In the winter of 1949 Sid and Mary Rogers moved to Modesto and founded Scenic Nursery at the extreme eastern edge of Modesto.  This month over the June 19th -21st weekend Sid & Mary’s son Jim is celebrating 60 years of success and growth as a small family business in Modesto.
  Most people are familiar with the tall shade tents that are a landmark at the corner of Scenic Drive and Coffee Road.  They’re also familiar with the things that make Scenic Nursery stand out from it’s competitors; wide selection, old fashioned customer service, seminars and children’s activities as well as Jim’s literal life long knowledge of plants.

Even in the recent economic downturn the Nursery has been doing brisk business as people reinvest in their homes, begin growing their own food or switch to organic gardening.  Many homeowners are also trying to decrease water usage in anticipation of water meters and call on The Garden Crew to redesign their yards into more economic areas.  The Garden Crew has come to fill a unique niche left open by regular lawn service providers by specializing in periodic maintenance such as natural pruning on trees and shrubs, and other seasonal needs like fertilizing lawns, trees and shrubs or weed control.  

“We just want our customers to know that without them we would never have gotten to 60.  We’re always striving to provide the best products and services and we really enjoy the friendly relationship we have with our customers.  They’re the reason we’re still growing.” Says April Sutis, the Nursery’s General Manager,

At the lead of it all is second generation owner Jim Rogers,  AKA ‘Jungle Jim’ who can be seen briskly marching across the Nursery with his black cap on.   He still enjoys his job and is grateful for his loyal customers that travel from as far away as the bay area or the mountains.  Over the weekend of the 19th he’s decided to show his customers how much he appreciates them by offering the employee discount to everyone who walks in the doors that weekend. In usual Scenic style there are also activities scheduled for children and a BBQ on Saturday.  

The weekend’s sale and events are a fitting memorial of the success and customer gratitude passed down from the founders of the nursery for whom it wasn’t just a business, but a family. “My parents enjoyed the long friendships they had with their customers” Jim says “Even now I enjoy talking to people who remember Sid and Mary.” 
 

---