As a child Kylee Blake loved being able to walk out the backdoor of her house and have acres of land to enjoy and play on.
“Our dream was to have our own property and nursery,” said Kylee Blake Pedersen.
That led her and husband, John Pedersen, to purchase the property that housed Egan’s Nursery from Ellen Egan in 2023.
“It’s how I grew up and we wanted to have our own,” said Kylee Pedersen. “It means nobody can mess with us; it’s different than renting from your parents and in-laws.”
Kylee is part of the Blake family that owned Willow Lake Nursery on Windsor Island Road in northwest Keizer. The business has morphed into Log House Gardens, a space that hosts weddings and other events.
Kylee and John operated a successful flower basket business for years before the opportunity to purchase their property on River Road came up. The Pedersen’s bought the property from Ellen Egan, the last in a line of family owners dating back to the mid- 20th century.
Neither Pedersen will leave their current job: Kylee as a phlebotomist and John as a nurseyman for a tree grower. They plan on their business, Pedersen Nursery, to be seasonal, opening in April and operating through the end of June. They will offer many of the same products as Egan Gardens; the Pedersens are known for their flower baskets, which are sold to retailers in the region.
The Pedersen’s two children, Cole, a sophomore, and Stella, a freshman, at McNary, will help work at the business.
Kylee said her children will miss living in a house on Windsor Island Road, but they have new quarters at the house on their new property.
Aside from preparing for the upcoming season, the Pedersens will do work on the house, adding two needed bathrooms.
To prepare for flower basket season they will add temporary help. “There’s no way that we can plant all those baskets by ourselves with our two kids,” Kylee said.
When their business officially opens customers will find a big inventory of annuals. “We’re doing the things in line with what Ellen has suggested,” said Kylee.
Pedersen’s Nursery first day of operation is April 24. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Pedersen’s Nursery is located at 9805 River Road N., one mile north of Brooklake Road.
Contact Publisher Lyndon Zaitz:
[email protected] or 503-390-1051
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