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George Ball Re: PNHC
HERONSWOOD NURSERY’S OWNER, GEORGE BALL, RESPONDS TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST HORTICULTURAL CONSERVANCY’S WITHDRAWAL
We are extremely disappointed that the PNHC has determined not to move ahead with the acquisition of Heronswood Gardens, due to lack of sufficient community commitment and financial support. For the last two years, we at Burpee have not only actively searched for a buyer committed to preserving the gardens and plant collection, but also lovingly maintained the entire estate. It was opened to the media and the public twice last year and will be open this summer, all day on July 26th.
We have done everything possible to meet the demands of the PNHC with the hope that the purchase would reach fruition. On three occasions I lowered my exclusive offer to them as a registered charity, eventually to a very reasonable $2.7 Million. When they said they would need an appraisal before increasing their $1.7 Million offer I went to the expense of searching for and retaining a highly qualified local appraiser and furnished it to PNHC at no cost.
The appraisal was in excess of our $2.7 Million offer, and yet did not include a significant portion of the rare plants that were not in season to be verified, and thus appraised.
I am personally committed to trying to find a buyer who will maintain the magnificent Heronswood Gardens, one of the region’s greatest works of art, as I have been since moving the Heronswood Nursery fulfillment operations to Pennsylvania. However, my fear is that this might not be possible. As such, I can only hope that some other civic group or private citizen will understand the original objectives of the PNHC, and step forward to preserve this well-loved treasure.
We plan to continue to maintain the gardens for the foreseeable future, opening them to small groups, as well as the general public, in conjunction with our friends at The Garden Conservancy, whenever possible. The property continues to serve as a research garden for testing new plants suited to the Pacific Northwest. For example, all of our new Hellebore cultivars came out of the research conducted there. A staff of three maintains both the gardens as well as the grounds.
My concern is that a prospective buyer might choose not to continue to maintain the gardens in the same manner, with no consideration for the public access that currently exists through these last two year’s of efforts.
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Oh, if only I had 2.7 mil! I hope you find a horticultural buyer for the property.
Normally, appraisal-based sales agreements are based on an average of three or more appraisals, not on the seller’s numbers. Silly me, you must know that.
Dear Nils
Thank you for posting a response to my blog.
I agree with the point you made about the “three appraisals” method. However, they wanted us to do it first, then they would decide to do one or not, then if there wasn’t agreement, a third is made, to which the parties can choose to accept, prior to the findings, that would be another number to factor in. That is how it was explained to me by the three appraisers I spoke with, before one recommended to me by The Garden Conservancy, who was assisting both PNHC and me. However, as I tried to say in my blog, the PNHC terminated the discussions several weeks after receiving the report, and with out any heads up or conversation, much less a willingness to conduct their own, or even talk about the matter. But we respect their decision, mainly because their rep, their chair, the only person we spoke with, was a friendly and well informed amateur horticulturist.
This was the second time the PNHC ended talks while in progress, so I was concerned that, in fact, they wanted it for more than one million less (1.7 vs 2.750) than a certified appraisal, which used a botanist and horticulturist. Contrary to what it seems that you suggest, we were willing to go through the entire process, which involves sharing the cost of the third appraisal, if there is one. They weren’t. The point of my blog was that I tried to convince them that doing all three appraisals was a waste of time, because I thought my offer of 2.7, and still negotiable, was fair. I turned out to be right, that’s all. I’d have “split the difference” just for them, and they were well aware of that, yet they insisted their 1.7 was at market, and their final offer. The plants alone are worth over 500, so is it fair to value 15 acres in Kingston at less than 1.2, in 2007? The expansion of 7 1/2 acres cost us a million, and that was the summer of 2001. That was “at market” then. And that was the neighbor, not one of the finest private gardens in the world with a Robert Jones designed and built house, and several buildings in excellent condition. The 1.7 is almost giving it away, and certainly ignores what the two Seattle papers called in editorials “a regional and national treasure” and “a paradise”. The NY Times called it “Eden” and they weren’t kidding. Moving the nursery may have lost us a bunch of valued customers, but the business has been saved, and the gardens in Kingston unencumbered by substantial water requirements it took away. The gardens are where we do our research for PNW area specialties, as I mentioned in the blog.
We have spent a great deal of money keeping the gardens in excellent condition. Regrettably, it appears that PNHC can neither spend nor raise enough money to pay even for a second appraisal. Trade booths at flower shows, a nice web site, and considerable PR and legal time and effort, as well as the services of a professional fundraising consultant, but no second appraisal. In their last email they sincerely described their decision to terminate their efforts as “irreversible”. Their quote in the Kitsap Sun newspaper summed it up, to the effect that they didn’t want the garden “to go down on our watch”. They did not feel that there was any financial support in the community, and they haven’t the resources themselves. So, we’ll keep trying to find some person or entity that does.
Please see “Blog For The Perplexed” in the archives for a guide to the events, including the offer to give essentially half the newly expanded property, including the business, back to the former owners, in 2003 for less than our recent appraised value. Meaning that they could have had the business back, with double the property, more sales, and the entire garden and nursery that they sold, and kept half the money we paid them. Yet, as far as we know, they had little or nothing to do with helping the PNHC, though we can’t be certain, because the PNHC declined to meet and discuss these broader issues with us, unless we agreed to the 1.7 price, and then only after signing the contract. Nice folks, but not really sure they knew what to do. As I said, with The Garden Conservancy giving us a bit of help if possible, we are confident we’ll find the appropriate buyer.
Thanks again for your post. I’d be interested in your thoughts. Hope you can make it to our Open on July 26, since I assume you live in the area.
Regards,
George Ball