Landscaping mogul and Edgartown selectman Michael Donaroma has planted roots in Vineyard Haven by entering into a five-year lease agreement with Matt Tobin of Eden Market and Garden Center. Mr. Tobin, owner of Tea Lane Nursery in Chilmark, took over Eden five years ago from its 25 year proprietor, Dee Dice. He had been holding the Tea Lane Christmas Shop out of Eden for 10 years at that point.
“That’s why I got involved in taking it over,” Mr. Tobin said. “She wanted to sell, and I didn’t want to lose that experience.”
While at first, Mr. Tobin kept the plant side of the business, he recently narrowed his focus to sheds, picnic tables, fanciful stone garden critters and the Christmas Shop, as well as tending his separate landscaping business, Tea Lane Nursery.
Mr. Donaroma said he noticed the lack of flowers outside Eden in June and reached out to Mr. Tobin. They agreed to work together at the Tisbury location. In late June, Donaroma’s brought in garden supplies, annuals and perennials, allowing the front lot to once again explode in color.
“Everybody is happy, it looks much better,” said Mr. Donaroma. He also helped install a new roof, new shingles and a new watering system.
“I think he did a beautiful job of upgrading,” said Mr. Tobin. “It’s a good feeling.”
Though friendly rivals in the landscaping world, the match felt natural to Mr. Tobin. “Part of the thing with me and Michael is we’re the old standbys of landscaping,” he said. After the landscapers 30 to 40 years Mr. Tobin’s senior retired, he and Mr. Donaroma were the first couple of large companies to follow in their footsteps. When Mr. Donaroma came to him about splitting the lease, Mr. Tobin said he thought it was a great fit.
“My vision of Martha’s Vineyard is a big cherry pie — as long as I get a slice, I’m happy,” said Mr. Tobin. “I don’t want the whole pie.”
Though August is a dud for plant sales according to Mr. Donaroma, he predicted that in September, “We’ll be rocking and rolling.”
Despite the late summer lull, manager Jen Brown said plenty of people stop by.
“Even though it’s August, people come in just because they want to look around and that makes my day,” she said as she watered flowers along the front of the display. “Because we work so hard.”
Ms. Brown began working for Donaroma’s around the same time they began the Tisbury location.
The employees on the site are all Donaroma’s, though come winter, Tea Lane employees will staff the Christmas shop.
Years ago, at the beginning of his landscaping career, Mr. Donaroma had a plant stand at the IGA market in Tisbury.
“I’m back,” he said.
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