MEMBER PROFILE
JEAN STARR
Old House Gardens ’ Founder Scott Kunst Ponders Retirement
PHOTO COURTESY SCOTT KUNST
Recently , Scott Kunst Recently , announced his retirement from the company he founded . He began a successful flower bulb business coining a term that had yet to appear on the radar . When he founded Old House Gardens 24 years ago , the label “ heirloom ” wasn ’ t commonly used to describe plants .
The Ann Arbor , Michigan , resident was swimming against the current in a growing pond of new and different . Kunst was offering bulb varieties that had been hybridized as far back as the 19th century . And at first , people didn ’ t get it .
“ When I started out , I never considered that plants have a history . Garden design and how we use our yards — have changed ,” he said . “ I started out doing landscape and garden history , but wasn ’ t sure how to make a living at it .”
Old House Gardens ( OHG ) was born , and as it turned out , gardeners began to embrace the idea of growing old-fashioned bulbs . And it didn ’ t hurt when the heirloom vegetable trend went viral .
HEIRLOOM BECOMES FASHIONABLE
“ Bulb catalogs never mentioned the word heirloom , and that bothered me ,” Kunst said . “ Growers out of the Netherlands offered catalogs with photos and dates of introduction , where I found several bulbs that were 100 or more years old . It was incredible to me .”
Kunst started small and little by little worked up to offer both fall- and spring-planted bulbs that had been out of circulation for decades . Availability was often a problem . “ The longer a variety is around , the longer it has to get a virus ,” he explained . “ On the flip side , those still grown are stronger and have resisted infection . Plants don ’ t last for 100 years unless they ’ re extremely healthy ,” he reasoned .
Offering plants with a past to historical societies with gardens seemed the perfect
Scott and Jane Kunst plan to sit on the porch with their pooch Toby as they think about their future since retiring from Old House Gardens .
match . But the typically non-profit associations often couldn ’ t afford the pricier , more historically accurate bulbs . “ As older bulbs drop out of mainstream farms , they get a lot pricier ,” Kunst explained . “ Bulbs supplied by American growers are more expensive because they don ’ t grow massive quantities .”
FOLLOWERS FAMOUS AND EVERYDAY Over the years , Kunst and his crew have built up a cadre of followers , including Martha Stewart , who has featured Kunst and his bulbs on several of her broadcasts . “ We ’ ve put our energy into establishing relationships with people whose job it is to write about bulbs ,” he said . “ That ’ s worked out well .”
An English major who had always enjoyed writing , Kunst decided to join the Garden Writ- ers Association . After attending a couple of meetings , he realized he had never done much advertising . “ Garden writers like to dig down and look for more information . I liked that ,” he said . “ They ’ re into plants in the same way I am — they get thrilled by something new , something they ’ d never seen before or even heard about . It ’ s a nice community .” And so , as it often happens , what was old became brand new again , finding itself in the hands and minds of a group that thrives on communicating about innovative plants and original ways to use them .
OHG EMPLOYEES BUY COMPANY Luckily for OHG devotees , the doors aren ’ t shutting on the company . Kunst is happy to announce that the staff he has worked with over the years has purchased the business . The new owners have wisely convinced Kunst to stick around on a part-time basis to help out , and he ’ s optimistic about OHG ’ s future .
Kunst isn ’ t sure what he will be doing with his new-found time . “ Part of me just wants to sit on the porch and have unscheduled days ,” he said . “ I ’ m definitely looking forward to focusing the energy , passion and creativity back on my garden as it was before the business took off .”
Jean Starr ’ s writing and gardening careers collided in 1992 when her first article appeared in the American Horticultural Society ’ s magazine . She worked in newspapers as a restaurant critic , news reporter , features writer and columnist before concentrating on print and online magazines , focusing on plants and the people who grow them . Find her blog at petaltalk-jean . com .
14