Progressive Plants: Utah's 100-acre nursery grows plants for the local landscape

COPPERTON — Nestled in the foothills of the dusty, barren Oquirrh Mountains is a world of color — acres and acres of it. It's home to Progressive Plants, a nursery stocked with everything a landscaper or homeowner could want.

"We are a mile from the front gate to the back gate, which can be pretty impressive," said Janet Simonich, Progressive co-owner. "It's pretty much a one-stop shop, as much as we can possibly make it."

Beyond its seemingly boundless selection of plants, Progressive is unique in another way. "We are the only nursery that actually has a live inventory," Simonich said. Employees start plants from seeds, plugs or bare roots.

"Growing it here, it's less stress on the plant," said Javier Estrada, head grower for Progressive. "We take great pride in making sure that we have really strong, healthy, beautiful plants at all times."

As growers, they can also experiment.

"When we find something that's fun and new, we'll try it. And if we think it's something that's really going to make a difference — like less maintenance for somebody, prettier, longer flowering times — we introduce those," Simonich said. "And then we try to get that information out so that they're used in landscapes."

Progressive Plants mainly sells to contractors, though the public is also welcome. But unlike a traditional walk-in nursery, retail customers must place orders online for pickup.

To see the plants in person, you'll need to borrow one of their golf carts to navigate the 101-acre property. As for picking out your actual plants, the staff will take care of that. Rest assured, they're trained to select the best ones available, Simonich said.

Need a bit of help deciding? Use Progressive's AI assistant. For shoppers unsure of what will grow well, which plants complement each other, or how to fill a challenging space, "Marzipan" generates a list of suggestions, along with pictures.

Watch KSL's Beyond Business video to learn why Progressive Plants has become a trusted resource for landscapers and homeowners.

Follow our Beyond Business series to discover more standout Utah companies, from a Lindon-based shoe brand changing the footwear industry to a Springville hat shop still using Victorian hatmaking techniques.

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