Edwards Greenhouse began its history in the Boise Valley in the summer of 1930. The business, under the name Thomas F. Edwards and Son, began as a truck farm. The greenhouses and farm were, and still are, heated almost exclusively by geothermal water. The geothermal well was drilled and developed in 1927. The first crops grown in the greenhouse were vegetables. The vegetables produced were delivered to area grocery stores and door to door.
In 1947, Paul Edwards took over the family business from his father, Thomas F. Edwards. Paul began growing cut flowers, annuals and other flowering crops. Hot house tomatoes continued to be grown until 1967. Paul is often recognized for bringing the first hybridized annuals to the Treasure Valley.
The operation became a full time retail outlet in 1970. The wholesale portion of the business was reserved for excess amounts of products and seasonal pot crop items such as poinsettias and Easter lilies.
Paul retired in 1986, turning the business over to his daughter, Garnette.
Since 1990, we have been working toward restoration and expansion of the business. The covered greenhouse area has grown to approximately 90,000 square feet since then. Our product line has also expanded since 1990 as well. In addition to the annual, vegetable and seasonal potted crops, we have added forced bulbs in the spring and flowering shrubs and trees, in addition to a vast array of new perennials and annuals.
In 1991, The Carpenter's Custom Florists was added to the greenhouse family. Completely re-modeled in 2008 and re-named The Florist at Edwards, it continues to be a vital part of the greenhouse. It is a full service florist. Our offerings include garden baskets made with live plants from our greenhouse, tropicals and unique fresh cut arrangements. Many of our fresh arrangements utilize locally grown flowers.
We are proud to have a retail garden center that carries a unique variety of horticultural supplies and giftware. Edwards Greenhouse also continues to have available custom container planting for private and commercial use.
Our most important goal at Edwards Greenhouse and The Florist at Edwards is a responsibility to our community. We attempt to accomplish this by lending our support to many community projects such as The Susan G. Koman Foundation, The Boise Philharmonic, and The Western Idaho Fair, just to name a few.
Here are just a few pictures from our last 75 years in business.
 Early farmers market parade |
 Ralph |
 Paul, Ralph and Newt |
 Perennial Greenhouses |
 Paul & Garnette Edwards |
 Elise & Erin Monnie, Emily Reid, Garnette Edwards & Everett Williams |
 Garnette Edwards & Paul Edwards |
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