Legacy Trees owners David and Brianna Greer, above, stand at an entrance to the lot at their Blue Earth location.

Growth is important for most any business if it is to remain successful. It is even more important when your business involves literally growing trees and shrubs.

Legacy Trees, which began in 2020 by selling trees and shrubs at an empty lot on the corner of Seventh and Main streets in downtown Blue Earth, continues to grow both in the variety and number of items they offer for sale, and also in the number of places they operate their business.

David and Brianna Greer own Legacy Trees and in addition to their Blue Earth location, a store in Fairmont has opened and is located at 428 East Blue Earth Avenue.

David, Brianna and Brianna’s mother, Shelly Greimann, had purchased the building at 206 North Main in Blue Earth for Shelly to operate her business, Prairie Chic. They also turned an upstairs apartment into an Airbnb rental.

And beside the building they purchased was an empty lot.

“We kind of thought we might be able to purchase the empty lot from the city,” David comments. “And, we kind of thought we might open a nursery.”

“It was David’s idea to begin the nursery business venture,” Brianna clarifies.

“And that’s where my contribution ends,” David jokes. “Actually, I have always loved trees and plants. When Brianna and I purchased an acreage in the country in 2015, it hardly had any trees.”

The situation led David to begin the task of finding stock the couple wanted to plant at their new place.

“I was able to find some of what I was looking for at Blue Earth Landscape, but then they closed,” David explains. “I experienced first hand the difficulty of obtaining nursery stock.”

So, he started experimenting with starting his own trees and shrubs.

“I tried many different things,” David shares. “Some worked better than others.”

From those humble beginnings, Legacy Trees has grown and has expanded the number of products they offer for sale.

“We sell trees, bushes, perennials, edibles and bulbs,” Brianna notes. “We also have stock available at our tree farm to plant windbreaks.”

To help in starting a windbreak, Legacy Trees offers Black Hills Spruce, Norway Spruce, along with the Techny Arborvita.

“We also have a hybrid willow tree we sell and a hybrid poplar tree called the InnovaTree,” David says. “The InnovaTree was developed by the University of Minnesota – Duluth. It grows up to 10 feet per year, its full height is 75 feet and has an anticipated lifespan of 70 years. It is very new so there is a limited supply available.”

Being in the tree business, the couple is also familiar with the Emerald Ash Borer which has been affecting some trees in Faribault County.

“It is possible to treat the trees in an effort to save them,” David comments. “I really hate to see them all being taken down. I prefer the living trees to stay.”

But, he offers some advice for those people who need to replace their ash trees.

“Plant a variety, do not plant all of the same thing,” David stresses. “Plant oak trees, maples, hybrid elms, sycamore or hackberry trees. Maybe consider putting in some ornamental trees.”

When it comes to fruit trees, Brianna shares they have a wide variety to choose from.

“We sell apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees,” she comments. “We also sell peach trees if we are able to get them.”

They also have a wide variety of shrubs and edibles, including asparagus and rhubarb plants and blueberry bushes, just to name a few.

“In our climate, we can plant in the spring, summer or fall,” David notes. “That provides people with a nice window of time to plant their stock.”

One challenge David admits they face is finding plant material.

“We are particular about what we purchase and do not have the purchasing power that a large company has,” David states. “Being a small retailer is tough.”

When Shelly decided to close Prairie Chic, Legacy Trees moved into the building that had housed her wares.

“We offer some indoor plants, pots and some gardening supplies,” Brianna says. “We made a potting station so we can re-pot plants. We also have a wide variety of gift items for sale.”

It truly is a family business. The Greers have eight children who help out by keeping the plants watered and cared for.

“Our oldest, James, manages our store in Fairmont,” David adds.

Between running their business, working on their own landscaping and staying involved with their children, David and Brianna share they have no problem staying busy.

“It is fun to be able to work together,” David says. “And, it is rewarding to be a part of beautifying the community.”

David shares he just really enjoys watching a tree grow.

“Think about some of the trees in the area that are 100, 150 or maybe even 200 years old,” David concludes. “The trees we plant now we get to enjoy for a small amount of time. Those who come after us will get to enjoy them more.”

That, is the legacy of a tree.