River Valley Horticulture Products is a paradise for plant lovers! The nursery is an inspiring destination located on 40 acres and filled with inspiring products. Some customers have even called the business the “Disneyland” of nurseries.
River Valley is Little Rock’s largest retail and wholesale nursery facility. River Valley carries everything from unusual perennials to large balled-and-burlapped trees. There are 21 greenhouses encompassing 80,000+ square feet. They are full of container plants to provide customers with a year-round selection of shrubs, perennials, and trees. The retail shopping area is a plant enthusiast’s dream come true.
With the motto, “Landscaping Products for Every Imagination,” River Valley strives to make the plant-buying process convenient and fun. Golf carts help get customers through the acres of greenery. A small conference room onsite hosts garden club meetings and training seminars for customers. The business truly strives to be full-service.
Scott Smith founded River Valley over 30 years ago on five acres. It has grown from his vision, investment, and hard work. Last July, Scott partnered with SiteOne Landscape Supply LLC, which has more than 650 locations across the country and Canada. The name and staff are the same, but with the new partnership, River Valley can offer even more product lines. The average tenure of the staff at River Valley is beyond 10 years and Branch Manager Kevin Grisham has been with River Valley for over 20 years!
Doug Black, chairman and CEO of SiteOne, noted River Valley’s place in the community. “For more than thirty years, River Valley has built a strong reputation in Little Rock by offering high-quality nursery and bulk products with exceptional customer service. Together we will be able to provide a full line of landscaping products and supplies to landscape professionals throughout Central Arkansas.”
Scott was more than eager to join SiteOne. “We are truly excited to join the SiteOne family so we can provide even greater value for our customers and more opportunities for our associates.”
Scott started River Valley because of his love for the green industry. He grew up in McMinnville, Tennessee, where he participated in a lot of planting, harvesting, and growing operations. He and his family owned Birnamwood Nursery years ago. In addition to owning River Valley, Scott also owns a 60-acre tree farm near Searcy and even an alfalfa hay farm in Kansas. He and his partner grew premium trees for years at the tree farm, catering exclusively to landscape and building contractors, but recently decided to retire the business.
About 80 percent of River Valley’s business comes from landscapers, institutions, and building contractors. With such a vast inventory and the ability to deliver statewide, River Valley can service jobs large and small. The nursery also welcomes retail customers, which make up the remaining 20 percent of the business.
Most customers come from within a 50-mile radius. Nevertheless, the website has national appeal because it is a great horticulture resourcein its own right. While River Valley doesn’t have the capacity to ship nationwide, customers are drawn to the site for its depth of information and products and how-to articles.
What makes River Valley unique is its service-driven staff. “They enjoy sharing their knowledge in all things landscaping,” says Grisham, noting there are several Arkansas-certified landscape and nursery professionals on staff. This credential means they have passed testing requiring several levels of plant identification and application. “We even have an irrigation and low-voltage landscape lighting specialist on staff. We know and appreciate our customers. Many have become close friends. Our customers make us successful, and we get to enjoy the ride.” Their years of experience are a tremendous value to their customers.
The mission of River Valley/SiteOne is to provide the highest quality landscaping materials as well as top-notch service. “While River Valley has the largest selection of inventory, with a knowledgeable and certified staff, maintaining the highest level of honesty and integrity is our number one priority. We strive for the best of the best and aim to be the premier horticultural supplier for the State of Arkansas.”
River Valley is your place if you need assistance with plant selection, drainage issues, or hardscaping ideas. “Though we don’t landscape, we have a list of trusted contractors we can pair for those needing landscaping services,” Kevin says. Our staff is fun-loving, hard-working, and customer oriented, ready to serve your landscaping needs.”
Spring inspires many people to get outside, and it is peak season for the nursery and landscaping world. “We love to encourage people to make landscaping a practical, and even therapeutic, part of their lives,” Kevin says. “We’ll have seasonal color, tropical plants, fountains, birding products, and other plants galore by mid-April.
“Even if our guests don’t buy when they visit, we hope they enjoy the beauty all around them at River Valley, plus some free coffee at the nursery office. River Valley can be our customers’ happy place!”
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