- Large Trees
- Landscape Boulders
- Privacy Screening
- Shrubs & Perennials
Vern’s Then and Now
Vern Eckstein established Vern’s Landscape in Southern Wisconsin, in 1982. Prior to opening his own business, Vern travelled from his home state of Wisconsin to places like Florida and Denver, Colorado, working in the landscape industry in very diverse climates.
After selling his business in 1985, Vern spent time enjoying the landscaping world in a tropical climate on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii. In September of 1986 Vern left the island life. He bicycled from San Diego, on Highway 1, through the California Redwoods and up towards Canada. It was during this time period that Vern hobbled into a Marin County hospital and met Nancy, the future Mrs. Eckstein. Nancy was also a patient in the E.R. and Vern pretended to be a doctor so he could talk to her. Oh well… The rest is history.
Vern and his new family spent a few seasons landscaping in the Bay Area before moving to the Sierra Nevada’s. The now growing family decided to make one more move and set their sights on the great state of Montana. In July of 1993, the family made their way to the Bitterroot Valley.
The economy in Montana in those years was not progressive. Vern kept busy mowing lawns and doing small landscape projects. Through the next four decades, the valley certainly changed and so did the direction of Vern’s Landscape. Beginning in the year 2000, Vern concentrated only on landscape installations until retirement beckoned. The Vern’s Landscape torch was passed to his son, Lucas Joesph Eckstein in autumn of 2020.
Lucas was on his first landscape job at three years of age. To say he is a seasoned landscaper at thirty-three years of age could seem to some a bit of a stretch, but it’s not. He now has three decades of landscape experience under his belt.
The Final Chapter
In February of 2020 Vern decided to open a very different type of nursery, carrying only trees and boulders, along with screening shrubs. In 2020, with the global pandemic and a horrible economic shutdown, Vern thought he might have made the worst business decision possible. As luck would have it, the nursery business in the Bitterroot Valley blew up, as folks were staying close to home and replacing travel with exterior home improvements.
The success and notability of Vern’s Landscape paved the way for Vern’s Nursery. Nancy says Vern isn’t allowed to retire and be home full-time until he is in his eighties. So, stop in, introduce yourself, and take a peek at Vern’s vision of a true Tree Nursery…
How and What We Do
Vern's trees are LARGE and MATURE. They are trucked in from tree farms in Northern Idaho.
The Vern's Landscape crew is essential in unloading and placing over 2,000 trees every spring.
The Vern's Nursery staff prepares the nursery beginning in March, even when Easter looks like Christmas.
Semi by semi and tree by tree the nursery slowly fills up throughout the month of April.
By May everything is in place and in-bloom, just in time for Mother's Day weekend and Vern's annual FREE Brats & Beverages picnic.
When Vern's Nursery says large trees are our specialty, we mean it, bringing in enormous Spruce over 20 feet tall.
Vern's Nursery carries Ball & Burlap trees as well as potted trees, giving customers the option to Cash & Carry or schedule a Professional Installation.
Mix trees and landscape boulders with small plants to create a simple but stately entrance area.
Customers can choose their landscape boulders from either natural mossy or clean-cut quarried rock. Schedule a delivery or bring your own trailer.
Along with boulders, Vern's also carries Flagstone, Slab Step and Dry-Stack Retaining Wall Stone.
The Vern's Nursery install crew takes pride in every job. Whether placing boulders or planting trees, customers are beyond satisfied they chose Vern's for their project.
Vern's Nursery says, "It's Never Too Early for Live Christmas Trees".
Our unique landscape vignettes double as shady sitting areas for customers.
Vern's carries only the best deciduous trees suited for the Bitterroot Valley. Choose from varieties of ash, maple, birch, elm, oak, crabapple, willow, aspen, and fruit trees.
Vern's Nursery carries a variety of large and small coniferous trees including Spruce, Fir, Pine and Juniper.
Desperate to block out your neighbor, sounds from nearby roads, or terrible winds and snow? Vern's will help create your perfect screen with hand-selected deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs.
Vern's Nursery sells 100's of the best fresh-cut Christmas trees in the Bitterroot Valley. Beginning mid-November, we are open 7 days-a-week. Come pick out your perfect tree, before they are all gone.
