Jeff believes, and has always believed, it’s about way more than offering a plant or product for a price. Jeff will shake people’s hands because he wants to see them again next week, next month and years from now. People like Jeff will listen when you regale them with the tale of your ailing begonias or ravished lawn. He’ll have answers especially for our tri-state soil, suggestions on affordable products that work and just so you know, he’s a genuinely good guy who hails from the area.
He grew up and lives on the West side with his wife Patty and has two sons, Evan and Andrew, all in the business with him.
When I’m not helping others with their lawns and gardens I’m:
Probably in mine
On the golf course
Traveling
Snow skiing (love the mountains)
Hiking
Enjoying family
Best piece of garden advice:
Right plant. Right place. Enough said.
Favorite plants:
Japanese Maples (so many cool varieties)
Hostas (easy to grow and love the shade)
Evan is a Second generation owner of White Oak Gardens along with his brother andrew, a designer with the landscape division, He began working full-time at White Oak in 2013 after spending 5 years at fifth third bank. he enjoys being outdoors, and loves spending time with his family, wife renee and three kids, Eleanor, Hayden and Natalie.
When I’m not at White Oak, I’m:
Hiking with family and friends
Playing old timers softball at St Johns, platform tennis and golf
Serving on the board of the Colerain Chamber of Commerce or attending a Midwest Landscape Network meeting
Something interesting:
Back in college, he was ranked #3 nationally in singles while playing tennis for DePauw University.
Best garden advice:
Your plants are what they eat. Make sure you have the right soil conditions and you feed your plants. All the beauty you see above ground is based on how well the roots are doing.
inevitably, you’re going to run into some challenges and opportunities in your yard and garden, and Ricky can help you through it and help your yard and garden thrive. As our Operations Manager, he has his eye on the big picture, but thankfully still has plenty of time to get dirt under his fingernails.
Favorite Plants:
Wildfire Black Gum (spectacular fall color)
Rising Sun Redbud (multiple season interest) Little Lime Hydrangea (long lasting summer blooms fade from white to pink in the fall)
When I’m not at White Oak I’m:
Spending time with my family & coaching my daughter’s softball team
Working around the house
Golfing
Best piece of garden advice:
Prune or trim regularly. It’s much easier than you think. One of the most common reasons people become unhappy with their landscape is because it has become overgrown.
Mandy joined White Oak Gardens in 2019 when she decided to spend time doing what she loves, being outdoors in nature. She got her degree in sustainable horticulture technology (degree #3) from Cincinnati State.
Mandy’s advice: Plant what you love and follow the sun to set yourself up for success.
Abby joined White Oak Gardens in 2016 as a part-time seasonal cashier. She is a houseplant enthusiast with a special interest in hoyas and propagating.
After getting her degree from Cincinnati State, Abby took on several new roles at White Oak, including assistant greenhouse and tropical manager.
Abby’s tip: You can learn how to have a green thumb. Through practice, anyone can be a successful .gardener and plant owner.
Yellowwood Tree, Coral Bells and Sansevieria, by far the easiest houseplant I own.
Books (especially Harry Potter), family, friends, and anything outdoors.
As she approaches her 25th anniversary at white oak, there aren’t many problems or issues pertaining to plants and landscapes that Katie hasn’t come across. She is a great resource for our customers as well as new employees that join the White Oak team. Problem solver. knowledge sharer. customer greeter. plant guru. you name it, katie does it.
The morning. It’s quiet and anything’s possible.
Spending time outdoors with my dogs or baking and cooking for my son and friends!
Ruby Falls Redbud, lavender and a favorite tree is the Weeping Alaskan Cedar out front of White Oak.
Looking around and seeing what she’s accomplished in her yard and garden brings her real joy, like her young daughter. She loves Redbud trees, Elephant Ears and her personal favorite for pots? The annual, Evolvulus. She’s used it in her containers for years and it’s always one of the last plants to flower at the end of the summer. Ask her about it.
People would describe me as:
Outgoing, maybe a bit loud (laugh!)
Best garden advice:
Don’t get upset if you kill a plant, or many plants. We all have. Trial and error is one of the best ways to learn.
Endless Summer Hydrangea (Long bloom time with large brilliant flowers), Fothergilla(fantastic fall color), and Redbud Trees (early-blooming native).
When I’m not at White Oak I’m…spending time with my wife Molly and son Colton or outside in the woods or with my dogs.
Like the hands-on experience she’s had growing and canning her own veggies, keeping the deer away from her husband’s Hostas and growing Lantana, her favorite deer-proof bloom. She’s all about helping green thumbs and newbies create something beautiful then experiencing that moment of accomplishment. The one where you stand back and say ‘Wow, I just did that!’
When I’m not at White Oak I’m:
Running with my dad, working on our wonderful house that sits on five acres or playing with my one-year-old daughter.
Something interesting:
I was a high jumper for UC and could jump my own height. I’ve also been a personal high jump coach, something I’m very passionate about.
Best garden advice:
If it looks like something is wrong, watch your watering. Chances are it’s either too wet or too dry. Check new plant tags and/or ask us for guidelines by plant type.
andrew’s industry experience spans more than 16 years, 12 of which have been at White Oak Environmentals. He started off watering plants and pulling weeds long ago here in our nursery. He graduated with his BA in Landscape Architecture at West Virginia University. Andrew is a west side native, attending grade school at Our Lady of Lourdes & high school at Elder.
Interests:
Downhill skiing in the off-season, working outdoors, hiking, camping, and sports of all sorts, as well as coaching his step-daughter’s basketball team at St. Ignatius. In his younger days, Andrew was a state qualifier while swimming for St. Xavier & Elder High School.
Patty is the friendly voice on the other end of the phone and likely the first face you see in the White Oak Environmentals office. Patty has been a staple at White Oak Gardens since 1988 and spends her time on to the landscape side of the business. She handles billing and contract management, but her main role is to keep the landscape guys in check!
Favorite plants:
Weeping White Pine
Favorite Gardening Activities:
Deadheading her roses. Container and vegetable gardening. She also enjoys cooking for her family: Jeff, Evan & Andrew and their families.
dave takes great pride in being a problem solver, thriving on the satisfaction of the end result of a job well done. He’s put his time in, working in the industry for more than 20 years. He’ll work with all parties to make sure the job is done right the first time.
Interests:
Spending time outdoors fishing, camping and bird hunting
Favorite Plants:
“Ruby Falls” Redbud
Best Piece of Garden Advice:
Don’t be afraid to trim.
Bert is that guy you gravitate to, the one who makes the first meeting all about you, keeps everyone on schedule, and calls you just to see how your new landscape is treating you.
When Bert isn’t designing landscape plans or meeting with customers he’s likely enjoying his time with his wife Lisa, sons Tony and Joe and his beautiful granddaughter, Brailey. You might also run into Bert at a local golf course.
Favorite Plants:
Oakleaf Hydrangea (year-round interest and blooms)
Paper Bark Maple (exfoliating bark and fall color)
Best Piece of Garden Advice:
It’s all about the soil prep!
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