Jan 25, 20222 min read

2021: A year in photos

2021 was a busy and exciting year here at Great Bear Native Plants! Each year we work to get just a little better at what we do and make improvements wherever we can. This year that meant increasing plant maintenance space with a new structure and can yard, increasing spring availability by changing our shifting-up program, improving customer service and inventory practices by hiring an office manager and continuing to develop our storage yard.

We welcomed several incredible team members who are returning this year (shout out to Ross, Michelle, Christine and Reed), took on new contracts while also fulfilling existing ones and continued to grow both new and known species. Last year had the perfect balance of new and recurring elements here in the Bitterroot Valley.

All in all, 2021 flew by... but we were able to take some pictures and capture the calm between the crazy.

WINTER

The year began with the cold days of January and February, mostly spent inside sowing, sowing, sowing while it was snowing, snowing, snowing. As with previous years, January and February are important for planning, prepping and organizing seed and starting our slow to grow species or early to ship orders.

EARLY SPRING

Spring brought the green again this year along with a new structure! We even had a special goose friend who was onsite to manage construction of the new structure.

We were lucky to have the perfect combination of nice weather, good germination and happy plants to set us up for a fast-paced spring season.

We topped it off with our annual Mother's Day Pop-Up where we invite artisans, makers, bakeries and so on to set up for a one day market with music and friends. Oh yeah, and we can't forget the freak snow storm that dropped 6+ inches at the end of April!

LATE SPRING TO MID SUMMER

Our blooms were off the charts and our crew was in "go-mode" when summer rolled around. Outside of the nursery, our crew was busy playing in the surrounding mountains, observing both species we grow and don't grow.

We also installed a new can yard to support the increasing number of contract grows we are taking on.