Swansons Nursery in Ballard recently announced a new employee ownership group.

As Swansons approaches its 95th year in business, three longtime employees have stepped forward to purchase Seattle’s favorite garden center and continue its tradition as a hub for the local gardening community. Swansons’ new ownership group includes Brian Damron, President; Leslie Bruckner, General Manager; and Gabriel Maki, Nursery Buyer. Together, Damron, Bruckner and Maki have worked at Swansons for a combined 42 years.

“We at Swansons are proud to have been a part of the history of Seattle, growing as the city continues to grow around us, and we are honored to continue serving our community as we move forward,” said Brian Damon, President. “We’re so grateful for our customers and their many years of loyal patronage, and we looking forward to seeing them at Swansons in the near future.”

The heart of Swansons has always been the people that work, shop and learn at the nursery: the employees, family members, friends, neighbors and customers (multiple generations, in many cases) who make Swansons a unique place in an ever-changing Seattle. Swansons’ employees have planted, weeded, watered, joked, tended, asked and answered questions, unloaded trucks, loaded cars, swept, created displays and, most importantly, helped Seattleites grow into smart and successful gardeners for nearly a century and they look forward to continue doing just that.