ABOUT STEPHANIE
Stephanie Schwalm is the owner of Stephanie’s Perennials in
Lakeville, MA. She started out at the age of 12 as a floral designer
learning under Irene Burgess, the former owner of Irene’s House of
Flowers in Wareham, MA. As a 1988 graduate of Bristol County
Agricultural H.S. in Dighton, MA, she holds a degree in floral
design and greenhouse maintenance. Winning many awards at
school for her design work, she continued for several years as a
floral designer before working at Wright’s Greenhouse in West
Bridgewater, MA where she worked both as a floral designer and
greenhouse manager for nine years. After leaving Wright’s she
started her own business in 1996 at her home, wholesaling
perennials to local greenhouses until the Lakeville building, where
she now has her garden center, became available in 2005. The
Bedford Street location allowed her to go back to the retail end of
horticulture while continuing the wholesale part of the business.
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Stephanie’s Perennials was started by
Stephanie Schwalm in 1996. Her home
business began as a wholesale perennial
delivery service with the thought of working
for herself and bringing small garden
centers, like her current shop, only the
amount of perennials they would need with
no delivery charge, to help them grow in a
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Stephanie’s Perennials
230 Bedford Street (Rte. 18)
Lakeville, MA 02347
508-923-4775
Store Hours:
Open 7 days a week
mid-Apr thru mid-Oct
Sun. & Mon. 9am -1pm
Tues.-Fri. 9am-5pm
Sat. 9am-3pm
Extended hours during busy
season and certain holidays.
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Have a gardening question?
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Stephanie also shares her
expertise as the host of
Gardening Secrets, a local
talk show on AM 1530 WVBF
out of Taunton, MA, every
Friday from 11AM to Noon.
You can call in live at
508-822-1106.
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more efficient way. As the years went by, she established a following by
creating an annual Plant Sale, selling perennials on a picnic table at the end
of her driveway on a cash and carry honor system. When the opportunity
presented itself to rent the farm stand at the end of the street, Stephanie’s
Perennials became a retail garden center and she hasn’t looked back
since.
In the summer of 2008, Stephanie opened a new chapter of her business
and became the talk show host of Gardening Secrets on AM 1530 WVBF,
airing every Friday from 11AM to Noon. Stephanie was delighted at the
thought of bringing people the information she gives at her garden center
every day, live on the radio. You can call in live on Fridays at 508-822-1106.
Here at Stephanie’s Perennials, we hope that you will take some time to
come visit us at the shop or listen on the radio, as every day is fulfilling to
talk about plants and flowers with all of you.
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Here at Stephanie’s Perennials, “Going Green” is not a
fad. We have always done our very best to do things
as organically as possible. And we will continue to
bring in organic products to our shop for you to
choose from.
Some of the things we do to help the environment are:
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Gift Cards Always Available in any Denomination.
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vegetables from other farmers who rent the farm. When I was a young girl
this farm was still a working dairy farm and I often wonder if it wasn’t the
experience of working on the farm that brought me to the place where I am
today.
This beautiful farm carries a history with it also. I have had many locals, and
some Wilkie and Schobel family members, come to my garden center and tell
me stories that let your mind wander back in time. These are some of the
stories as they were told to me and may be different from fact as they have
been passed down through the generations, but are still fun to hear just the
same.
One of the oldest houses in Lakeville is just up the street from the garden
center and was believed to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. This
would make sense as it was also told to me that it continued down through
the farm and out to the other end of Crooked Lane, making the house and
barns great places for runaway slaves to hide.
There use to be a Mansion at the top of the dirt road that leads to the farm.
This, I was told, was an exquisite four story home with marble sinks and glass
door knobs brought from different countries. Some of these items, I have
been told, are displayed at the Lakeville Historical Society. But this pillar of
the community burnt to the ground back when my father was a young boy.
The fire department was unable to control the fire, hence the home was
destroyed. The granite posts at the entry to the drive are the only things that
remain on the property.
There are many people that come and ask me about certain spots in the
fields. No they are not crop circles, they are just wet spots on the property
and may be places that the farmers couldn’t get things to grow.
All I really know for certain is that it is truly wonderful to be a part of this land
and I feel blessed to be able to go to work every day and enjoy what I do on
the farm and be a small part of its history!
- Please keep in mind that the entire farm is private and you must
ask permission to go on the property.
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I want to thank all of my family, friends and customers that have stuck by me
and believed in me through the years with loyalty, love and hard work. It
takes all of these things and more to make a small business work. No one
can do as well as I have without every little bit of help and support, starting
with my family for noticing that I had a love and talent for horticulture at a
young age, and continuing to support me on a daily basis no matter what I
ask. My husband and son, who believed in me and gave me the ability to
learn how to dive in with both feet instead of just testing the water with my
toes. My true blue friends that endured terrible weather and nursed sore
muscles after I promised them nothing more than a free tan and work out,
yet sing my praises every day. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart
and I feel very blessed to have you all in my life.
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- We compost all our plant products and use compost in our gardens
- We welcome pots and trays back from our customers and we use them
again if possible. Ask about our new pot buyback program
featuring Ladybug Bucks.
(We ask that you only bring back usable products not broken or odd pots and trays)
- We have a growing supply of retail organic fertilizers
- We use organic fertilizers on herbs and vegetable plants
- We donate pots and trays back to Bristol County Agricultural School for
the students to use
- We use organic fertilizer in our field of cut flowers
As farmers we respect the land and do the very best to preserve it and we
encourage you to join us!
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Stephanie’s Perennials sits as a
cornerstone on the beautiful Schobel
family farm. Formerly owned by Wallace
Wilkie, this priceless piece of land has
been preserved under the Family Farm
Protection Act and can only be used for
farming purposes. During certain times of
the season you can come and see tractors
working in the fields harvesting hay and
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Message From Stephanie
230 Bedford St., Lakeville, MA 02347
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Flower, flowers, flowering plants, flowering shrubs, perennial, perennials, flowering perennials, fertilizer, fertilizers,
hydrangea, hydrangeas, shrub, shrubs, farm, farmers, hanging baskets, annuals, impatiens, petunias, wave petunias,
stephanie's perennials
