While all of North Texas feels relief as the calendar changes from September to October and hopes for cooler days ahead, our friends at Shades of Green in Celina are excited to ramp up for their favorite season. There is an annual cycle of business in the nursery business. Spring is planting and everything new, but fall is all about show and color.
Shades of Green in Celina is now in their 3rd season of sharing their garden with the community and offering a unique fall experience. It's not just another parking lot garden center; it's a living, breathing garden. The team at Celina’s Shades of Green invites you to come out, wander the paths, smell the flowers and herbs, feed the fish in the Koi Pond, and rest on benches to enjoy the natural elements and the view. The ten-acre property also includes three greenhouses, a tree farm, and a kid's play area that allows kids to play while you shop, walk the paths, and take advantage of the flower-cutting garden. It's a rare gem for a small town in Texas to have a botanical garden at its disposal.
Celina’s Shades of Green is more than just a family-owned business. It's a community hub. If you've moved north to Celina for its country feel, you'll recognize Shades of Green as the place to get plants that thrive in our North Texas soil and climate. When Jarratt Calvert and his extended family opened the Celina Nursery in June 2022, they were ahead of the growth, but they had a vision that resonated with the community. They wanted to create a garden center that felt like a park where everyone could come together and share their love for gardening and nature.
Imagine getting inspiration to turn your yard into a landscape that thrives in our climate. How great would it be to talk with a professional who understands the dirt and clay surrounding your new home? How great would it be to speak with experts who provide insight and expertise while understanding that you might be on a tight budget?
Jarratt Calvert and his wife Rebecca are the second generation shepherding the growth and direction of Shades of Green. Rebecca’s father, Jeff McCauley, started the business with his friend by purchasing their first lawn mower with Jeff’s mom’s Sears credit card. From there, the business has seen growth, changes, and some struggles, but, ultimately, their vision of connecting with the community has stayed true.
Jarratt was born and raised in Celina, and he is part of the fourth generation of family members native to our community. He can share how he graduated from the “new” high school on the corner of Pecan and Preston Road. Rebecca and her family also have deep roots in Celina. To round out the all-local team, Celina store manager Julie Holland also grew up in the area and graduated from Prosper High School. At the same time, her mom is now an Assistant Principal at Celina High School.
While the pumpkins arrived in September, on October 5th Shades of Green Celina will celebrate all things fall with Fall Fest. This will be a day of food, fun, fall festivities, and live music. Guest artist Trey Rose from season 16 of The Voice and upcoming country artist Jaxen Mannering will entertain the crowd with a sunset concert. Food and drink trucks include Taco Banditos Taco Truck, Little Wooden Penguin Beer Wagon, Mr. B's Shaved Ice, Limited Time Chef cooking up asian, mexican, and american fusion dishes, DonutNV Collin County selling donuts, lemonade and seasonal hot drinks, and Frios Gourmet Pops will all be on site.
Fall Fest will include family-friendly activities, such as a pumpkin patch, hay maze, pumpkin painting, face painting, a pet costume contest, and yard games. Greenologie will introduce Shades of Green's new flower shop, and Wilder Rose Creative will offer free family photos in the pumpkin patch.
In addition to Fall Fest, you can meet the team and shop for plants and seasonal items at the Celina Friday Night Markets. You will want to be on the lookout for master gardening classes taught by long-time employee Mary Ann Hardy. These classes will cover growing, picking, and canning from your garden. Also, this year, there will be BYOB Happy Hour classes for planting pumpkin succulents and making wreaths. Julie Holland recently launched Party Packages. These packages invite you to host birthday parties, girls' night out, and receptions at the nursery that can be tailored to your group and your interests.
As the calendar turns to November, Shades of Green will bring live Christmas trees, pine boughs, and live wreaths to the nursery to help you decorate for the coming Christmas Season. And new this year, Santa will be making regular visits to the nursery. Bring your littles to share their Christmas list with the big guy and take a few pictures.
In the coming year, the nursery will begin working on phase II of its plan. It will expand some of its existing garden areas, adding string lights and additional trails using historic brick from downtown Celina. Long-term, its plan includes building a permanent office and education space to provide more opportunities for classes and educational visits.
You can keep up with all the events by following them on social media and visiting their website at shadesofgreen.com. Of course, you are always invited to stop in, take a walk through the garden, and connect with nature.
ShadesOfGreenInc.com
1213 E. Sunset Blvd, Celina, TX (east of Brookshire's)
972.335.9095