Dragonfly Gardens celebrate being in the Amery community for 25 years!
Dragonfly Gardens began as a hobby for the previous owner, Rob Bursik, who absolutely loved gardening and his love he shared blossomed into a thriving community of gardeners now known as Dragonfly Gardens. He was much beloved by the community, and sadly, is missed by all who knew him. Bursik was ahead of the trends and started developing the Native plant department, a core to the business then and now, and was adamant in creating a unique garden center with quality plants unlikely to be found at any big-box store.
In 2020 a new owner, Peter Henry, stepped in to build from where Rob left off. With devoted staff and a plant loving community supportive of everything Rob built and an earnestness to keep it going, the business has been ready and willing to see new changes in the evolution of new ownership. One dream Rob had envisioned was to have many display gardens on site for folks. Today, the vision is slowly becoming a reality. Dragonfly Gardens now has a large Native Plant display garden featuring each landscape for Native plants to thrive in. Additionally, near to the new event space and atrium are display gardens utilizing plants native to Wisconsin with the intent to foster community via shade, beauty, fresh air, and to mitigate the sound of the road (not to mention housing insects and other small animals and birds). More gardens are being discussed and developed and we look forward to sharing them with the community and bridging Rob's vision.
Peter Henry has a history in the community of creating and supporting local farmers committed to soil health and sustainable practices. Prior to his role in agriculture, Henry was an educator for over 15 years. Peter brings a wealth of knowledge and experience about gardening and trees and loves interacting with customers. Prior to owning Dragonfly Gardens, Peter helped create, launch, and sustain the non-profit "Farm Table" in Amery WI, of which he still presides on the board of directors. Additionally, Peter is a published author, and devoted to creating a better world for all.
In 2021, Alison Henry joined the business to help manage the staff and interact with customers. Alison has been an educator for the last 12 years in colleges and universities in MN teaching writing and literature--she loves teaching and mentoring her students and inspiring them through literature. Additionally, she has served in a customer service capacity for over 20 years, and has also owned and operated her own business. Alison Henry loves plants and is passionate about our earth (the only home we really have) and outdoor adventures on any scale.
With a strong team of devoted and hardworking employees and owner-operators, Dragonfly Gardens is a small garden center committed to caring for the Earth and being attentive to sustaining an environment that can withstand climate disruption. We care about the community we serve and love to learn from all the gardeners we encounter who come to Dragonfly Gardens.