Our success has been built through the support of family and good friends who invested in the dream, by our ability to attract a loyal, diligent workforce who continually executes the details of our vision, by our suppliers attention to consistent quality, and of course by our customers who paved the path of success one plant at a time. To us, it is not about having a huge nursery, but rather being happy by making others happy, by providing a service, by growing similes, by helping the industry grow, by helping provide the local community jobs, and spreading goodwill through plants. The joy and rewards of a family run business are having employees, customers, and suppliers that are an extended family.
Growing up in Iowa, Tony cultivated his interest in plants while tending a large garden with his mother. Moving to California at age 13, offered greater diversity of education and experiences including working at a retail garden center in High School. Enrolled at Cal Poly Pomona in 1964. Tony was attracted to warm tropical greenhouses of Bob Weidner’s Buena Park Greenhouses. The greenhouses were well run, well kept, and all the plants were perfectly manicured. Tony’s dream was to own 1 acre of greenhouse by age 50. Little did he know his dream would be exceeded much sooner. After 9 years of working for others, Tony happened to meet Joe and Carmen Di Stefan of Fallbrook, who were willing to rent Tony a couple of acres. After a short partnership, Tony and Sue – newly wed in September – became sole proprietors of Olive Hill Greenhouses in December 1973.
Tony loves his plants. While raising his daughters, he expressed to them seek to make a job out of your hobby, so you always enjoy your work and are willing to work hard to succeed. He exemplifies this principle each day; always seeking ways to improve how we do business, how to grow the industry, and how to build the public’s appreciation and expand the market for good quality plants. If plants are the meter for Tony’s happiness, then millions of plants grown by Olive Hill has made Tony a really happy guy – no wonder he certainly cannot stop smiling.
Denise is a second generation horticulturalist at Olive Hill Greenhouses and runs the day to day operations with her husband. Denise’s passion for plants began at a young age and continued with a massive collection of houseplants while earning her Physics degree at Whittier College. She joined the family business in 2000 looking to continue to provide a service of providing excellent quality houseplants to their loyal customers. She is focused on sales, production, and educational outreach. Educational tours are a favorite activity and reminds her it is awesome to grow happiness and smiles and it is amazing the biophilic affinity people have to plants. Olive Hill grows all Denise’s favorites: Anthuriums, Bromeliads, and indoor tropical foliage plants. Varieties from the traditional hardy Pothos to the more adventurous and detail oriented varieties that are easily enjoyed in the home, office, or indoor space.
Over the last 5 years, Denise has enjoyed a variety of speaking engagements from AmericanHort’s Cultivate to class presentations to college and high school students. Denise currently serves on the board of San Diego Ag in the Classroom and is on the committee for the Teacher Resource Fair at San Diego Botanic Garden; on the Alumni Council of the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation; is a Greenhouse Community Connector for AmericanHort; and participates on advisory committees for various local FFAs.
