Our History & Team
A Legacy Rooted in Hard Work & Vision
Sharon Nursery’s story began in 1952, when Roger Bacon High School friends, Bill Wersel and Stan Handorf, founded the Village Landscape Service Company—a small business focused on lawn maintenance and grass-cutting.
As their reputation for quality work grew, so did their ambitions. In 1959, after relocating to Sharon Road in Springdale, Ohio, they rebranded as Sharon Nursery Company and expanded their services to include landscape installation.
🌿 A Bold Move, A Thriving Future
By 1963, the growing business had outgrown its space, leading Bill and Stan to make a bold decision: purchasing a 30-acre farm in Maineville, Ohio, right along I-71—a location that remains home to Sharon Nursery’s Garden Center today.
“At the time, our friends and family thought we were crazy for buying a farm ‘in the middle of nowhere’ to open a garden center,” Bill Wersel once joked. But time proved them wrong. Their vision and dedication laid the foundation for a thriving nursery that has served the Greater Cincinnati community for generations.
Growing with the Community, Rooted in Excellence
In the early years of our Maineville Garden Center, a group of visionary developers approached Sharon Nursery with an ambitious plan—creating a world-class amusement park on 364 acres, featuring a striking Eiffel Tower replica as its centerpiece. To help bring this vision to life, Sharon Nursery sold 14 acres of land, paving the way for the Kings Island exit off I-71.
Today, Kings Island stands as the Midwest’s premier family theme and water park, welcoming over three million visitors each year. Its success helped fuel the growth of Warren County, making it one of the fastest-growing counties in the region.
🌿 Expanding to Meet Your Needs
As the surrounding communities flourished, so did the demand for high-quality landscaping and plant materials. To keep up, Sharon Nursery expanded once again—this time purchasing an 80-acre farm in Lebanon, Ohio, allowing us to grow and supply even more premium plant materials.
🏡 A Full-Service Landscape & Garden Center
From a small nursery to a thriving full-service landscaping company, we now proudly offer:
✅ Professional Landscape Design & Installation – Tailored to enhance homes and businesses.
✅ A Fully Stocked Garden Center – Featuring trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and all the essentials for a beautiful landscape.
✅ Wholesale Plant Supply – Providing high-quality plant materials to fellow nursery professionals.
Through every stage of growth, our commitment to quality, service, and community remains strong. We look forward to helping you create beautiful, lasting landscapes—just as we’ve done for generations.
A Legacy of Excellence, A Future of Growth
At Sharon Nursery, our roots run deep. Founded on hard work, dedication, and a passion for exceptional landscaping, our family-owned business has proudly served the Greater Cincinnati area for generations.
Today, Tom, Tony, Mike, and Rob Handorf, along with Bill Wersel Jr., continue the tradition started by their fathers, ensuring that every plant, design, and service reflects the same commitment to quality and customer care that built Sharon Nursery. As the third generation of the Handorf and Wersel families begins to step into the business, our dedication to outstanding service and innovation grows stronger than ever.
🌿 More Than a Nursery – A Commitment to You
We believe in more than just selling plants and creating landscapes—we’re here to help you bring your vision to life with:
✅ Expert Landscape Design & Installation – Crafted to enhance your home or business with beauty and functionality.
✅ Premium Quality Plants & Hardscapes – Hand-selected for durability, beauty, and long-term success.
✅ Exceptional Customer Service – A family-owned business that treats every customer like part of our own.
For generations, Sharon Nursery has been honored to be part of your gardens, homes, and landscapes. Whether you're a longtime customer or visiting us for the first time, we look forward to welcoming you into the Sharon Nursery family.