Around every corner of Disney parks and resorts, the magic of storytelling comes alive through colorful flowers, vibrant bedding plants and bountiful blooms photographed by millions of guests every year. And most memorable of all is the bright Mickey floral in front of the iconic train station as you enter Magic Kingdom Park.
While a team of skilled horticulturalists from Walt Disney World takes care of each and every plant and flower, some of our plants’ actual roots sprout about 40 miles away in a nursery owned by a Central Florida third-generation family business that has blossomed in its own right. For more than 50 years, Dutch Mill Nursery has produced millions of flowering plants, such as violas, ajugas, geraniums, caladiums, begonias, pentas and sunflowers for Walt Disney World.
Starting with just one acre and planters in 1961, John and Irene Lommerse opened Dutch Mill Nursery to service garden centers, landscapers and lawn maintenance in the region, and a few years later began supplying locally grown plants and flowers to Disney as the company prepared for the opening of Magic Kingdom in October 1971.
And as Walt Disney World expanded – so did Dutch Mill Nursery. Today, the Lommerse family business continues to grow with more than 16 acres and 25 greenhouses in Central Florida! And their family’s legacy now lives on with their children and grandchildren continuing to operate the hometown Sanford, Florida business.
“Our business has grown from retail to a successful wholesale operation over the past five decades thanks to working with Disney,” said Jinny, daughter and second-generation Lommerse family member. “We always get so excited and proud every time we see our plants and color combinations each season at theme parks and resorts.”
Disney Horticulture Collaborates with Local Business
“The success of our business is driven by great relationships and collaboration with partners,” said Patrick Zusack, director of Walt Disney World Horticulture. “As the horticulture industry has evolved over the years, Dutch Mill Nursery has been instrumental in supporting us with experimenting and testing various bedding plants for our gardens that are sustainable in our Florida climate.”
Dutch Mill Nursery is one of the 2,500 Florida-based small businesses contracted by The Walt Disney Company to supply products and services to Walt Disney World. Learn more about other small businesses we work with at DisneyConnect.com.