“The most important part coming (to Fairfield Twp.) was to have that expandability to support our parties and workshops and events, so we were super excited to get it all worked out to be able to come out this way,” Vanover said.
Thimble Gardens, 3425 Princeton Road, Suite129 at Bridgewater Falls, supports local artisans and local suppliers, and Vanover’s main goal is “focused on bringing plants into your home.” There are workshops, classes and parties created to allow people to create miniature gardens, kokedamas, and terrariums.
“There’s a magical side to miniature gardens,” Vanover said, who has hosted online gardening events, taught the science of gardening to school children, and talked with area organizations. “It brings joy, I think, across many cultures.”
Vanover said when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, people were looking into remodeling projects, building swimming pools or adopting puppies. They also either remembered how plants were important to either their parents or grandparents and wanted to reconnect.
The gardening industry was positively impacted by the pandemic, and it “freed up a lot of spare time for many homeowners, allowing them to remodel and redecorate their homes and lawns,” according to researchers at Statista.com, and it led to “measurable growth of the garden equipment and plants market.”
In 2020, sales of building materials and garden equipment grew by 14% combined over 2019, and the plant and flower industry continued to increase in 2020 and 2021, according to the market and consumer data company.
“People realize reconnecting to nature is really important, and so they wanted to bring it into their homes, so the plant industry boomed,” Vanover said. “That’s how I stayed alive during COVID, during the shutdown. I started doing (Facebook Live) events, and they got to know me. It became a community.”
Thimble Gardens started five years ago, a couple of years after Vanover’s grandmother died. Miniature gardening was a passion they shared.
“I spent a lot of time with her,” she said. “When she passed, I put a lot of energy into gardening and planting. I was well known for my miniature gardens.”
Vanover started out at her home and went to farmers markets and boutique shows, traveling with her miniature gardens, “and then people started coming to me for other plant needs.”
Eventually, she became known as the “plant lady,” and she wanted to open a business location where people can “create their own miniature garden.”
She opened, expanded, and moved a few times within Lebanon, meeting her five-year goals within two years, Vanover said. This year she planned to expand by opening a second location, but because she said tourism in Lebanon dropped, she closed her Warren County location to focus on her Butler County location.
Fairfield Twp. Trustee Shannon Hartkemeyer said she’s “proud” Thimble Gardens is in the township, which “promises to be a draw” to Bridgewater Falls and the area.
“Small businesses, which are frequently led by courageous entrepreneurs, bring unique offerings to our community,” she said. “They add to the character and diversity of our retail base.”
HOURS & LOCATION
Thimble Gardens is at 3425 Princeton Road, Suite129 (across the parking lot from Old Navy) at the Bridgewater Falls.
The store is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.
