THE GREENERY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

Friday, Feb. 1 marks The Greenery, Inc.’s 40th anniversary of serving the Lowcountry’s landscaping needs. 

The Greenery was first established on Hilton Head Island in 1973 by Ruthie and Berry Edwards (Check Out Our History) when they bought a small nursery with a staff of six employees, a couple of old pickup trucks and the desire to do something different. Since then, it has grown to 600 employees at the height of the season, serving customers on the island as well as Bluffton, Beaufort, Hardeeville, Savannah and Charleston with its residential and commercial landscape services.  

Berry Edwards commented that he is thankful for the opportunity provided many years ago to start his family business in a wonderful place, Hilton Head Island. “It has been a great 40 years and fun to see how our business, that started small, has changed and grown. Our success has always been about our people, which make it particularly gratifying for me to know that The Greenery is now 100 percent employee owned.”

Lee Edwards, son of Ruthie and Berry, started his career at The Greenery as a young boy who spent his afternoons and weekends helping out in the garden nursery. Lee, now The Greenery’s CEO, is providing new leadership at the helm of this employee-owned corporation. 

“I’m so proud to see how we have continued to build on what my parents started,” Lee Edwards said. “We wish to thank our hard-working and knowledgeable staff of gardening and landscaping specialists as well as our loyal customers who continue to trust our employees to take care of their properties year after year. It’s because of all of you we have successfully grown these past 40 years.”

The Greenery Inc. also operates the Antiques & Garden Collectibles Shop on Hilton Head Island. The historic building, circa 1873, was originally the Old Bethlehem Church just outside of Ridgeland. Ruthie Edwards purchased the building and had it moved 28 miles by flatbed truck and barge to its current location on William Hilton Parkway where it initially housed The Greenery’s offices.