Boulevard Flower Gardens Wins Business Award

Each year during the Commonwealth’s Business Appreciation Week, Chesterfield County honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to organizations that consistently uphold the principles and standards of ethical business practices and that advertise and sell with integrity, and participate consistently in community, trade associations and local programs that better our county and region.

The Board of Supervisors and the selection committee recognized Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill as the recipient of Chesterfield County’s 2008 Business of the Year Award. Mark and Francine Landa, owners, were present at the Celebrate Chesterfield Business! Event held at the Highlands Golf Club. The Landa’s will receive their official recognition at the June 25th Board of Supervisors’ meeting at 3 p.m.

Mark and Francine purchased the business from Mark’s parents in 1982. They previously operated for over 50 years in a retail area in Colonial Heights. The new 33,000 square foot facility on Ruffin Mill Road sits on 25 acres of land and houses their retail operations, nursery and garden center. They currently have 38 full-time employees, 12 part-time and 20 seasonal employees at this facility. Their mission statement is “… to provide robust & healthy plant material, accurate horticulture advice and professional services to educate customers and insure gardening success.”
Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill was honored in 2007 by a national industry magazine as the Top Revolutionary Garden Center in the Southeast. They have donated to organizations like Christ & Grace Church, Virginia Tech and Make-A-Wish Foundation. Another community service project that they have initiated is growing over 6,000 mums for fall fund-raising projects for school and sports groups. The various groups take orders and deliver them, splitting the proceeds.

Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill is a family-owned business so they are very sensitive to family and work issues. They were awarded an honorary recipient of a 2007 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award by the Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists and the Virginia Psychological Association. Boulevard Flower Gardens was complimented on their dedication to staff involvement in organizational processes, as well as employee growth and development.

Congratulations to Mark and Francine Landa and all the employees of Boulevard Flower Gardens at Ruffin Mill! You may find more information on their web site: http://www.boulevardflowergardens.com