy Ohio Proud products, all the money stays in Ohio,” Jon says.
The quaint, two-story gift shop—an old farmhouse that once hosted a coffee house in the heart of
Hinckley—offers locally made products ranging from greeting cards and gourmet dog biscuits, to
personalized crafts, honey, maple syrup, gourmet vinegars and salad dressings.
“We have products from right here in Hinckley, along with Richfield, North Royalton, Brunswick and other
places in the area,” Jon says.
Consignees have their own shelves to display their products,
“The store is always changing,” Jon says. “We insist that the vendors change their displays to keep it fresh
and interesting. You can visit today and it will be a different store the next time you come in. I don’t even
know what the place will look like next week.”
If you visit on weekends, you’re likely to enjoy the aroma of fresh baked bread.
One of the largest displays belongs to Boswell’s Beanery & Blends, a family-owned business in Hinckley that
offers dressings, sauces and dips, along with custom-blended coffees and gourmet teas.
Woodcrafts like birdhouses, posts and signs are personalized with your family name by another family
business. And one entire room is dedicated to buzzard apparel and gifts.
You may be thinking that an assortment of locally made products would make up a great gift basket.
Jon agrees.
The GreenSmith staff is available to help you select a perfect combination of items to create a great
personalized or themed basket.
“We do hundreds of patio pots and container gardens every year,” says Jon, who started The GreenSmith
Landscaping service 14 years ago. After outgrowing his garage in Middleburg Heights, Jon bought the five-
acre Hinckley site that once housed the Grace Brothers Garden Center. His intention was to expand his
landscaping business while planning to open a garden center in the future.
“We opened the garden center a little sooner than I expected,” Jon recalls. “People were coming in and
looking at the plants and trees we stocked for the landscaping business. We had to keep telling them that
they weren’t for sale. Finally we just opened the garden center and gift shop.”
Along with a huge selection of perennials, annuals and herbs, The GreenSmith features an expert staff that
is willing to help with the most technical questions.
Jon was trained in horticulture at the Agricultural Technical Institute, a branch of The Ohio State University,
in Wooster. Many other GreenSmith staffers also took nursery training at OSU. Their expertise comes
together at GreenSmith’s unique “planting bar,” a large work area where the staff will help you arrange your
own custom container gardens.
“Instead of buying the plants and making the arrangements at home, we give you one-on-one service to
create perfect combinations on-site,” Jon says. “You leave with a beautiful container that is ready to place.”
The personalized service isn’t confined to the planting bar.
“You will get friendly, helpful service from the time you get out of your car, to the time we help you load it up
and leave the parking area,” Jon promises.
If you don’t have the time to build a custom container, you’re invited to choose from the expertly designed
containers on display at the garden center.
“For Mother’s Day we have the best selection of the year,” Jon says. “We will have more than 300 hanging
baskets to choose from.”
The rustic garden center, with the tranquil tinkling of the many fountains and water features on display,
carries an assortment of landscaping materials and soil amendments in bags and bulk, including organic
fertilizers and other products, like the popular Sweet Peet—an organic mulch made in Brunswick.
“We have a lot of wells in Hinckley and people are looking for organic products that won’t contaminate the
water,” Jon says.
The garden center also carries birdseed, Ohio-made birdhouses and decorative statues and other
ornaments, like rugged, Amish-made trellises and arbors that create delightful accents to a garden.
“We designed our garden displays to inspire our customers with ideas they can take back to their own
yards,” Jon says. “All of the plants in the gardens are labeled so people know exactly what they’re looking
at.”
For those big jobs, like planting one of the rare trees that are found exclusively at the garden center, The
GreenSmith Commercial and Residential Landscaping service is available for professional installation.
The GreenSmith will host its annual perennial plant exchange on Saturday, May 23, from 10:00 a.m. until
noon. The open house gives you the chance to bring your own potted and labeled perennials to exchange
with other home gardeners.
“We have great events like this at least once a month,” Jon says. “Like our popular Christmas open houses
held every weekend during the holiday season .”
The GreenSmith Garden Center and Gift Shop is located at 1340 Ridge Road (Rt. 94), in Hinckley. Call the
garden center at 330-278-7112 for more information.
You can visit their website at www.greensmithlandscaping.com.
GreenSmith owner Jon Kolozvary is committed to
supporting Ohio-made and grown products. He offers
a unique variety, including hundreds of magnificent
hanging baskets that will leave the center for Mother’s
Day. Photos by Benjamin Margalit
supporting Ohio-made and grown products. He offers
a unique variety, including hundreds of magnificent
hanging baskets that will leave the center for Mother’s
Day. Photos by Benjamin Margalit
Made In Ohio