Who is Market Hill?

Market Hill is the dream of Roberta Smith.  I am an avid gardener who grew up working in a small family business.  Later my husband Mike and I owned a very successful company for many years.  I had been looking for a way to combine my love of gardening and with my business background.

In the summer of 2000, we sent our 5 year old niece to a summer day camp at the MN Landscape Arboretum and an idea was born.  When I picked her up after her morning session to bring her home with me….she asked if we had fairies in our garden.  I told her..... yes, we do have fairies in our garden.  She was quite excited and when we got home and I showed her the wrought iron fairies in my thyme lawn she was NOT happy!  She was looking for REAL fairies.  I quickly told her that with all the flowers in my many gardens, that there were bound to be more.  As we looked around the gardens, we found them hiding in blooms, having little parties under bushes, dancing along the rock walls, riding around on the backs of the many birds that visit my garden.  It was incredible all the fairies she was able to find.  They were all busy, had names, and the stories went on for the longest time. 

It ends up they had read a book to the children attending the camp that day and then let the kids talk about fairies.  Their imaginations went wild and my niece could hardly wait to come home with me and find them in my gardens.  (We have many wonderful books on our web site that could get you started with someone young in your life!)

And…this is how Market Hill started….the idea came from a child who was having so much innocent fun, outdoors, learning about different flowers….which ones smelled good, which ones had edible flowers, which ones were fuzzy like a blanket,  how they got in my garden, and so much more.  We pride ourselves in having the largest selection of affordable fairy gardening supplies that you will find anywhere…..sold by someone who actually gardens and has used these products.  We have fairy gardens everywhere, but also lush perennial gardens with many native and non native plants, hardy roses, herbs, vegetables and much more.  The book ‘The Best Plants for 30 Tough Sites’ published by the U of MN. Extension Service is available online and I am proud to have authored the section on gardening in clay soil.  If you battle poor soil or other problems you might want to take a look at the list of subjects covered in this excellent book.  We also sell an organic pest repellent if wildlife has discouraged your gardening efforts in the past. 

We hope that you have enjoyed reading a little about us here at Market Hill.  If you should happen to call us and get our voice mail, please do leave us a message and we will get back to you ASAP.  We are most likely either in the warehouse and unable to get to the phone quick enough or working in the gardens if we miss your call.   We have hosted some of the largest summer gardens tours in MN and it takes a fair amount of time to keep things looking their best in the gardens.

Market Hill is located on our hobby farm in rural Carver County.  A large barn has been converted to a retail store and warehouse.  If you would like to visit, please call to set up an appointment at 952-466-4791 or stop by on one of our regularly scheduled dates when the retail store is open.