• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

New business in Milton is growing naturally

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

Patty's Plants in Milton features plants, natural and organic garden supplies, and a large variety of art for the outdoors.

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

A large variety of natural and organic garden supplies are available at Patty's Plants in Milton.

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

This coffee pot and drip basket have turned into unique planters in the hands of Patty Bailey of Patty's Plants in Milton.

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

At Patty's Plants in Milton, an old golf cart becomes a whimsical piece of sculpture for a gardeners yard.

MILTON — Something new is growing in Milton.

It’s growing out of a lovely Italianate home on Janesville Street, and its flowering tendrils are spilling out over the porch and on to the lawn, transforming the landscape into a charming garden.

It’s Patty’s Plants, Natural & Organic Garden Supply and it’s holding its grand opening on Saturday.

Yes, the store has natural and organic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides and lawn care systems.

Yes, it carries seeds: Organic, heirloom and natives.

And yes, it has unusual items you won’t find at big-box gardening centers such as worm composers and biodegradable pots.

But more than that, the store’s atmosphere will appeal to gardeners. The tiny greenhouses are cheerfully full of plants; the scent of tomato leaves blend with the gentle aroma of herbs.

Hardened gardeners stand in the greenhouses’ aisles, transfixed, thinking those thoughts unique to gardeners: “Should I tear up more lawn? What does ‘part shade’ really mean? What will my spouse think if I spend more money on plants?”

The inside of the shop smells nice, too, a mix of quality hand soap and the earthy scent of tropical plants in good soil.

Not surprising, the store’s owner, Patty Bailey, is a long-time gardener who spent 28 years in the retail nursery business.

After “retiring,” she worked for a gardening advice Web site.

“In the middle of winter, my husband said to me, ‘You can’t just do this, you’ve got to open your own business,’” Bailey said.

Her husband, Burnie Bailey, is now in charge of accounting and replacing the drill bits Patty breaks when she “repurposes” items for planters.

Enamelware pots, old coffee urns, pottery and ceramic items—it doesn’t matter what it is, she’s willing to drill holes in it and fill it with plants.

The porch and yard are filled with those items, along with garden art from Wisconsin craftspeople.

Bailey’s commitment to organic goes back a long way; she’s always tried to garden naturally.

“Back then there weren’t a lot of products,” Bailey said. “I’d put the potato beetles, a little chili pepper, garlic powder and a little dish soup in the blender and blend them all up.”

It worked to keep certain insects away, but it tended to wreck the blender.

Now she sells natural products or those approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), and she’s tested the majority of them in her own garden.

Her goal, of course, is happy gardeners.

“I just want people to be aware of what’s out there,” Bailey said. “These products are safe for your children, safe for your pets and safe for you.”

What: Patty’s Plants and Northleaf Winery grand opening. Patty’s Plants will feature family activities including a children’s planting area, a place to create chalk drawings and face painting. The winery will be offering wine tastings. Food and music are also part of the event.

Where: The two businesses are located next to each other at 220 S. Janesville St., Milton.

When: Saturday