Bridget Murphy and Kitty, the Ginkgo store cat. Courtesy of Fredo Vasquez

By Beth Hall

Founded in 2000 by owner Mark Holler, Ginkgo Gardens is a full service garden center and landscaping company. Located on a large footprint at 911 11th Street, SE, they offer a large selection of indoor and outdoor plants, pottery, and garden products, such as soil, stone and mulch.

Their landscaping services span from cleaning up leaves to a complete design and installation, including stone work and carpentry. They also carry firewood, offer propane exchange, and sell indoor and outdoor fountains and garden furniture. As a local business, Ginkgo Gardens focuses on carrying unique perennials and dwarf varieties of shrubs and trees that best fit the urban setting, along with a wide selection of native species and cultivars.

Ginkgo Gardens has received a number of local awards. In 2007, they won a coveted BrickieAward from then-Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells. In 2010, they were awarded the District of Columbia Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. They also support community based efforts and partner with organizations including Guerrilla Gardeners, Pomegranate Alley Community Garden and local publications, as well as supporting a beautification project on 11th Street SE.

Recently, Gingko Gardens promoted from within and asked Bridget Murphy to take on management responsibilities. Known to most customers as Murphy, they are passionate about sustainability and reconnecting to the environment. They have a background in architecture and worked on farms and in greenhouses. One thing they enjoy about the store is how it is constantly evolving.

“There’s always some sort of renovation going on,” Murphy said. ““The store has a creative energy about it; a life of its own.”

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