Hilltop Growing Center, 2932 N Ridge Rd, Perry, OH 44081, US

In 1955, Charlie Brotzman decided to get into the nursery business. He and his wife, Dorothy, had already bought 20 acres of farmland, dug a well, built a barn and were planning a house. For the next 7 years he labored as a carpenter during the days while cultivating his first nursery crops and the peaches and asparagus that were already there. In 1958 and with the house completed, they moved in with their 3 children, Tim, Jeff and JoAnna. With hard work, dedication and the entire family working side by side, he bought more land and built more buildings. Although his first crops were primarily evergreens and he referred to his business as The Home of Happy Evergreens, he was eager to add deciduous trees and shrubs to the inventory. Until his death in 1998, Charlie Brotzman remained passionately committed to his business, the land, his family, community and country. And that is how it all began. All of the Brotzmans are still involved in the family business and Tim's wife, Sonia, who was born in Honduras, is the office manager. About 80 acres of sandy loam are in cultivation. Primarily field growers, we produce an extensive B&B line of specimen conifers, over 125 different Witch Hazels, bare root deciduous trees in sizes up to 4-6" diameter and a wide selection of bare root (heavy transplants) shrubs and evergreens. We also supply cut Winterberry Holly to the wholesale market. Our nursery has introduced over a dozen unique selections, including LAVENDER TWIST Weeping Redbud, STREET KEEPER Columnar Honeylocust and White Tigress Striped Maple. A visit here does not feel the same as at many other nurseries. Our fields are small, often folded between permanent plantings of large, exotic trees and rhododendrons. The fields themselves are usually full of a curious assortment of plants, many whose identities will test the best plantsperson's knowledge. Gathered from sources around the world, these plants have been assembled here for a reason, and that often means there is a story waiting to be told. We believe very strongly in the statement that " arboriculture begins in the hands of the propagator, and must be carried through the entire nursery production process." We look for superior cultivars and selections taken from the best provenances. Proper selection of understock, liner production techniques, pruning of both roots and crown are essential considerations in producing healthy, structurally sound plants. We transplant frequently and root prune to allow our naturally sandy soils to aid the production of fibrous root systems. We have developed our own systems of pruning both evergreens and deciduous trees, emphasizing structure rather than the excessive volume of branches so often found in typical production practices. We will prune to enhance a tree's natural shape, not manipulate it into some contrived form from which it will bolt once installed in the landscape. Our products are sold to growers, landscapers, re-wholesalers, retailers, municipalities, botanical gardens and mail order companies located primarily in the eastern half of the United States. We are happy to conduct personal tours, we just ask that you call in advance.