About Us

Hi! We're Martin and Katherine, and Red Buds Nursery is our sanctuary in a fast-paced digital age. We're cultivating plants and people who value the grounding power of nature while using technology wisely to deepen our learning, not replace our connections.

Our purpose is to help people slow down, reconnect with nature, and rediscover the everyday joy and wonder found in the plants, gardens, and green spaces that make Illinois a beautiful place.

We believe that nurturing plants teaches us patience, mindfulness, and respect for the natural world. Through our carefully curated selection of native and adapted plants, we aim to support both beginning and experienced gardeners in creating spaces that bring peace and beauty to their lives.

Values

We consider plants to be a gateway into awe, appreciation, connection, and mindfulness. Our core values guide everything we do:

• Fun & Friendship First: We are friends, and we run Red Buds with joy. Growing should feel playful, never forced. Our success is measured in community members who feel more connected to each other and to nature.
• Use Technology Mindfully: We use tech effectively but thoughtfully: as a tool for education and efficiency, never as a replacement for human creativity and connection.
• Grow Curiosity & Delight: We spark wonder. Every interaction with us should leave people smiling and knowing a little more than before.
• Prioritize Ecological Care: We prefer natives and choose sustainable practices because caring for the earth is the heart of it all. Still, sparking delight in nature takes priority; inspiration is more powerful than perfectionism.
• Always Learning: We don't pretend to have all the answers. Every plant, every season, every person we meet teaches us something new. We stay humble, curious, and open, knowing that growth starts by acknowledging that everyone begins somewhere.