About our Staff
Sue Klein - Owner
Because Klein’s Floral & Greenhouse owner, Sue Klein, spends most of her work time behind the scenes, many a loyal Klein’s customer has assumed over the years that we must be under new ownership. Keen observers are very aware of the many ongoing changes occurring at Klein’s and the fact that Sue, until more recently, was seldom seen on the sales floor, clearly lead to that logical assumption. Reality, however, is far from perception and, as sole owner, Sue is fully involved in all aspects of the business. Klein’s evolution into a well-respected and modern greenhouse facility is a direct result of Sue’s insight and leadership.
Sue, quite literally, grew up in the greenhouse. She and her parents lived in the farmhouse attached to the greenhouses along East Washington Avenue until they moved into their new home just around the corner on Mendota St. Sue has very fond memories of growing up in her greenhouse setting. From a very early age she helped her mother in the flower shop with arrangements and corsages. During her free time, Sue says she enjoyed curling up with a book and the greenhouse cats atop the pile of marsh hay out back.
After graduating from Madison East High School, Sue attended the University of Wisconsin, receiving a B.S. in Floriculture. It was during her time at the university that Sue met Klein’s current head grower, Jamie Vanden Wymelenberg. After graduation, Sue attended the American Floral Art School in downtown Chicago, where she received training at one of the world’s leading institutes for floral design. Shortly thereafter, in 1990, ownership of Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses was passed on to Sue from her parents and the changes at Klein’s began. Currently, Sue’s roles encompass all financial matters, marketing and advertising, payroll and long-term planning, along with some purchasing and human resources. But it’s floral design and customer service that remain Sue’s biggest passions.
Under Sue’s guidance, Klein’s is becoming increasingly visible in the Madison community through involvement and sponsorship. We continue to modernize the facility and offer the customer high quality and cutting edge product. But most importantly, Sue has invested in a top notch staff that is stable, knowledgeable and personable.
A certified Master Gardener, Sue says that in her own Waunakee garden, she especially enjoys container gardening and raising vegetables with her children. Sue hopes that some day, one or more of her kids shows interest in taking over the family business. Passing on to them her own fond memories of growing up in the greenhouse makes that far more likely. Jimmy (the mechanic), Jonathan (the plantsman) and Michael (the salesman) already help out as much as possible between school and sports. And daughter, Megan (the artist), has already spent much of her young life running through the greenhouses or “helping out” in the flower shop--just like mom did. The next Klein generation is at the doorstep so stay tuned!
Jamie VandenWymelenberg - Greenhouse Grower
We are very lucky at Klein's to have one of Southern Wisconsin's most talented growers among our ranks. In fact, Klein's would not be the amazing greenhouse it is today were it not for Jamie's dedication and passion. During his tenure, Klein's has grown from a greenhouse content with being known only to local easiders, to one known throughout the Madison area for it's superior quality product and cutting edge plant mix. Jamie has single-handedly changed us from a greenhouse primarily known for it's flower shop, geraniums and old-time annuals, to a market leader. Klein's was among the first retailers in the area to sell annuals that are now commonplace - scaevola, bacopa, Supertunias, lisianthus, angelonia, calibrachoa Sun Coleus, plumbago and tropicals. Jamie's experimentive nature keeps him open to all that is new and his willingness to change has kept Klein's fresh and exciting.
Jamie joined Klein's at a real turning point in it's history. He was hired by Oscar and Joyce Klein in the spring of 1990. By working hand in hand with Oscar, Jamie was able to learn all facets in operating an already successful greenhouse and many traditional, tried and true techniques for growing high quality product. With Oscar's passing, Jamie had a unique opportunity of not just continuing in the family tradition, but then shaping an operation that in ways has become his own. Current owner, Sue Klein, has given Jamie full autonomy in all aspects running the greenhouse part of the business - a truly unique and envious situation for any grower.
As fate would have it, Jamie and Sue knew each other from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where they received their BS in Horticulture and Floriculture, respectively. After graduation, Jamie worked briefly with hydroponic tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers at a facility in Chilton, WI when he heard about the position of head grower at Klein's. Except for a brief stint at Stoughton Garden Center, Jamie has been here ever since. With Madison's ever-growing east side population, Jamie fully realizes Klein's amazing potential and dreams of continued growth and modernization for the future.
Jamie's no stranger to the goings-on of a small, family-owned business. While growing up, his family owned a successful grocery store in Wrightstown, WI. This explains much of his work ethic. In addition, coming from a very large family probably explains much of his competitive nature; having been involved in competitive rowing, basketball and archery over the years. Jamie and his wife, Amber, who works at the Forest Products Laboratory here in Madison, own a home on Madison's east side. Their son, Jordan, is currently in high school. In his own garden, Jamie says he enjoys experimenting with all the plans that have made Klein's so famous. He says his containers and mixed plantings are the envy of his neighborhood. Jamie is also a member of the Commercial Flower Growers Association.
If you haven't shopped at Klein's in a while, stop see the difference Jamie has made. And if you have any questions, Jamie has all the answers; from plant questions to fertilizing and pest control. He's there seven days a week from April through early June (often 5:00 am to 9:00 pm).
Kathy Lehman - Floral Manager
In four words, our floral manager, Kathy Lehman, is literally a jack of all trades at Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses. Her experience and knowledge cover the full spectrum of our business. Not only is she a talented designer but she’s also an avid gardener and garden consultant, having worked at Jung’s (Old’s) and America’s Best Flowers before joining the Klein’s team nearly a decade ago. She and her husband, Tom, operate a farmette just east of the city in rural Sun Prairie, and have filled their property with hundreds of plants she’s acquired over the years. Kathy says that one her favorite things to do is sit on their deck, overlooking their property, surrounded by her pets and array of blooming containers. Kathy is a local girl, growing up on Madison’s east side and attending LaFollette high school. Her daughter, Amber, currently in the health field, has also worked at Klein’s over the years. Son Adam enjoys working on the family property and excels at anything mechanical.
Design skills have come naturally for Kathy, beginning with silks and artificials at one of the local craft markets. The combination of this and her extensive knowledge of flowers from her own garden made the transition to fresh design a natural one. Kathy is an expert at using color and texture in her designs and is adept in all styles of design, from traditional to contemporary, from natural to tropical. She loves to experiment with all the newest techniques and materials on the market and hopes you stop in to see some of her creations in our retail cooler. Kathy and her talented staff of designers are available daily, except Sundays, from 8:00-4:00 and Saturdays until 2:00 and specialize in not just the daily events and celebrations, but also wedding and funeral work.
Rick Halbach
To say that a lot has changed in the nearly 20 years Rick has worked at Klein’s is an understatement. Back then Klein’s was known primarily for it’s famous geraniums (now geraniums account for just a small portion of our spring sales), the entire Klein’s workforce, not counting family, numbered perhaps 10 (today we have about 30 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees) and Klein’s was located between a hotel and an RV dealership (now Walgreen’s and Home Savings Bank). Our entire perennial selection fit into a 20’ x 20’ square at the front entrance and our annuals selection consisted primarily of marigolds, petunias, dusty miller, alyssum, geraniums, geraniums and, yes, more geraniums. Klein’s essentially shut down during the summer months after our big end-of-the-season sale. Now, summer remains one of our busiest times, continuing all the way into the first frosts. Yes, to say Klein’s has change a lot in 20 years, is an understatement!
Rick joined the Klein’s team in 1991 after earning a BS in Education from the University of Wisconsin and spending many years in retail management at the local Prange’s department stores and at Discount Records on State Street. It’s the combination of retail experience, his love of teaching and a passion for gardening that has made Klein’s the shopping experience it is today. Rick started out in the greenhouses and delivering flowers, before moving into the retail manager position during the mid-1990’s. As manager, Rick made many of the changes you now see at Klein’s, but like many Klein’s workers, his heart belonged to the greenhouse and working with the soil. He left the management position in early 2001. Today Rick serves as delivery supervisor, greenhouse worker, writer and as coordinator of the Klein’s booths at WPT’s Garden Expo each February. He’s also known as Klein’s “container designer extraordinaire.”
Rick grew up in the small town of Johnsburg, WI, just east of Lake Winnebago. There he spent much of his growing up time on his grandparents’ dairy farm helping in the fields by day and then side by side with his grandmother in her huge perennial gardens each evening. In fact, the family farm received a well-earned beautification award during the mid-70’s, due primarily to the extensive and always perfect flower gardens. Throughout Rick’s childhood, he always had his own vegetable garden, both at his parents’ house and on the farm.
Today, Rick and his partner, Dave, own a lovely little cape cod on Madison’s east side, just minutes from Klein’s. Since buying their home in 1986, they have poured their hearts into their home and yard. In fact, their home was featured in a 2003 Wisconsin State Journal article. In addition, Rick has appeared on The Wisconsin Gardener with Shelley Ryan and his writing has turned up in the Wisconsin Garden Journal put out by the Madison Area Master Gardeners.
At work, Rick is known for his nonstop energy and enthusiasm, which some have said is both infectious and exhausting. If you’re able to stop him, you’ll find Rick during the upcoming spring season, working with customers in the retail area, watering and restocking. Test his mind with all your toughest gardening questions. Did we mention that Rick LOVES to talk? Must be the teacher/salesperson in him! After talking with him at Klein’s, it’ll be impossible to leave empty handed.
Marcia Williams - Greenhouse Assistant
Every regular customer at Klein’s knows Marcia or would at least recognize her bright face. She’s one of those lifelong eastsiders that everyone seems to know. She and her husband, LeRoy, raised their family in the Atwood Ave./Schenck’s Corner neighborhood and now live in their beautiful dream home just blocks away on Lake Monona. Customers at Klein’s might also run into much of Marcia’s extended family while shopping. Employment at Klein’s has been a family affair for her over the years. Her brother-in-law is currently one of our delivery drivers and in the past her husband, daughter-in-law, grandson and a niece have all worked at Klein’s. When not at work, Marcia enjoys watching sports, traveling and spending time with friends and family. She also loves her bowling, her Neil Diamond and her Manhattan now and again.
Starting with Klein’s in 1989, Marcia is currently our longest employed associate. Marcia says that working at Klein’s not only keeps her busy, but young and fit. You’d never guess her a septuagenarian by watching her work at the greenhouse. On the sales floor Marcia enjoys working with customers--answering their many questions and keeping our annuals area neat and well-stocked. Beginning in late winter, Marcia has been our main transplanter; transplanting thousands of seedlings and plugs each day into the cell packs you see in our retail area. In addition, Marcia helps with other planting and some watering when it gets busy. During the holidays Marcia helps prep orders for our daily deliveries. Like everyone else at Klein’s, she’s a jack of all trades. Klein’s would not be the great place to work it is today without the smiling face of Marcia Williams!
Barb Sparks
Some may say it was fate that brought Barb Sparks to Klein’s, others may say it was perseverance. Barb first applied for work at Klein’s while a university student back in 1974. She had taken three botany courses at the university. The desire to learn about plants was there. The years passed, family came along and grew up, the stars had realigned themselves and thanks to the recommendation of one of our fellow greenhouse associates, Mark Anderson, Barb happily joined the Klein’s team in the spring of 2007. Oh, by the way, Barb’s maiden name is Cline. Fate?
Is the love for gardening nature or nurture? In Barb’s case, she says the latter is certainly the case, for nobody in her family has a green thumb. Neither of her parents, nor any of her six siblings would be considered a gardener by nature, though she says that her grandmother had a talent for growing African violets. After moving to Appleton, WI from Detroit, MI, Barb says her mother attempted a family vegetable garden with considerable success. After graduating from Appleton West in 1972, Barb moved to Madison to attend the UW. She says that while living in Sellery Hall on campus her interest in plants surfaced. She enjoyed shopping for houseplants at the nearby Choles Floral on University Avenue. After a few years at the university, Barb ultimately received an associate degree in clothing and textiles from Madison Area Technical College. Not surprisingly some of her current hobbies include sewing, quilting and decorating her home.
Barb and her husband, Will, built their lovely DeForest home approximately 18 years ago. Her extensive gardens, which evolved from a completely barren lot, can now be described as an urban woodland. One of the very first things she and Will did was to plant over 125 trees and shrubs. Many have now matured to the point where they have created the perfect woodland hideaway. She says they designed their garden to be viewed from their home looking out, blocking the view of the neighbors, rather than the typical landscaping around the foundation, surrounded by extensive lawns. In fact, Barb says if Will could have it his way, the entire lawn would be garden with no grass.
Barb says she’s very lucky to have a partner who shares in her love of gardening. Will enjoys the mechanics of gardening--building new flower beds and enlarging and improving the old beds. Barb’s interest is in the plants themselves. Perennials have historically been her forte. But she says working at Klein’s has opened her eyes to the wonderful world of annuals. Barb especially loves all the tropicals now available. Favorites include: dipladenia, mandevilla, duranta and especially hibiscus. Her favorite perennials are those that are somewhat unique with striking foliage--those that stand out in their woodland setting, including: hostas, lungwort (pulmonaria), heuchera, tiarella, astilbe and grasses. Barb says she approaches gardening in a realistic, rather than idealistic way, through trial and error. At work, Barb is the eternal student. She enjoys learning about gardening from both her coworkers and customers alike, listening to the barrage of questions and answers each day. At the end of the day, Barb, like most of her coworkers, finds it hard to leave work empty-handed, needing to learn first hand about all those new perennials and annuals Klein’s carries. Maybe Will will get his wish regarding the lawn. Time will tell.
Jim Neefe - Driver
In pegging him “loquacious” a recent article in Isthmus magazine described delivery driver, Jim Neefe, to a tee. If you're not sure, “loquacious” politely means “fond of talking”, one of Jim’s most outstanding and obvious attributes. A list of other adjectives describing Jim might include fun-loving, gregarious, efficient, competitive and knowledgeable--all qualities which make for an exceptional member of Klein’s flower delivery team.
Jim joined Klein’s in April of 2006 after a 36 year career as a Madison middle school geography and history teacher at Whitehorse Middle school here on Madison’s east side. In fact, two of his current coworkers at Klein’s were previous students of his at Whitehorse. Because of his passion for geography, maps and gardening, Jim knew immediately that floral delivery as a retirement job and working at a greenhouse were a match made in heaven. At his interview, Jim said upfront that he was THE person for the job and Klein’s would lose out big time were he not hired. He was right. His expertise and outgoing demeanor have been a perfect match for us, too.
Jim says that his passion for gardening stems from his grandfather and that he started gardening with grandpa at age four! He says that his grandfather was both a fruit and vegetable gardener as well as a flower gardener. He especially loved wildflowers, a particular interest that has been passed on to Jim. Jim says that his grandfather taught him about wildflowers in their natural settings and not just in the home garden. Jim says that to this day he can find the rarest of Wisconsin wildflowers because of the things his grandfather taught him. He also says that his own garden reflects his passion for wildflowers. He says his weed-free beds give one the impression of being natural, when, in fact, they are quite thought out and manicured. Jim says he especially loves collecting daylilies and has a nice collection of perennial asters. Favorite annuals include zinnias, gladiolas and moss roses--one of his grandfather’s favorites.
Jim’s other passions include canoeing, travel and internet trivia, of which he’s an apparent master. Jim has been president of Mad City Paddlers (madcitypaddlers.org) for the past three years. Mad City Paddlers is a group of canoe and kayak enthusiasts with over 240 members and organizes 60+ rowing trips each year from April through November and throughout the north-central Midwest. Their most well-known trip is the unique January 1 paddle on Lake Columbia in Portage. The 60+ degree water is kept ice-free by the huge power plant located there.
Jim’s many travels have taken him to some of the world’s most exotic locations, most recently to Australia and New Zealand, where he visited every botanical garden within reach. In all his travels, he says the best climate to grow roses is on the island of Tasmania off the southern coast of Australia. Other travel destinations have included: Peru and the Amazon, West Africa (i.e. Liberia, Senegal and the Sahara) and much of the Caribbean.
In his work at Klein’s, Jim prides himself in being challenged. He says that he enjoys figuring out incomplete and inaccurate addresses in planning his daily routes. He also wants to bring us into the 21st century with GPS technology and by utilizing some of the map web sites in making our daily deliveries. Watch for these changes in the future because Jim says he’s planning on delivering for Klein’s for many years to come.
Gordie Dunn - Driver
Even in retirement there’s no sittin’ still for Gordie---he’s got his fingers into everything! He not only works at Klein’s two or three days a week, but he gardens, sings, plays organ at church, bikes, makes maple syrup and curls. There’s no stoppin’ him (maybe it’s his daily dose of yogurt)!
It was destiny that Gordie eventually work at Klein’s. Even before retirement in 1999 from Rhone/Poulenc (now Danisco), where he worked as a production supervisor, we had heard that Gordie was interested in working at Klein’s after his retirement. Gordie was no stranger to Klein’s; both his daughter, Karen, and sister- and brother-in-law (Marcia and LeRoy Williams) were already working at Klein’s. LeRoy was about to retire as one of our delivery drivers so move was easy and logical. And Gordie has been one of our dependable drivers ever since. An easy-going, laid back temperament, an outgoing personality and his knowledge of Madison makes him the perfect floral delivery person. In addition, with his love of gardening, delivering allows him to explore the area’s neighborhoods and see other people’s gardens. Gordie says enjoys Dane County’s gorgeous countryside on beautiful spring days--although he says he’s not a fan of the long drives to those farthest reaches of Oregon or Verona on snowy days, only to find out the recipient of the delivery isn’t home anyway.
Gordie is a local boy, having grown up in rural Columbia County. He and his wife, Ruth, currently live in Poynette, where together they are involved in the Poynette Historical Society. They are extremely interested in the history of the people and places of our area. Both being of some Irish descent, they have made trips to the Emerald Isle and are planning to make more in the future. Ruth is a retired nurse from St. Mary’s Hospital. Daughter, Karen, is a librarian at the Steenbock Library on the UW campus and son, Bill, lives with his family in Verona where he works at Epic Healthcare Systems.
In addition to driving, Gordie oftentimes helps out in the greenhouse (if he has time--see above) in the spring and enjoys talking with people and helping out at our big Garden Expo at the Alliant Energy Center each February. With everything else on his resume, Gordie is also a certified Master Gardener.
Marion Prucha
Affectionately referred to as “the pepper lady”, Klein’s has been lucky to have Marion as a team member since about 2003, starting out very part-time in the annuals and vegetable retail area. Since that time Marion’s role at Klein’s has expanded as the business and breadth of our clientele continues to grow. She now works full time much of the year and is a vital member of our transplanting crew starting in late February. Come spring, you’ll find Marion, often times hidden amongst the tomatoes, making sure our vegetable area is the best stocked and tidiest in the area. Were it not for Marion, our vegetable selection would not be what it is today. Marion is an avid gardener on all levels. But even she admits that her forte and greatest passion comes from vegetable gardening. She and her husband, Kent, own a charming home on Madison’s east side where they pride themselves in growing interesting varieties of plants, but especially peppers--hence the name “the pepper lady”.
Marion grew up in Texas, explaining much of her love for peppers: chile peppers in particular. Where she grew up, chile piquins, the mother of all hot peppers, grew wild. In fact, the piquins we sell at Klein’s are offspring of those very plants. And because she and Kent enjoy cooking ethnic dishes, her desire to learn more about the vegetables and herbs in those dishes has continued to blossom. And luckily she has brought this knowledge to Klein’s and is wanting to share that knowledge with the customer. Since starting at Klein’s, Marion has encouraged us to grow some of our now most sought after vegetables and herbs including the piquin, pimiento and Anaheim peppers, epazote and much more and she continues to offer ideas about how we can improve and expand our vegetable selection in the future. Another one of Marion’s many ideas was to offer our customers tried and true recipes from her own collection, using many of the unique vegetables we sell at Klein’s. With Madison’s growing Asian and Latin American populations, we’re hoping our vegetable selections will reflect their cuisines.
Most of Marion’s previous work experience has been in landscape design and horticulture, though she does have experience as a bedding plants manager in Laguna Hills, CA before her move to Wisconsin. She holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Oregon. In addition to working at Klein’s, Marion has volunteered at Olbrich Gardens. Her husband, Kent, is employed with Trek bicycles in Waterloo and is a biking enthusiast. At home, he enjoys brewing his own beer using hops grown in their own garden. Recently Kent has learned about and enjoys growing things hydroponic ally in their own basement. He, too, has been bitten by the gardening bug.
Growing her own produce organically is also very important to Marion. She says she’s had some great success and that her experience has contributed greatly to this success. It’s this experience that Marion wants to share with the Klein shopper. She not only loves to talk about vegetables, but also annuals, perennials and design ideas. Stop by Klein’s and take advantage of Marion’s helpful nature when faced with your next gardening dilemma.
Mark Anderson
It was February, 2006 when Mark Anderson and his wife, Carmen, hesitantly approached the Klein’s booth at the annual Garden Expo at the Alliant Energy Center. Their agenda was blatantly different than the majority of the visitors to our busy booth. Most came by merely to check out our lovely primrose and rosemary. Not the Andersons. After multi-visits, it was Carmen who made that bold first move...she asked for a job application for her plant obsessed husband. It’s that obsession that makes for the perfect victim when hiring at a garden center...they’ll do anything for that employee discount. We’ve got them FOREVER! (Wicked Laugh)
Nearly two years later, the obsession worsens and yes, Mark does talk about working at Klein’s forever. In addition to working seasonally at Klein’s, Mark has worked for 25 years at the Walgreen’s Distribution Center in Windsor, where he accounts for and documents returned medications from the retail outlets.
Mark says that his love of gardening stems from his mother, who had a gorgeous rose garden as he was growing up here on Madison’s east side. Even with his many green thumbs, he says he has not had the success with roses that his mother had. During his high school years at LaFollette, Mark did some volunteer work with the Department of Natural Resources. His interest in nature continued to blossom through his work in forests and area trout streams. In fact, Mark toyed with a career in forest management during a brief stint at Madison Area Technical College.
Mark says his love of nature evolved into a passion for gardening after being diagnosed with a hereditary back problem in the spring of 1998. He says he knew he had an interest in gardening immediately after he and Carmen bought their lovely DeForest home in the early 90’s. Until his diagnosis, however, Mark’s passion had been directed toward competing in marathons and triathlons. His new limitations redirected his energy.
We now flip the page to today and witness the redirection of that energy and the evolution of passion into obsession. After much labor, Mark and Carmen’s garden is an ongoing masterpiece of design and color. Their garden incorporates elements of all facets of design, using height, texture, light and motion. Mark’s gardens sprawl and fill most niches of their rather large lot, giving the feeling of walking from room to room, each room having a different theme. Themes include an Italian garden, an Asian garden, a tropical garden, a shade garden and various seating areas throughout the yard. Mark is especially proud of his water features, including a pond that has taken four years to achieve perfection.
Mark and Carmen are members of the Windsor Area Garden Club , whose main event is a garden tour held each July throughout the Windsor and DeForest area. This is the perfect opportunity for everyone to view their sanctuary. Mark also works at Klein’s, of course, primarily in the springtime. After a full day at Walgreens, Mark still finds the energy to put in a few hours transplanting, restocking and helping customers. Mark thrives on increasing his plant knowledge, seeing all that is new at the garden center and partaking in that dangerous employee discount, a means by which Mark’s obsession is fed.
Frank Nachtigal
Though Frank has been the Klein’s maintenance person since 2000, the real reason Frank probably works at Klein’s over anywhere else is his love of gardening and nature. Without prompting, Frank said that among his favorite things in life has been planting things and then the enjoyment of watching them grow. He said his love of nature is intimately tied to his own faith and spirituality.
Like many of us at Klein’s, Frank is a country boy, growing up on a dairy farm in rural Richland county near Yuba. And like many of us, memories of the large family vegetable garden were an integral part of his childhood. He says his mother was the true gardener, though his father was involved to some degree with the tilling and the planting--although not always up to mom’s specifications. Like many farmers, the fields were probably his version of gardening. Frank says his mother canned much of what they raised and his mother still lives on the homestead to this day.
After graduating from Richland Center High School, Frank was drafted into the military during the Cuban missile crisis in the early 60’s. There he attended a nuclear weapons school and worked on nuclear warheads while stationed in New Mexico and then on the East Coast. It was while stationed there that he met his future wife, Marie. The move from urban Philadelphia to rural Wisconsin could not have been the easiest for Marie. Once home, Frank first worked for Dairyland Power & Light and then for Gisholt Manufacturing Co. here in Madison. After they closed in 1970, Frank began a career at Oscar Mayer, working there until he retired in 1999. At Oscar Mayer, Frank said he was essentially a jack-of-all-trades, but worked primarily in the plastics division.
It was less than a year after his retirement from Oscar’s that Frank began working at Klein’s as our maintenance person. He says he took the job to keep busy and he liked the combination of doing the handy work and working at a garden center. At Klein’s, Frank does a bit of everything--a little carpentry, a little electrical, a little mechanical but a lot of plumbing!! He says his schedule at Klein’s fits perfectly into his family life, gardening and hunting.
Frank and Marie currently live just east of Cottage Grove. Marie is retired from Kohl’s Foods and currently works at the Prime Quarter Steakhouse just blocks from Klein’s, where she does office work. They have five grown children and a few grandchildren. Frank says that his daughters are especially enthused about gardening and themselves are Klein’s shoppers. Frank says he, like his mother, used to have a huge vegetable garden. But as time passed he became more interested in flowers--and especially interested in container gardening and tropicals. He says he currently has about 50 containers, many of which he brings indoors for the winter. And at Klein’s, when he’s not searching for needed tools that his coworkers leave lying around everywhere, Frank is often on te search for just one more hibiscus to add to his growing collection.
Jennifer Simon
It’s rare as an employer that out of the blue the right person at the right time crosses our path and we know immediately that this is the one we’ve been looking for. The perspective employee standing in front of us has the right personality, the right amount of experience, the right schedule and , above all, the perfect attitude for the given job. This scene almost didn’t happen when Jen Simon applied for a position at Klein’s in late winter of 2008. Jen had applied for an open retail position unaware that we were also seeking greenhouse and sales floor help. Jen had made it clear she wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of having to work at the registers. By chance, the retail manager mentioned to the greenhouse staff that a most delightful applicant had come in for an interview, but wasn’t looking for retail work. And by chance, we had just decided that we needed some extra help in the greenhouse for transplanting and the upcoming spring season. The rest is history. Klein’s hired Jen pretty much on the spot!
Jen’s love of gardening began when she and her husband, Gary, owned a home with an existing garden in Colorado. She says she started purchasing gardening books to learn about her already established garden. She discovered that it’s OK for a garden to change and evolve and for every failure in the garden, there are even more successes. She learned that gardening comes to her naturally. As time passed, Jen watched as her love of gardening slowly evolved into passion.
Until she was hired by Klein’s, Jen had spent much of the past decade as a stay-at-home mom for her children, Olivia and Will. As the children got older she was hoping to combine her blooming passion with career, but where to begin? She says she felt like a “lost soul” while job hunting. The job opening at Klein’s left her optimistic until she found out it was a retail position. She went home devastated until the greenhouse call came just a few days later.
Jen grew up working closely with the public. She grew up with her parents owning a bed and breakfast in Green Lake, Wisconsin, just a few hours north of Madison. Hospitality and customer satisfaction have always been an important part of Jen’s being. In fact, after graduating from high school she attended UW-Stout where she majored in hotel and restaurant management. It was shortly after graduation in 1990 that she and Gary moved to Colorado where they spent 5 years. She says that it was there that she learned a lot about “xeriscaping”, or gardening with drought tolerant plants that need little or no supplemental irrigation. After Colorado, the Simons spent a few years in Malaysia before purchasing their current home in DeForest. There, Jen’s extensive gardens are a work in progress. She says though, that her flower beds are in dire need of work. She regrets that she didn’t spend the time amending the soil in her beds before planting. On the other hand, Jen is in love with the many colorful containers that dress her deck. She enjoys viewing her artwork at arm’s reach. In addition, to her own masterpieces, Jen plants and maintains one of the raised beds at the entrance to the City County Building downtown. Knowing Jen’s personality and artistic ability, it’s easy to pick her work from the crowd. Jen is also an accomplished Master Gardener.
Away from work, Jen says her other interests include reading, exercise, kayaking and “nature as a whole”. She thrives on teaching children about nature and the outdoors. At Klein’s Jen says she loves the fact that we’re a small family owned business. She says she already feels like part of our family and loves the teamwork. She enjoys working on the sales floor with the customers and teaching them about her passion. Jen says she relishes talking with beginning gardeners and “brown thumbs”. But most of all, Jen has learned that she loves conversing with and being around “gardening people”. Jen is learning what we at Klein’s already know--that “gardening people” are the coolest people around!
Jan Loomis
Gardeners tend to be passionate people and as a rule, gardeners love to share their experiences and knowledge with anyone who will listen. Ask a gardener about both our failures and successes and we'll share every tidbit of information with you. Oftentimes we enjoy sharing far more than we're asked. Sharing is a symptom of our passion. We share plants with our acquaintances and share (literally) the fruits of our labor with family and friends. Gardeners are also artists. We experiment and play with color, light and texture. The plants are our palette and the landscape is our canvas. But first and foremost, gardeners are teachers. It comes with the territory. We want everyone to experience our passion for beauty, the earth and nature. We instruct, we offer advice and we demonstrate. We teach our friends, family, spouses, neighbors and the children in our lives. Plant that gardening bug in them early and it's nearly impossible to avoid its infectious bite.
Klein's own Jan Loomis is that artist and passionate teacher we're talking about, whose love of family, the land and teaching have all been intertwined throughout her lifetime. Jan's passion for sharing knowledge is in her blood, she says. Though a farmer, Jan's father was himself a teacher at heart and shared with family and friends many of the
values she treasures to this day, namely compassion for the down and out, hard work, teamwork and a love for the
land. She says her father's most important goal in life was to own his own piece of earth on which to grow things--a goal he ultimately achieved. She says he and her mother were a very close team when it came to work, family and decision making. Between the hard work and financial struggles, there was always an abundance of joy and hope and above all a lot of fun! Jan says it's this feeling family and teamwork that she loves most about working at Klein's.
For the most part, Jan grew up in the Cottage Grove area of eastern Dane County. Early memories include working in her dad and mom's extensive vegetable gardens. To this day, Jan says that, though she enjoys all types of gardening, vegetable gardening remains the most satisfying. She loves all facets of raising and enjoying vegetables--from planting, growing and harvesting to chopping, cooking and eating them. Potatoes, she says, are her very favorite. After graduating from Madison East High School, Jan attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she received her undergraduate degree in Education. After graduation, Jan says she taught K thru 9 in many school districts throughout southern Wisconsin, including Waunakee, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove and Madison, though it was in Portage that she met her future husband, Clayton "Bud" Loomis, himself a P.E. teacher in the Portage school district at the time. Though Jan also had a career in real estate, she says her real joy has been education. Ultimately, Jan, along with her daughter Whitney, received her masters degree in education from the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. Even in retirement, Jan frequently substitute teaches to this day in the Madison schools. After retirement,Jan, a self-proclaimed "free spirit",
needed to explore some of her other life passions-- namely her tie to nature and to the land.
This brings us to the Klein's portion of Jan's story. Jan's son, Nick, had been a Klein's greenhouse worker and
delivery driver for many years. Nick knew that his mom and Klein's were a perfect match. Jan had, in fact, shopped with her dad at Klein's as a young child. Life comes full circle. Jan joined the Klein's team in the fall of 2001 and says she could not be happier. She says her job at Klein's is satisfying on so many levels. She has the opportunity to share her knowledge about some of the things she relishes most in life. She says she thoroughly enjoys working with our customers, especially our older clientele. Many a Klein's customer has commented on Jan's patience and helpfulness and how pleasant she makes their shopping experience. Jan has also shared some of her own treasured garden heirloom plants with the Klein shopper. In fact, the kiss-me-over-the-garden- gate we sell each spring are seedlings from Jan's own garden--themselves hand-me-downs from Bud's grandmother. Jan is also a member of the Madison
Herb Society.
In Jan's own garden, she says she especially loves perennials and roses, though she says that increased shade has made growing them successfully at her DeForest home increasingly difficult. She says that one of her current goals is to create extensive perennial and rose beds at her family farm in rural Sun Prairie and reconnect with the land. Her hopes
are to invest in the farm for her family's future generations. In fact, her son Nick is already an avid and accomplished gardener and Whitney's son, Lucas, has also apparently been bitten by that same gardening bug. We're pretty sure that the teacher in Jan has had a little something to do with that.
Ken Cleveland
Though with Klein’s for a relatively short time, Ken Cleveland has already proven himself to be an invaluable addition to the Klein’s team. Persistence, maturity, a strong work ethic and a very uplifting and realistic life philosophy has brought Ken to where he is today. And like many of us at Klein’s, Ken had a little bit of luck on his side.
Though now a horticulture major, Ken says he had very little experience with gardening or plants while growing up in the La Crosse, WI area. He says his family had a few plants around the house, but would by no means be considered a family of green thumbs. What Ken says he did inherit from his mother and father, is their belief that one needs to work hard to get what one wants out of life. He believes that hard work, both mentally and physically, are necessary to achieve one’s goals. He also says he inherited his mother’s need for punctuality, which is a very important part of his own day to day life both at work and at school.
After graduating from Onalaska High School in 2003, Ken found himself in a variety of restaurant and retail jobs while trying to “figure things out.” As he tells it, it was while out in the woods enjoying the day with some friends that his deep seeded passion for nature came to the surface. He says it was a sort of revelation. He says that he became fascinated by the plants that surrounded him in that woodland setting. Being surrounded by nature suddenly made him feel very good inside. It was on that single day that his path to the present began.
Essentially, Ken was ready for a drastic change in his life; from a period of wandering rather aimlessly to becoming goal driven with a far clearer picture of where life might take him. Ken enrolled in the local technical college and tried to find a job at one of the local nurseries. With greenhouse jobs, timing is everything and luck was not on his side. Then, somewhat impulsively, he and a friend decided it was time for a big change. They packed their bags and headed to Madison. It was now or never, he says. Once in Madison, Ken immediately enrolled at the Madison Area Technical College, hoping to start his path toward an ultimate horticulture degree. As fate would have it and while biking near the MATC campus, Ken saw the “Now Hiring” sign at Klein’s. It was the spring of 2008 that Ken was hired as a seasonal temporary whose main responsibility was customer service and retail sales. With his foot in the door, Ken now had the job he had always wanted and one that would send him down the correct career path.
The most useful employees in a small family business are those that can do it all
--the jack of all trades. Not only can Ken work in the retail area, but he’s a quick and efficient delivery driver, a handyman, and most of all a dedicated greenhouse worker whose goal is to learn everything there is to know about the industry. He says he feels lucky to work under someone as talented as our grower (Jamie Vanden Wymelenberg). Ken says that he’s particularly fascinated in plant pathology and hopes to pursue that area once he transfers to the University of Wisconsin down the road. Ken says he’s also very interested in all types of plants, of course, but is extremely interested in fungi. Though Ken doesn’t know where life’s journey will take him, he sees Klein’s as a big part of that adventure. He sees his experience at Klein’s as invaluable. In fact, if dealt the cards, Ken can see himself at Klein’s for many years to come. He says he enjoys every day at work and finds peace in being around the sunshine, the plants and the people at Klein’s-- both customers and coworkers alike.
Sharon Brockel
Sharon Brockel’s first association with Klein’s occurred nearly 20 years ago when a current Klein’s employee, who was ready for a career change, toyed with the idea of working at a greenhouse after seeing an ad in that morning’s newspaper. It was a warm summer day as the two were relaxing in the friend’s backyard. Insistently Sharon said, “I’m driving you over to Klein’s right now to get you an application.” Fast forward twenty years and not only is that employee still with Klein’s, but Sharon herself was lured into Klein’s intoxicating web.
Sharon Brockel was born in Milwaukee, moved to Antigo, but spent most of her growing up years in Sheboygan, before moving to Madison for college in the mid-1980’s. It was Sharon’s grandparents who lived in Antigo and she says it was her grandparents who inspired her and taught her much of what she knows about gardening today. She says for them that gardening wasn’t the relaxing experience it is for many of us today, but simply a way of life and a means for survival. She says her grandparents multi-acre farm supplied nearly all of the vegetables consumed by the extended family for a whole year. What started simply as a large garden, evolved over time into acres of nearly every vegetable imaginable with some fruits and herbs thrown into the mix. She says they grew potatoes, beans , corn, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, raspberries, you name it, in Antigo’s famous and very fertile silt loam soil (the official State Soil of Wisconsin). Sharon says she lived with her grandparents during the summers, helping in the extensive gardens. Her parents would drive up fro Sheboygan some weekends to help with the harvest, the preparation and to haul veggies back to their Sheboygan home “bit by bit” for the winter months. She says they “put up all the vegetables” for an entire year by canning them, storing them in the cool root cellar or by freezing them in the farm’s walk-in freezer. It was a whole family endeavor. Sharon says the experiences on the farm and in her own vegetable gardens have opened her up to the joys of eating homegrown produce and has taught her what truly good food is.
Sharon’s love for learning continues. It was after buying her first home on Madison’s east side that her true passion for gardening kicked in. Over the years, Sharon has wholeheartedly pursued many aspects of the gardening world. Sharon not only enjoys gardening with vegetables, herbs and flowers in the broader sense, but focuses in on many of the specifics. For example, Sharon has become somewhat of an expert on butterfly gardening. She has done extensive research on our native butterflies and how to lure them to our gardens by incorporating their host plants into the landscape. Sharon truly enjoys sharing this knowledge with the Klein’s shopper and will direct them to butterfly favorites like swamp milkweed, meadow blazing star and bronze fennel. Sharon says she not only enjoys talking about insects in the garden, but sharing her vast knowledge on topics as broad as composting and soil improvement to container gardening and growing tropicals. Throughout their lives, Sharon’s two children, Vaughn and Quinn, have also been encouraged to share in the gardening experience and have even helped out their mom at Klein’s now and again when time is short.
Around Klein’s, Sharon is known as the herb lady. She not only orders the herbs for Klein’s, but maintains that department during the planting season and then sets up and maintains our extensive herb selection at the Wisconsin Public Television Garden Expo each February. Sharon has been a member of the Madison Herb Society and has been involved with the Herb Fair at Olbrich Gardens. She says she enjoys learning about all aspects of herb usage--culinary, healing, fabric dying, etc. By day, Sharon works in the medical library at Meriter Hospital, moonlighting at Klein’s in the evenings and on weekends during the spring planting season. She says she revels in the chase for knowledge. The librarian, the teacher, the student and the naturalist become one in their quest for gardening information--be it butterfly gardening, composting, seed starting or container gardening. Continuing her thirst for knowledge, Sharon is planning to become a Master Gardener in the near future.
Sonya Kutz
Have you ever known an employee at your job that has been deemed practically irreplaceable by both supervisors and coworkers alike? Sonya is that employee at Klein’s. In her on and off ten year tenure she has left an indelible thumb print, from the way we merchandise our product to educating coworkers and customers alike in the areas of plant culture and disease and pest control. Sonya’s incredible dedication and work ethic have been instrumental in bringing Klein’s Floral & Greenhouses to where it is today. Sonya joined Klein’s staff in 1999, not long after the passing of Oscar and Joyce
Klein. This was a pivotal moment in Klein’s history as we began the process of modernizing, updating and reshaping ourselves and Sonya has been an important part of that change.
For her age, Sonya’s experience and knowledge is vast. Sonya grew up on a farm in rural Fort Atkinson. She says that over the years her father, Dennis, has raised a little of everything; from dairy cows, to pigs, to cattle, to cash crops. But all along the way she says the family garden has been a constant and that her mother, Sally, has always been an avid vegetable and flower gardener. Sonya says she’s been planting things as long as she can remember and continues planting in their family garden to this day. In fact, Sonya sells her own organic, garden fresh vegetables, herbs and cut flowers at the
Fort Atkinson Farmers’ Market each Saturday (across from the post office). She says she loves talking to people about things she’s grown herself and without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. She says that a holistic approach (nature acting as a whole, rather than a sum of its parts) to horticulture and agriculture is essential and she enjoys sharing her philosophy with others. Sonya says people should become more educated about the things they eat.
Sonya came to Klein’s with strong recommendations from Grinde’s Garden Center in Eau Claire, where she was a student at UW-Stout in Menomonie. She moved to Madison with the intent of getting a degree in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin, but Wisconsin didn’t offer the program that interested her most. In addition to working at
Klein’s, Sonya worked for Harmony Valley Farm, selling produce at the Dane County Farmer’s Market. After a few years in Madison, she moved to the Twin Cities, where in 2005 she received her B.S. from the University of Minnesota in Environmental Horticulture. During her stay in Minneapolis, Sonya interned for credit at Wagners Greenhouses, a major supplier of many of the plants we sell at here at Klein’s.
After her graduation, Sonya took a paid internship with the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She says she needed to explore another facet of horticulture--one that didn’t deal in production. During her stay she was in charge of the rose and flower gardens and designed their hardy fern garden.
Once her internship concluded, Sonya moved back to Wisconsin to work on her farm and prepare for a semester in a program in Europe, where she studied plants and crops from an anthropological perspective. She says though, that her heart is in the Midwest and on the family farm and that her travels have taught her more than anything, that we need to
educate people about how we use our own backyards. We’re very lucky to have Sonya continue her career at Klein’s as she juggles planting, nurturing, harvesting and selling produce from her more than 3 acre plot (which she hand waters by the bucket!). Visit Sonya at Klein’s with all your toughest plant questions and problems. She thrives on solving the toughest of puzzles--from weed and pest identification to the best tasting heirloom tomato you can grow.
Carly Thiel
An absolutely glowing ear to ear smile greets both customers and coworkers alike when Carly Thiel graces Klein’s retail area. She’s one of those rare people who can brighten the worst of days with her sheer presence. And like all of us at Klein’s, Carly was bitten by that infectious gardening bug early in her young life. She says, “I just can’t help myself” when talking about her extensive and ever-growing houseplant collection (that ever-present smile lighting up her face as she speaks).
Some of Carly’s earliest and fondest memories are helping her mom and dad in their family garden in North Freedom, Wisconsin, a small town located between Reedsburg and Baraboo. Like many families, Carly says that it was her mother who did much of the flower and vegetable gardening, while her father was more interested in the landscaping and the lawn. Though a “country kid”, Carly did not grow up on a farm. Yet the experience of growing up in a rural setting has shaped who Carly is today. A hard work ethic and a sense of honesty emanates from this invaluable employee.
Carly says that she has many wonderful memories working in the garden; helping plant, weed, water and harvest. One not-so-fond memory from kindergarten that stands out from all the rest involved a single watermelon that she had nurtured from seed. Carly says that she was completely devastated to find that an animal had taken a bite from her perfect softball-sized fruit that she had pampered for ever so long. Today, Carly says that her mother grows primarily flowers, rather than vegetables, and that one of her personal goals is to learn more about vegetable gardening.
Carly graduated from Reedsburg High School in 2005 and moved to Madison where she attended MATC (Madison Area Technical College) and received an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts in the spring of 2009. She says that it was while adding to that extensive and ever-growing houseplant collection and, therefore, shopping at Klein’s in the spring of 2008 that she casually asked if we were hiring. Good fortune was on her side and within days, Carly became Klein’s then newest sales associate. For the immediate future, Carly is hoping to take a break from school and would like to work in the Madison school system as a teachers’ aide and ultimately hopes some day to get her B.S. in Education with a focus in Special Education. In the meantime, she continues to work at Klein’s, a job she says she loves for a lot of different reasons. First and foremost, Carly says she loves the “feeling of family” she has with her coworkers--”a big and wonderful dysfunctional family”, she was quick to point out. Secondly, Carly says she loves our customers. She loves listening to them and absorbing from them their vast amount of gardening knowledge. Carly says she tries to be resourceful when helping our customers with gardening questions, utilizing every bit of technology available at our fingertips. “Success for our customer is important,” she says.
Lastly, Carly says she wants to learn more about all aspects of our business here at Klein’s. Though Carly’s primary responsibility to date has been working in the retail area, she had a few opportunities this past spring to dabble behind the scenes in our back greenhouses; for the most part transplanting seedlings. She says emphatically that she absolutely loved the experience! She says she hopes that some day she can use gardening and everything she’s learned at Klein’s as a teaching tool in her classroom. In addition to work and school, Carly has volunteered at Sandburg Elementary School here in Madison and would like to volunteer at the Humane Society. She says that animals are another of her many passions.
Matt Frie
For many of us, there was one moment--one decision--one event--that changed the course our lives forever and ultimately led to us working here at Klein’s. For Matt Frie, that moment came in early 2003 at K&W Greenery in Janesville. When Matt went shopping at that garden center that spring day he was an experienced nurse with years under his belt. He had no experience with plants and he wasn’t necessarily looking for a new job. But it was while there that something profound hit him. For the first time in a very long time Matt felt happy. Joy and beauty surrounded him. Life was about to make a drastic turn for Matt. When Matt stepped into K&W Greenery that day, there was no hint that he would be leaving with an application.
Matt was born in Monroe, Wisconsin, but grew up in nearby Brodhead, just south of Madison. Matt says that he was never really surrounded by gardening as a child, but remembers experiencing and enjoying nature along the nearby Sugar River. After graduating from Brodhead High School in 1985, Matt attended Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville and then Gateway Technical College in Elkhorn, where he received his certificate as a Medication Assistant with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Matt says that while he was in school he worked two jobs, both in the health field to some extent and at the Prime Quarter Steak House in Janesville. After receiving his degree, Matt took a position at the Fairhaven Retirement Community in Whitewater. Life was relatively good until February of 2002 when his very close sister, Michelle, passed away. It was that single event that made Matt step back and look at life from a very different perspective. He says that he realized he needed a “happy place to work”, rather than being surrounded by death and depression. He knew that he needed to leave nursing, but for what? More than a year later that question was answered on that day in K & W. Timing was on his side. It was nearing the spring season and Matt was hired the next day.
Matt worked at K & W Greenery for about three years in the retail area; expanding his knowledge of plants and gardening. In 2006, he decided to move to Denver “for a change and to figure things out.” But missing family back home, Matt decided to move back to Wisconsin. As luck would have it, his old manager from the Janesville Prime Quarter now worked in Madison and hired him back on the spot. The Madison Prime Quarter is just down the street from Klein’s. It was the spring of 2007. Matt says he knew when greenhouses would be hiring and low and behold Klein’s posted that we were hiring. Given his experience and outgoing personality, Matt was essentially hired on the spot. Now a few years later, Matt continues to juggle the two jobs and says that life is good. In addition to work, he’s currently pursuing an on-line pharmaceutical degree through Brighton College.
Away from work, Matt says he enjoys tennis, volleyball and his collection of houseplants. Matt says he’s particularly proud of and attached to his giant peace lily. Though notoriously hard to grow well, he says his special peace lily thrives and blooms reliably every year. He got the peace lily from his sister’s funeral.
At Klein’s, Matt says he really enjoys customer service, merchandising and doing seasonal displays. Everyone knows when Matt’s working by his booming voice and hearty laughter. When shopping at Klein’s, if that doesn’t give away which one of us is Matt, simply look for the fellow wearing tank tops in the middle of winter and a daisy tucked behind his left ear!!
Beth Swanson
The fact that Beth Swanson works at Klein’s is quite a coup for us on so many levels. Seldom has such a person crossed Klein’s path where it would have been foolish for us not to pounce on the opportunity to embrace a prospective employee and welcome them into our fold. Beth is well known in the Madison gardening community and we are happy and lucky to have her among our ranks.
Arriving at this point in life has not been a short journey for Beth and limited space required that we edit many of the fascinating twists and turns along that path. Beth says that her current love for nature, plants and gardening didn’t come naturally for her. Or perhaps that passion had been suppressed until just the right moment came along for it to sprout, flourish and blossom. Beth comes from a family “plant people” and passionate gardeners. Her siblings have degrees in horticulture and her grandmother was instrumental in founding the garden club in Dousman, Wisconsin. Beth, on the other hand, says that due to allergies and a “fear of plants” she spent most of her childhood indoors rather than in the garden. She says that the harder the family tried to get her outdoors, the more she desired to seek haven inside.
After graduating from Waukesha South High School in 1985, Beth says she spent the next several years in search of herself. In addition to attending seven different colleges, Beth says she explored countless career possibilities including those in fashion merchandising, retail and human resources. She says she worked for a dating service, at a tanning salon and even at a pumpkin farm where she says she loved the “family feel”. But along the way Beth began to realize that her forte was in the field of communications. In fact, Beth acknowledges that her parents often said, “Beth sure can talk on the phone.”
Ultimately Beth attended Carroll College in Waukesha with a focus on communication arts. While watching TV, Beth saw an infomercial for the Brown Institute of Broadcasting in Minneapolis. Life was about to take a new path. It was there that she met her future husband, Scott. She says it was love at first sight as he walked into the room. Together “Team Scott & Beth” roamed Wisconsin in various careers. After a stint in radio in the Fond du Lac market, they ended up in customer service (a phone job) at Land’s End, first in Mauston and then in Dodgeville. It was while working at Land’s End and living in Lone Rock that the opportunity of a lifetime came along--a job opening at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin near Spring Green. It’s now 1999. Though initially hired into a jack-of-all-trades position, the people at Taliesin saw Beth’s amazing potential and and created a position for her as Media and Events Coordinator, a position she held until 2003. The stars realigned themselves and everything was about to change again.
Beth says she and Scott began realizing that they wanted to be nearer a city and it was at that time that Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison posted a job opening for an Events Coordinator. Beth was hired and started at Olbrich Gardens in March of 2003. It was while working at Olbrich Botanical Gardens that something magical happened. Beth says she became very aware of her amazing surroundings. Beauty surrounded her every day at work. The “plant thing” was finally tapped into and an until now unknown passion surfaced and blossomed. Perhaps her love of plants had truly been suppressed all these years. Beth says her position at Olbrich was the ultimate job, bringing together the three P’s--plants, people & parties. It was while working at Olbrich that Beth discovered and learned about Klein’s. Olbrich Gardens and Klein’s have a long-standing relationship and she says that Klein’s is well known among the Olbrich crowd for our plant selection, plant quality, customer service and knowledgeable staff. Beth says that as events coordinator at Olbrich, Klein’s, and in particular, Kathy (Klein’s design manager), “bent over backwards” when Olbrich required special flowers, centerpieces or just advice. Beth says that Klein’s and Olbrich are not just good neighbors, but also good business partners.
By 2008, the time was right to take everything she had learned and to start her own business, E. M. Swanson Events--Professional Events Coordinator. As with any new business, it takes a while for things to take off. Beth not only needed to keep busy on the side, but also needed to be surrounded by the beauty of plants. It was during the winter of early 2009 that Beth learned that Klein’s was hiring for a retail position. The three P’s--plants, people & parties? Beth realized that working at Klein’s would tie in perfectly with her newly formed business and vice versa. Needless to say, Klein’s hired Beth on the spot. Beth, like most of us, says she enjoys the intimate family feel of Klein’s. She says she loves the opportunity to “play with plants” on a daily basis and to be creative with customers. She says she thrives on the craziness and the flurry around the greenhouse in the springtime. Beth also says she’s happy to see her “Olbrich people”, many of whom regularly shop at Klein’s.
Together, Beth and Scott own a charming home on Madison’s north side surrounded by what she calls a woodland cottage garden “with flair”, filled with art, sculpture and everyday objects that she recycles and reuses in the garden setting. Beth says she’s especially fond of container gardening and incorporating tropicals into her garden. Husband, Scott, teaches high school English in Sauk City and, though not a gardener, does the “guy things” around the yard. Arlo, the cutest Brussels Griffon on this planet, rounds out their family and is himself a frequent Klein’s visitor.
Karel Peterson
One common trait among the staff members at Klein’s is our incredible versatility and our ability to fill in wherever and whenever needed. Karel’s abilities and talents are a perfect example of this trait. Karel is not only one of Klein’s most talented and creative floral designers, but is able to answer nearly any gardening question that comes her way. Karel’s long history in the garden center/flower shop industry has made Karel one of Klein’s greatest assets.
Karel came to Klein’s in 2000 after nearly 20 years of owning and operating Schultz’s Floral and Greenhouses in nearby Columbus. Karel says her business was very similar to ours here at Klein’s, therefore, making the transition for her very natural and easy. Schultz’s, like us, grew garden plants for spring and summer sales, poinsettias for Christmas and had a floral department that operated year round. And like here, Karel did it all at Schultz’s--design, greenhouse and retail. Karel says that after all these years she continues to love all facets of this business and can’t imagine it not being a part of her life. Her real passion is floral design, but she also loves gardening of all kinds and especially container gardening. . .essentially floral design for the deck and patio.
Karel traces her love for gardening to an idyllic childhood on a dairy farm in rural Portage where she and here four siblings helped, not only in the fields, but in their family’s extensive flower and vegetable gardens. Karel says that in reality both of her parents were gardeners. For her father, it was the farm fields and the crops and for her mother, it was tending the flowers and vegetables. In fact, Karel’s eighty-plus year old mother still maintains the family homestead and continues to garden and can vegetables to this day. Karel says that canning has always been an important part of her family experience. As a child she says they raised pickles for sale at the local cannery. The extra money was used to buy appliances and items for the home. As part of 4-H, the kids entered produce and canned goods at the county fair.
After graduating from Portage High School in 1973, Karel attended UW-Platteville with an interest in art, thereby explaining her love of color, form and design to this day. Today, Karel pursues her “art” not just at Klein’s, but at her own Columbus home and garden where she loves to “junk garden”. Karel’s definition of junk gardening is to pull an unusual item (a trough, a chicken feeder, a watering can or a kitchen kettle) from it’s normal context and put it into a garden setting. She enjoys transforming this “junk” into garden art via design and her knowledge of flowers and garden plants.
Karel’s love for gardening and all things natural have been passed on to her daughter, Jessica, who also enjoys gardening, but especially loves working with animals. The newest love of Karel’s life is also the newest member of her family--her daughter, Ashley’s, son Kadyn--the apple of grandma’s eye. Karel beams with just the mention of Kadyn’s name and doesn’t hesitate talking about him.
Not only does Karel design for Klein's part-time, but she also works nearer to her Columbus home at the Jung's Garden Center in Sun Prairie. There, like here, she does a little bit of everything, but works primarily in the annuals and perennials in the springtime.
