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Business Owner Digging Her Job

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By B.C. MANION, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 13, 2008

Additional photos

LUTZ - Annie's Garden Shed - with its tin roof and profusion of yellow, purple, pink, orange and red blooms - offers a bit of beauty to those barreling past on U.S. 41.

It is a shop that aims to be the antithesis of big-box, retail garden centers, said Patti Schaefer, who opened the business Nov. 10.

She named the shop in honor of her grandmother, the late Annie Lowery, an avid gardener who taught Schaefer the thrill of cultivating vegetables, plants and flowers.

Her grandmother could grow just about anything, Schaefer said. Once, the woman took a pit from a peach she had eaten and tucked into the pot of an aloe plant. In due time, a sapling sprouted.

Schaefer wants her place at 18621 U.S. 41 N. to be an oasis from the busyness of life. She wants people to slow down - to mingle with other gardeners, enjoy classical music, take a class or two and, of course, do a little shopping.

She located in the heart of Lutz because she wants to give something back to her community, she said.

"I knew this is where I wanted to be," she said. "I felt like all of the cute garden shops were in south Tampa, and I knew that we needed one."

She wants her shop to be distinctly different. To that end, she travels to Venice to hand-select the pots she sells. She found some funky ironworks in Webster and loads of unique items at a merchandise mart in Atlanta.

"I try to get stuff that I've never seen before," said Schaefer, whose offerings run the gamut. There are ceramic garden stakes, garden plaques, statuary, fountains and terra cotta and ceramic pots of all shapes, sizes and colors.

There also is a stock of plants, which vary season to season.

Schaefer offers classes, too - to attract potential customers and to build a sense of community. She plans to offer a monthly class on container gardening and to change the theme each class.

February's theme is using just about anything - from thrift store finds to items in your garage - to create interesting containers for plants. She demonstrated the concept by using a golf bag she picked up for $1.08.

She also taught class members how to create their own container to take home, using snapdragons, violas and bacopia arranged in an old-fashioned wooden tool box.

Elaine Mubaidin said she was drawn to the shop by its quaint charm. She's glad she decided to check out the class.

It wasn't just about learning, she said. It was also about the shortbread, coffee and camaraderie.

"There were all types of women in that class," said Mubaidin, who expects to be back. She enjoys Schaefer's teaching style. "She sparks creativity in people."

Creating a place where gardeners gather appeals to Schaefer, who recalls the happy childhood hours she spent in her grandmother's garden.

The love of gardening her grandmother instilled has not waned, but Schaefer has had her dormant periods. She really didn't get back into it with a vengeance until a few years ago.

For years, she devoted most of her energy to her family. She and her husband, Will, have three children, Will, Paige and Chloe.

Schaefer immersed herself in caring for her children and volunteering at Carrollwood Day School. But a few years ago, a trip to Italy changed her life.

She took the trip alone because her sister-in-law offered her a free place to stay and her husband, who had his own business, couldn't break away.

The experience of exploring a foreign culture on her own without knowing the language helped her to discover a self-confidence.

It motivated her to launch her gardening service about two years ago.

As that business grew, Schaefer found herself needing a place to store supplies. She decided to set up her own garden shop.

One business supports the other. Because of the shop, she can have a larger selection of pots and plants for the garden services company. And because she does garden services, she can better support the shop.

Schaefer also can split time between both pursuits, giving her a break from the physical toll of gardening every day.

Things are going well despite the January freeze and faltering economy, she said.

Even in tough economic times, people want to bring beauty to their homes, she said.

"They can't really afford to renovate the kitchen," she said. But they can afford a couple of new pots to dress up their home's entry, or a lovely blooming plant.

"You cannot be in a bad mood when you just bought flowers. It's an instant good mood," she said.

Schaefer is optimistic.

"I'm encouraged, not discouraged. That's for sure. I've gotten a great response from people. They like my shop."

ANNIE'S GARDEN SHED

LOCATION: 18621 U.S. 41 N., Lutz

HOURS: 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday through Tuesday. Home and business gardening services by appointment, Monday and Tuesday. Hours vary by season.

INFORMATION: Call (813) 949-2600 or go to www.AnniesGardenShed.com

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion@ tampatrib.com.

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