Thirty-five Wyoming tough years later, we just keep growing!

There's been a greenhouse or garden center on the property that Sweetwater Garden now sits on since the 1960s and many have fond memories of the humble beginnings of Waunetah and Tom Avery who built that first greenhouse. Since then, it has passed through a few owners until Jimmie and I bought it in 2014 but many people don’t realize that I’ve been a part of Sweetwater Garden since its very beginning.

Growing up in Riverton, some of my earliest memories are of learning to ride a bike or skateboard in the schools while my dad was working. Having a dad who ended up as the Superintendent of Schools also meant that this town girl stood no chance of getting away with anything! But summers spent in the surrounding area nurtured an appreciation in me for all things green and growing so even though I tried a few other jobs along the way – I’ve landscaped, gardened for others, done some bookwork, and medical records - I always came back to the greenhouse. I love talking to all of my baby plants, I know where each praying mantis hangs out, and some folks even call me the bee whisperer. 

Many people don’t realize though, that as a teenager, I had a voice in the naming of the garden center. In 1989, when my Uncle Kim, his wife, and my mom decided to buy and start the business, everyone was trying to figure out what to name this exciting new family venture. I had wonderful childhood memories of lazy days fishing on the Sweetwater River, and I liked the fact that there's lots of gold prospecting history there, so I suggested that Sweetwater be part of the name. As the three adults kicked around ideas, I thought if we were going to have a greenhouse, why not use the word "garden," because flowers and plants had always reminded me of so much more than a greenhouse. I suggested that - they liked it, and "Sweetwater Garden" was born. Little did I know then, that I would end up owning it one day! From the very beginning, this place has always been near and dear to my heart.

Jimmie also grew up in Riverton, but he was a country boy, working on his family’s farm and his passion for growing things started there. So even though he’s tried a few other things along the way – construction work for the family company for more than a decade, then a short stint as a police officer, he ended up returning to his roots when he bought the landscape division, Wind River Landscape, in 2008. Together, we bought the garden center in 2014, and in 2022 we sold the landscape company to our son, Jesse, so our family business has come full circle

From that first greenhouse, this business has always been about small-town family values and providing beauty for our rural community. For us, spring will always eventually arrive (even in Wyoming!) and we thrive on the smell of fresh potting soil – it’s our dirt therapy. More importantly, we delight in living in a small town where everyone who walks through our door is a friend. We feel blessed to live our dream every day helping our gardening friends succeed in creating their own, unique oasis in our sea of sagebrush and we love providing you with plants that are cowboy-tough and Wyoming-ready for you to enjoy in your garden!
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