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How it all started

Crystal Star Nursery is a small, family run nursery that values quality and selection above all else. Established by husband and wife duo, Ellen and Eric, first as a Bonsai Nursery in 1987 out of years of admiration for bonsais fostered at a young age. They went on to discover the wonderfully diverse world of orchids and from there, progressed to be more inclusive in their tropical plant selection focusing on hard to find botanical treasures. Crystal Star Nursery is the product of a pair of people who truly recognize and appreciate the beauty of growing gems of all shapes and sizes.

With over 30 years of growing experience, they have acquired an invaluable reserve of plant and horticulture knowledge. They employ this in every aspect of the nursery’s operations lending to a standard of quality our customers have come to expect. From sourcing out rare plants, to hybridizing their very own orchids, their dedication to the industry is apparent.

Branching Out

Over the years they developed a loyal customer base that was appreciative of their service, knowledge and product, so much so, they encouraged them to expand their business to the online market. With little computer literacy and no experience in the world of social media they plunged into the unknown waters of the world wide web.

Expanding to the online market was both remarkable and overwhelming. They discovered a whole community of like-minded plant lovers they didn’t know was out there. The interest they received in their product was unforeseen and it was clear accepting orders via Google Doc was an insufficient method. While they scrambled to continue maintaining the many plant babies in their care and fielding the new onslaught of inquires from plant lovers across Canada and abroad, they explored multiple avenues to provide the best service possible.

Today and the future

By now, some of you have discovered that my parents named their business after me, Crystal. Mostly I have remained behind the scenes with the occasional helping hand here and there.  

At the start of 2019, I helped develop our first online store and from there my involvement grew. By the summer of 2019, I took over communications and social media so that my parents could focus more of their time and energy on sourcing more plant gems and preparing them for their new homes. In March 2020, I made the decision to temporarily step away from my career in Diagnostic Imaging, to help my parents re-home even more botanical treasures. 

I've watched my parents dedicate endless hours, days and years to this business, to these plants, and to the people who share their passion for botanical treasures. 2019 was a groundbreaking year for Crystal Star Nursery; full of growth and the discovery of an incredible plant community. 

We look forward to continuing to grow and learn how to serve you best. All the while, we will continue to search high and low to keep our trove of botanical treasures well stocked with something for you to look forward to! 

Happy Botanical Treasure Hunting!

– Crystal Lee

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