Gardener’s Paradise has new state-of-the-art greenhouse

By Shari Friedel

The Grant Tribune-Sentinel

In anticipation of spring, Gerald and Alicia Hostetler have been preparing for the planting season at Gardener’s Paradise, located southeast of Grant on Highway 23, to accomodate the community’s gardening needs.

The couple has owned the business since 2019, when they bought it from Alicia’s parents, Denton and Sherry Mastre. That first year, they added the front entrance building to the existing greenhouse.

This year, they have replaced the old greenhouse with a brand-new, state-of-the-art structure with time-saving features to add efficiency to their operation.

There is an automated sprinkler system for watering, a fertilizer application system that connects to the water lines, and an automated cover, that with the flip of a switch, will unfold to provide shade when the sun gets too intense. Previously, Alicia said, they had to struggle to haul a cover over the whole greenhouse.

The old greenhouse was sold to someone in Nebraska’s panhandle; and the old fencing on the property was sold to an area resident who creates and sells decorative signs.

The installation of the new greenhouse was a family event, with relatives from Illinois traveling to Grant last summer to help with the cement work.

The greenhouse was delivered and assembled in the fall with finishing touches still ongoing.

Alicia loves the new environment, saying it stays much warmer, and it is easier to control the climate for the tender seedlings.

Alicia has always had a love for plants, which increased with her employment at Mueller’s in Ogallala as a teenager.

With the larger space, Hostetlers are able to expand their offerings and selection.

Products include vegetables, perennials, annual flowers, hanging baskets, roses, seed potatoes and onions, as well as fertilizers, planters, soil and mulch.

Hostetlers plan to open for the season in mid-April, and hold an open house so the public can view their new building. 

Alicia welcomes anyone needing items such as mulch or potting soil before the official opening date, to stop by the greenhouse or contact her at 308-352-8155.