Tucked away, just outside of Ashland, Oregon, Valley View Nursery has been cultivating more than just plants—it’s been growing community roots since 1979. For 46 years, this family-founded nursery has served as a sanctuary for gardeners, plant lovers, and outdoor dreamers alike. As we reconnect with this iconic local business, owner Paul Stranberg sits down with us to reflect on the journey, evolution, and vision of Valley View Nursery—now more than ever, a cornerstone of Southern Oregon’s green living movement.
Paul, let’s start at the beginning—can you tell us the story of how Valley View Nursery was founded?
Like so many others in Southern Oregon, Dad and Mom moved us to Ashland in 1968 from Southern California to escape the rat race of the big city. Dad always wanted to be a rancher but started us out as co-owners of Valley View Orchard. My brother, John and I are Ashland High School graduates… also Oregon State University graduates. You can begin to understand what led us toward our love for agriculture. In 1979, the plan changed from orchardists to nurserymen, when we planted 10,000 nursery landscape plants. That was so exciting, the following year we planted 100,000. It’s been a true family business ever since.
What inspired you and your family to shift from orchard work to the nursery business?
After graduating from OSU my brother John worked at Monrovia Nursery in their research department from 1975–1979.
I graduated from OSU in 1979 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering Tech. The partnership began when we combined our passions and began to build Valley View Nursery. That changed everything.
Over the decades, what moments stand out to you as turning points for the nursery?
Wow… so many things have changed and made us who we are today. We had a 2nd store location in Medford from 1997 to 2008. The housing crash & recession taught us to be resilient and focus our attention back on our original farm location in Ashland. The more recent events that have affected our business were the Covid-19 Pandemic and the 2020 fires in the valley that devastated local homes and businesses. Both have turned people’s attention to the health benefits and rewards of gardening again. I think our success has always been how we focus on what can be… rather than what was.
Always being flexible and willing to change from doing things the way we always did before.
Paul, what is your role today at Valley View Nursery?
Like so many small business owners, I wear a lot of hats. Everything from operations management to staff coordination, purchasing, plant care, sales, and marketing. I started my career with a love for plants and soon learned to share that passion with everyone, whether it’s our team members, customers or just visitors who come out to relax in the nursery.
How big is the nursery now, and what can visitors expect when they come?
We have 16 acres total, with 4 acres as the core garden center. Our vision is to share our knowledge and our passion with a diverse selection of plants they probably won’t see anywhere else. Stay tuned for exciting future plans of growth, we look forward to offering our community.
What kinds of plant materials and gardening products do you offer?
We carry everything from annuals & perennials, shrubs & trees… small to huge. We specialize in 50+ varieties of Japanese Maples, 20+ varieties of Dogwood trees, Rare & Distinct Conifers, Native & Resilient plants, House plants & topicals. We offer a very large display of Pottery & patio planters, Garden Accents, Gardening tools and accessories. Our customers love our Premium Bumper Crop branded soil amendments and plant foods (Certified all Natural & Organic). Try it… you’ll never use anything else. We also have your favorite branded plants like Monrovia, Proven Winners, First Editions, and Sunset.
Beyond plants, what services do you provide to your customers?
We offer professional landscape consultation, design and construction as well as tree planting services. We also offer delivery, gift certificates, plant warranties, and Green Club Discount Memberships —including a free Veterans Silver Membership and Fire Relief Membership for those affected by the 2020 fires. These memberships allow our members to save money every day without chasing the sales.
Can you tell us about the experience your customers have with you?
People who come to us for the first time are amazed with how much selection we have and the size of our nursery. The view is a bonus and people always comment on how beautiful it is out here. Many of our customers have been coming here for years.
We keep plant records for them, offer one year warranty without a receipt, and they love our newsletters, promotions, and seasonal updates. Many are using our website www.valleyviewnursery.com to look up current availability, pricing and promotions.
How does Valley View Nursery support education and gardening knowledge in the community?
We offer educational help every day—we don’t just sell plants; we take the time to teach. Whether it’s helping everyone learn how to plant correctly or assisting customers with layout photos and planning… education is part of our service. We support community fund raisers, school projects & events. We also have seasonal classes & workshops for a variety of garden projects.
You’ve mentioned “happy plants and healthy lifestyles.” Can you expand on that philosophy?
Studies show that gardening promotes health and well-being. Whether it’s vegetable gardens or vibrant flowers, being around plants helps people feel grounded, healthy, and joyful. It’s what we believe and what we promote.
Who makes up the Valley View Nursery team today?
We’re 19 strong. Our parents John & Caroline have passed but I know they keep a watchful eye on us. My brother John is our general manager and CFO and assisted by Kasey, our bookkeeper. My wife Brooke is our in-house graphic artist that produces our newsletters you receive in the mail and all the signage. Plus, she loves flowers, so she grows our Cut Flower Farm. My daughter Amber is our office assistant and HR manager; she also does bookkeeping and manages our house plant selection. Our son-in-law Lance is our property manager / IT guy that keeps our computers and anything else that breaks around here operating.
Rob & Payson are our sales managers who watch over the plants, the crew and you. Our sales team that greet you every day and maintain all the plants are Travis, Juli, Kirah, Zeleyha and Daniel.
Our landscape team is led by Sarah & Pedro with crew Brian, Ishmael, Freddy, Angel & Sergio.
All of our team members are part of this family and everyone contributes to the success of Valley View Nursery.
Can you describe your customer base and how they’ve evolved over the years?
Our business has doubled since 2010. About 80% are home gardeners, 20% are landscape contractors. Many of our customers are seasoned gardeners—between 30 and 60 years old—and they come ready to learn and explore.
We are challenged everyday with questions, plant identification, problem solving, special requests and we learn from our customers everyday as well.
You’ve won several local awards—tell us more about that recognition.
We’re proud to have won the 1st place Gold Medals for Best Nursery & Garden Center in the “Best of Southern Oregon” for both 2023 and 2024. It’s a great honor and privilege to serve our community. Our team is the most passionate group of plant nerds you’ll ever find in one place. It’s always been more fun than I should be allowed to have.
You travel and stay connected with national garden center trends—how does that shape what you offer locally?
As a board member of Master Nursery Garden Centers, a national association of 500+ garden centers, I travel the U.S. several times a year visiting growers, trade shows, botanical gardens and garden center peers.
We love to see what other fellow industry associates are doing and we bring back fresh ideas and constantly evolve to serve our community better.
Finally, what do you want people to know most about Valley View Nursery today?
We’re still family-owned, deeply rooted, and proud to be serving Southern Oregon for over 46 years. Whether you’re new to gardening or a seasoned green thumb, we’re here to support your journey. We strive to provide the highest quality products & plants you won’t find anywhere else… along with exceptional service and professional advice.
To all who have supported us for 46 years and to all who support our future…
We are always glad you came to see us.
Thank You,
Paul & the Valley View Crew
Learn More:
Valley View Nursery
1675 N Valley View Rd
Ashland, OR 97520
541-488-1595
