Plant Philanthropists: Ellisons created colorful business

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Jim and Ellen Ellison, in one of their greenhouses in Brenham, are supportive of horticultural programs at Texas A&M University. The couple looks forward to working with the university so more people can obtain higher education in the world of plants. -- Staff photo by Taylor

July 17, 2003 -- Famous for their holiday open house event in Brenham, with the greenhouses full of poinsettias, Ellen and Jim Ellison's motto is "where quality is a deep-rooted tradition."

Stepping onto Ellison's Greenhouses, Inc. property, it is evident that someone cares about plants and people.

In the late 1990s, backed by the Texas State Florists Association, Ellen approached Texas A&M University (TAMU) about increasing their courses dealing with horticulture, greenhouse management and specialists. Ellen explained that finding an educated workforce becomes harder and harder, especially, if the staff has little or no training in horticulture.

After conversations with some of the top TAMU officials, it was decided an endowed chair in floriculture and greenhouse would need a "driving force" to raise the money through pledges and grants.

(TAMU's J. Warren Evans explained an "endowed chair" means funds are available to bring a very prestigious, world class scientist onboard at the university. The funds will be permanent, and it will also finance research projects as well as graduate studies, among other things.)

According to a release from TAMU, "Dr. Edward A. Hiler, TAMU system vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences, credited Ellison, who he described as a 'super volunteer fundraiser,' as the inspiration behind the chair ...."

Today, TAMU reports $500,000 in pledges has been raised, and that will be matched by the H.R. "Bum" Bright Matching program to create the $1 million endowed chair.

The Ellisons are pleased and very supportive of the TAMU programs, and look forward to working with them in the future to teach more people about the plant world.

"Today in Texas ag, the only thing ahead of the green (horticulture) industry is beef cattle," explained Ellen. "It's no longer plows, cows and sows!"

According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas nurseries and the "green" industry added around $2.6 billion dollars in 2002 to the state's economy.

Jim grew up in Bovina, where the famous XIT Ranch shipped cattle on the railroad, but he became involved in the "green" industry after completing his education and military service.

Married almost 51 years, the Ellisons laughingly remembered the "early days" in the business. Jim started out trying to raise hydroponic tomatoes in Lubbock, working with the Furrs grocery chain. After the failure of a crop in the early 1970s, a friend told him that he needed to look at raising flowers.

"You're not going to make any money until you start growing flower plants," Jim remembered him saying.

After re-locating to South Central Texas, the Ellisons decided to try out the flower business, and with backing from a good friend, were able to establish several greenhouses and start raising flowers. In Brenham, they have about 10 acres which house their home, as well as greenhouses, and another acreage in the country where they, also, grow plants.

Educated as a teacher, Ellen taught for several years as the business was being established, but quit to help Jim in the greenhouses and open a small lunch station, "The Mad Hut," which catered to the high school students who were in the area. The couple said they were determined to make a "go" of their business, any way they could, all the time rearing a family of three children ... the youngest "PJ," who is now president of the company.

Today, the Ellisons sell to Randalls supermarkets, private florists and garden centers. Their operation in Brenham employees around 35, and the greenhouses in the country employees eight.

Before PJ took the reins in town, "Mrs. E" (as the staff calls her) had been in charge of the greenhouses for several years while Jim served on numerous community boards, including one at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park.

For the last several years, the Ellisons have furnished flowers to the Capitol in Austin, as well as the Governor's mansion, during the holiday season. Word has it that the open house, held the weekend before Thanksgiving to promote their poinsettias, is spectacular, and a good way to enter the holiday season.

Like Ellen said, we all need "food for our health and plants for our soul."