A few months ago I was scouting out new products for the Boutique (my favorite pastime), and I came across these decoupage “necessity trays” from Ben’s Garden. I was immediately smitten with the gorgeous decoupage quotes, and then I heard Ben’s story. I was floored, and I knew (A.) I had to have his line in Waiting On Martha and (B.) Ben’s story was something I had to share with whomever would listen.
I hope you love the trays as much as I love carrying them, and his story goes a little something like this…
{1983} Born in Setauket, N.Y. on Long Island.
{1987} Ben started his first garden.
{1988} Known to always have a gardener’s trowel or paintbrush in hand.
{1989} Ben decoupaged his mother’s cocktail table. She was pretty impressed.
{1992} Ben started “Ben’s Garden” selling decoupage & notecards. (For all you non-mathmetical types Ben was 9).
{1994} Mails Smith & Hawken and New York Botanical Garden a catalog, gets orders from both. Orders pour in. Ben puts his friends to work in his parent’s carriage house.
{1995} Ben had to change the “Please call 24/7, we’re waiting,” in his catalog, because his mom was not happy answering the phone.
| {2000} | A.P. English High School teacher conferenced his parents. Pages were missing from his textbooks. (He was making paperweights with the quotes.) |
| {2000} | Publishes first issue of Ben’s Garden Quarterly. |
| {2001} | Met with C.Z. Guest, a famous socialite, to ask her to write for his magazine. While eating tiny sandwiches and watching her son practice polo, Ben talks about talking up polo as a sport. She laughs and agrees to write for his magazine. |
| {2002} | Graduates High School. |
| {2002} | Running Ben’s Garden at home in Setauket was driving his parent’s and neighbor’s nuts. |
| {2003} | Has a personal meeting with head buyer at Anthropologie, get’s an order. They end up buying all of Ben’s designs within 6 months. |
| {2003} | Becomes a Master Gardener through Cornell University. Wholesale clients grow to include: ABC Carpet & Home, Dean & DeLuca, Kate’s Paperie. Ben begins regularly exhibiting at national trade shows in Atlanta, San Francisco and New York City. |
| {2004} | Ben turns 20, and moves to Oyster Bay and opens his first store & studio. |
| {2006} | Ben’s découpage featured in InStyle Magazine. Business booms. |
| {2006} | Starts writing quarterly magazine column From Ben’s Garden for @Home Magazine. Ben’s A.P. English High School teacher is impressed. |
| {2007} | Opens second Ben’s Garden store in Huntington, N.Y. on Long Island at 3850 Sq. Ft. |
| {2008} | Ben’s Garden Studio in Oyster Bay expands into the space next door, to meet increased wholesale demand. Turns out customers like great handcrafted things made in the U.S.A. |
I’ve always loved these cute trays, but I think I enjoy the background even more. Thanks for sharing!!!
Right? I mean some people amaze me…such genius at such a young age!!?? It’s crazy! xoxo
This is awesome – so impressed! (And I love the trays!)