Photo by Dave Boyd

Mills Greenhouse's new software helps landscaping customers

By Megan R. Harrell
Star Staff
mharrell@starhq.com

   Mills Greenhouse, Hwy. 91, has been in business for over 20 years and is continuing to make innovative additions. A computer software system and mulch business have been added to supplement the landscaping business and retail garden center.
   Owner Johnny Mills, his wife Carla Mills and their son Hannon Howard run the family business. It is evenly split between the garden center and a landscaping department that installs and maintains both residential and commercial gardens. Howard, Landscape Design Specialist, uses new state of the art computer software to design landscaping for customers. He has been using the software for over a year and has seen the business enhanced as a result of the new technology.
   "He can have the computer software take a bare house, and computer design it so the customer can see exactly what they are going to get before we even turn the first shovel of dirt," Mills said.
   The computer software is cutting edge technology that has been used in other regions but is relatively new to east Tennessee. "It is a valuable tool for the home owner or the business owner," Mills said. "This technology will get you right down to the number of plants and the size of plants and you can computer enhance them to see how they will grow in five years."
   Although Mills Greenhouse is keeping up with technological advances it remains true to its small town roots. Johnny Mills started the business on a tobacco patch with only two greenhouses. Today, he has nine greenhouses and attributes their success to the small town way of conducting business. "Our business has grown slowly but steadily every year since we started," Mills said. "We live in a small town and we do business in a personal manner. We give all our customers personal attention and we like to do business but we also like to visit with our customers and that will sustain you over a long period of time."
   The greenhouse is developing in the mulch business as well. It keeps a good supply of several different kinds of quality mulch. The mulch can be purchased loose or in bags. Mills added the mulch business was added because of a lack of availability in the area.