WASHINGTON CITY — Star Nursery, a chain of desert-friendly plant nurseries and landscaping stores, will soon begin construction on its fourth location in Washington County. 

The 13.9-acre zoning ordinance was passed by Washington City Council last week, giving Star Nursery the go-ahead for construction blueprinting. The plot of land is at 1400 East 3650 South in Washington City. This will be the second store location in Washington City.

Washington City Council members expressed their gratitude for Star Nursery’s impact on the city so far and their excitement for the upcoming construction.

“Star Nursery took a chance on us years ago, and they became one of our pillars of economic growth,” Mayor Kress Staheli said. “We appreciate (their) commitment to this area.”

Councilman Kurt Ivie said he expects the new store location will enhance multiple facets of Washington City, including enriching the diversity of desert flora in the area.

“What’s better than having beautiful trees and flowers right here in Washington?” he said. “It’ll be a great addition as a sales tax and property tax generator, but the owner is a great person, too. We’re very happy to get a business like Star Nursery.”

Star Nursery agreed to coordinate blueprints with the city’s architect to ensure the building has “a pioneer-like feel.”

Founded by Craig Keough in Nevada, Star Nursery has been in Southern Utah for over 30 years. The business has 16 establishments spread throughout Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

Keough took stewardship over Washington City’s historic Cotton Mill in 1998, transforming the building into a lush nursery while maintaining the building’s character.

“We are your caretaker of the Cotton Mill,” Keough said to Washington City Council.

Doug Northington, general manager of the Star Nursery at the Cotton Mill, told St. George News he’s excited for the new location’s benefits for the community and how it will complement his current store.

“This building was built in 1865, so I’m limited in space here of what I can carry interior-wise,” he said. “The new store location will be a much bigger store, from my understanding, and that’s going to help diversify what we sell here.”

Utah’s extreme drought and needed water conservation are at the front of Northington’s mind as he sells Star Nursery plants. He said his primary goal is to educate customers.

“The main thing I teach people here is how to water. A lot of people who’ve moved here from California and Idaho are used to watering every day, but 99% of our plants are deep and infrequently watered as opposed to daily,” he said. 

“We recommend an hour to an hour-and-a-half of watering, three days a week. That way, the water reaches deep enough to the plants’ feeder roots in this desert, hydrophobic soil.”

According to Northington, watering every day for 15 minutes wastes water due to evaporation and shallow water pooling, resulting in starving plants’ roots while drowning the inch or two of plants above ground.

Northington said he thinks the new store location will be “another great outlet for education.”

The Cotton Mill Star Nursery’s best-selling plants are red yuccas, boxwoods, and hawthorns. Northington said he’d like to see more customers buying and planting shade trees, since shade trees mitigate water evaporation in yards, helping conserve water.

 Star Nursery has a designated webpage entitled “Water Smart,” with tips for water-wise gardening and landscaping.

“Residents can do their part with three simple actions,” the website says. “Follow the mandatory seasonal watering restrictions. Prevent or stop water waste. Replace ‘pointless grass’ in your yard that no one uses.”

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