Custom Growing

Not every project begins with a finished plant list.

Some begin with a design idea that needs time to evolve. Others require larger quantities than standard production allows, or call for regionally appropriate species that aren’t commonly available. Sometimes the timeline of a project simply doesn’t match the rhythm of nursery production.

Custom growing is where those needs meet the work of the nursery.

For more than three decades, Van Berkum Nursery has grown perennials for landscapes throughout the Northeast. The Custom Growing Program extends that work—supporting landscape architects, municipalities, public gardens, ecological restoration practitioners, institutions, and contractors who are planning for specific places and outcomes.

In practice, it means working together early: aligning on species, quantities, growing timelines, and the ecological or design intent behind the planting.

Every custom grow begins with a question or an idea.

We often work with designers and practitioners who are exploring new plant communities or refining palettes that respond more directly to place. These collaborations expand what we grow and deepen our knowledge and understanding of regional plant performance.

Over time, many of these plants move from individual projects into broader production, becoming part of the nursery’s ongoing palette.

There is also something important in seeing a plant through from the beginning—planning it, growing it, and eventually watching it establish in landscapes and gardens across the region.

Custom growing is not only about meeting specifications.

It is a working relationship over time—built on communication, shared problem-solving, and the practical realities of growing living plants. Projects shift. Conditions change. Plants respond. The work is to stay in conversation with all of that.

Many of our long-term collaborators return because of that continuity. It allows for more thoughtful planning and more resilient outcomes.

Whether the work is ecological restoration, civic infrastructure, education,  or designed landscapes at scale, custom growing supports the translation of ideas into living spaces.

For all custom growing inquiries, contact John: johng@vanberkumnursery.com