Our Group of Green Thumbs

In Rita we trust! This is the woman behind the scenes making sure everything works out just right. From determining what plants make the cut for growing to scheduling when and what to plant and co-ordinating all our amazing Daymakers, Rita is our General Manager and pulse of our family business. The youngest daughter of Bill and Susan, she represents the second generation of Heeman’s very well. Easily our busiest Daymaker, Rita is dedicated to making sure your gardens and your experiences at Heeman’s are beautiful.

After (literally) growing up in the greenhouse, is it any wonder Will is a wealth of garden knowledge? Our Chief Daymaker is obsessed with helping local gardeners and foodies, that’s why you can find him with his phone in his hand and a smile on his face as he tweets, posts and updates all our social media and this site straight from the fields and greenhouse. In 2016 he was named Young Retailer of the Year for all of North America! Drawing from his global experience in the industry and bringing a next generation persecutive, Will is helping Heeman’s foster knowledge and ignite passion in gardeners and foodies of all ages!

The man behind the most delicious berries you’ll ever taste, affectionately known as the Berry Boss! Rudy is the second generation of Heeman’s involved in the family business, he grew up with farming in his blood. He’s the chief builder here (so you know he’s busy), caretaker of our strawberries and sets a tireless pace with his work ethic. Rudy’s a very busy guy with all those roles, if you haven’t seen him on one of your trips out it’s probably because he’s outstanding in his field…

Those who’ve met her will tell you the only thing sweeter than Florence is the strawberries she grows. The Queen of Berries, Florence is a recipe whiz always dreaming up new and delicious ways to enjoy strawberries and all other kinds of fruits. Florence can be found lending her expert advice in the Garden Centre when she’s not busy coordinating our Pick Your Own strawberry field. Growing up on a farm before marrying Rudy, it’s easy to tell see why she loves her job!

The youngest member of the Heeman family currently on the job, Bridget has grown up in the berry fields and now helps out in all areas of the business. You’ll find her helping at the front with custom orders, assisting customers or whipping up a Berries & Cream as a ‘berrista’ in the Berry Beanery. We’re happy to have Bridget at Heeman’s before she heads off to university in the fall.

This is the woman who makes all the magic happen in our bedding plants area! Anna has been helping gardeners with their annuals for the last 10 years here but has a collective 25 years experience in Poland and Canada. When it comes to bedding plants she’s second to none and in the winter holiday season you will find Anna design the most wonderful arrangements!

Chances are very good that this lady has had an impact on your garden even without you knowing. Connie is responsible for all the potting staff in our production greenhouses, the unseen but amazing people who work hard planting all those plants you love so much. She is a wealth of experience with annuals and has been part of Heeman’s since 2000. Always modest and eager to help, Connie is an integral Daymaker at Heeman’s.

Dori has some of the busiest hands at Heeman’s, how else could she pot up the thousands of baskets and containers we grow for you. Add in the custom creations she brings to life and the magic she performs keeping our annual department looking its best and you know she’s got skill! There isn’t a plant she hasn’t worked with at Heeman’s, Dori knows what works together and what doesn’t and we’re happy to have her and that knowledge in the Garden Centre for you to draw from.

From creating beautiful displays around our greenhouse to leading some of our fantastic workshops to sourcing our great selection of garden supplies and gift items, Gail can do it all. A valued member of our team since 2009, Gail brings with her a lifetime of industry experience that we’re thrilled to share with our valued customers. If you’ve ever had a conversation with this talented lady or witnessed her making one of her magical winter arrangements, you know how lucky we are to have Gail as a Daymaker at Heeman’s.

Quick to help where you might need her, Jane is our queen of custom orders. She is your point person when checking plants in or picking them up in the spring from babysitting. She also helps create and design custom arrangements for clients who take advantage of that service here. Jane has been a valued part of the Heeman’s team since 2008.

When you have a passion for plants, working at a garden centre after retiring from a successful career as a teacher can be the perfect fit. Jennifer is often answering your questions on the phone, in-store, or helping out at check out. As a familiar face around Heeman’s all year long, Jennifer can even be found behind the Beanery making a latte or helping with berries, too.

The protector of potentilla and hero to hundreds of hydrangeas, Matt is our Shrub master and a walking encyclopedia of horticultural knowledge. Drawing from a lifetime of experience working in the landscape and greenhouse industry, Matt has helped thousands of people pick the perfect plant, diagnosis problems and give helpful care tips. We’re happy to have Matt as one of our Horticultural Heroes available to help make your gardening experience that much easier.

A wearer of many hats at Heeman’s, Patsy has done a lot in her time here. You might recognize her as the woman’ who was responsible for managing the custom orders and overwinter service. Patsy is a key Daymaker managing the office and responsible for overseeing many of the things that make your experience at Heeman’s more pleasant. She’s been doing all this and more since 2004.

A helpful hand who is rarely without her big, friendly smile. Sharon is Connie’s right hand lady and another key Daymaker working largely behind the scenes to make sure our plants are pretty and perfect for your gardens. Aside from being  super talented (and quick) at potting, Sharon is a wealth of knowledge of our large selection of annuals too!

As the purveyor of perennials at Heeman’s, Trish has a wealth of knowledge on the hundreds of plants in her care. She is the hostess of our hostas, a caretaker to many coreopsis and a supervisor of sedum. If you don’t know what those are, don’t worry, Trish does! If you need help selecting the perfect plant for that spot in your garden, she can help make your gardening experience a breeze. With more than 20 years experience at Heeman’s, this lady knows her stuff.

As graduate of the Western University business program, Wes first started working at Heeman’s as a student studying at Western. An all-round horticulturalist, Wes’s primary role is as the caretaker and babysitter of the overwintered tropical plants we foster. He is as big a fan/collector of tropical plants as the customers who trust him with caring for their babies.

The man who started it all! Bill, the Godfather of flowers, emigrated to Canada from Holland with his wife Susan in 1958 and soon after purchased our farm and founded our business. He built Heeman’s on principals of uncompromising quality, fair prices and good ol’ fashion hard work! Bill was a born builder and fixer, nearly everything at our place he had a hand in building, from our carts to our flooding benches, he spent countless hours manufacturing them himself. Bill could be found in the greenhouses seven days a week and taught us about hard work and commitment. Bill’s children and grandchildren worked along side him for many years and now honour his legacy by carrying on the business he created.