Inspiring Conversations with John & Paula Higdon of City Garden Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to John & Paula Higdon. Them and their team share their story with us below:

John Higdon has more than 20 years of experience as a plant designer, commercial installer, and nursery manager and is a Certified Landscape Contractor. John earned a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from the University of Georgia.

He began his career at Ruppert Landscaping in Atlanta before moving to Hastings Nature & Garden Center as Nursery Manager. Later, John migrated to Lush Life, a boutique in Buckhead, designing plant scapes and managing projects for interiors, balconies, terraces, and gardens. Prior to starting City Garden Design, John worked as a landscape designer for Garden Supply Company in Cary.

In 2017, City Garden Design expanded operations by opening a boutique garden shop in downtown Cary.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many other small businesses and businesses in general, COVID has been our biggest challenge. Our shop suffered a decline in foot traffic. We’ve also canceled our in-person workshops. To offset these changes, we’ve made some adjustments by starting a small online shop up and began offering local delivery. We’re hoping we can offer the workshops again next year.

As you know, we’re big fans of City Garden Design. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We started as a landscape design and installation business in 2009. John has a degree in horticulture and over 20 years of experience in the industry. He specializes in small spaces design such as courtyards and balconies. In 2017, we expanded into retail by opening a small boutique garden shop in downtown Cary.

We’re known for our plant arrangements, especially succulent and cacti arrangements. We get a lot of customers to come in looking for gifts, so we like to have several grab-and-go options at the ready. We’re also known for our large pot selection. We try to carry something for everyone. People often tell us we have the best pot selection in town.

As a small business, we also like to support other small businesses by carrying locally made goods including pottery, cards, and jewelry. Our retail niche has always been indoor greenery and we’re expanding on that by offering live wall and moss wall installations.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We’re always looking to collaborate with other small businesses. Whether it be promoting a holiday or fundraising event, working on a design project together, or carry locally made goods in the shop. We’re open to ideas and suggestions! We always appreciate a personal recommendation or simple tag on social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.citygardendesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/citygardennc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citygardendesign