[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8234]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING LONGFELLOW'S GREENHOUSE

  Mr. KING. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 40th 
anniversary of Longfellow's Greenhouse of Manchester, ME, a family-
owned small business and a leader in the greenhouse industry.
  Longfellow's Greenhouse opened during the winter of 1977. That year, 
with the help of their son, Scott, owners Lawrence and Mavis Longfellow 
built 12 large greenhouses and a retail shop on a meadow in Manchester. 
In the years that followed, the business flourished and expanded. Scott 
has been integral to that success, applying the knowledge and expertise 
learned through his studies at the University of Maine at Orono and 
holding the positions of grower and general manager up until this year. 
Today Scott's son, Will, carries on the tradition as general manager.
  Over the course of four decades, the Longfellow family and their 
devoted employees have built more than a business. They have created a 
seasonal destination, especially in the spring and holidays, where 
families can gather to create gardens, landscapes, and traditions 
filled with flowers, plants, and fond memories. In addition to 
providing outstanding services and a great experience, they are widely 
known for giving back to the community through both their time and 
proceeds. Longfellow's has helped create new ideas that enrich the 
gardening experience for their customers, all the while placing a 
special emphasis on presentation and education by holding special 
events that offer demonstrations, lectures, and hands-on classes.
  Today Longfellow's stands out with 21 greenhouses, where they produce 
40,000 geraniums, 22,000 fall mums, 15,000 flowering hanging baskets, 
75,000 perennials, and 25,000 poinsettias. Among the diverse flowers 
and plants they house are 800 varieties of perennials, 200 varieties of 
herbs and scented geraniums--over half of which are grown on site--more 
than 500 varieties of trees, shrubs, and vines, and 100 varieties of 
roses.
  Longfellow's Greenhouse has set the standard for horticulture in 
Maine, and they have done so while promoting civic engagement and 
practicing honest and ethical business--all of which will continue to 
make it a special part of central Maine. Not only have they fostered a 
positive culture around gardening, but their efforts have also engaged 
the imagination of people of all ages. I am proud and honored to join 
with all those who are celebrating this achievement and recognizing 
their high quality of work on behalf of all Maine people. I thank them 
for their tremendous contributions to our State.

                          ____________________