Our History

     Echter's has a long tradition of growing and selling flowers and plants going back for generations.  George Echter built a greenhouse and flower shop in Iowa after immigrating here from Germany .  He and his wife Opal had four sons, all of whom got involved in the industry.

     Brothers Bob and Jim began Echter’s greenhouse operation.  Bob graduated from Colorado A&M in 1950, with a degree in horticulture and purchased a greenhouse at the corner of 10th and Depew in Lakewood.  Jim owned a flower shop in Iowa.  In 1959 they bought the greenhouse and land at the corner of 52nd and Garrison, its present location.  It was a small greenhouse, but had more land for planned expansion.  The business started as a cut carnation growing operation with an exclusive marketing agreement through Davis Bros. Wholesale Florists. 

     The business expanded over the years from 15,000 to 60,000 square feet.  Jim moved to southern California in 1965 and started his own greenhouse operations there.  Bob continued to build greenhouses here until the business reached to over 100,000 sq. ft.  Bob served on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Flower Growers Association, Colorado Floriculture Foundation, and the American Carnation Society.  In 1973 he was elected to membership in the American Academy of Florists.  Over the years Echter's won many awards for the quality of their carnations at the ACS competitions and introduced some new varieties to the market. Bob Echter and Don Rody founded Rocky Mountain Wholesale Florists in 1970 and shipped their carnations, as well as the flowers of other growers, across the country. 

     During the 70's the rise of South American imported carnations and the spiraling costs of heating fuels forced Echter's to diversify their business.  Bob and his son Steve decided to start growing bedding plants for the local market.  They also decided that in the long run they would discontinue growing carnations.  Therefore, instead of adding greenhouses for bedding plant production, some of the carnation greenhouses were stripped down to bare ground inside and completely redesigned for their new purposes. 

    In 1978 the retail garden center opened as an outlet for the plants grown by us.

     Over the next few years the garden center was expanded to include hard goods, roses, perennials, and a tree and shrub nursery.  A full-service florist shop was added.

     In December 1988 Steve and Dave Echter bought Echter’s from Bob Echter.

     By 1990 all of the original carnation growing area had been converted to growing area for annuals, perennials, roses, or to retail sales area.  Bob Echter sold out his interests in the wholesale florist business.

     In 1991 Echter’s joined the ServiStar Hardware (now True Value) buying cooperative under the Home and Garden Showplace identity. 

     In 1994 Echter’s opened their patio furniture department. In 1996 they began selling gas and charcoal grills.

     In 1995 Echter’s discontinued selling cut flowers in the floral shop.  This was the final step in the passage to the new retail business.

     In 1999 Echter’s opened its e-commerce site Echter’s Garden Showplace.

    In 2004 Echter's was awarded an Outstanding Family Business by the city of Arvada.

    In 2004 Echter's was named the best garden center by the Rocky Mountain News.

    In 2005 Steve Echter was elected president of the Garden Centers of America.

    In 2005 Echter's was named the best garden center by the Rocky Mountain News and in the Reader's Poll.

   In 2008 Echter's was name the Garden Center Retailer of the Year by the Garden Centers of America.

 Echter's Garden Center--Today