Kate Seaver’s journey from corporate executive to small business entrepreneur began over two decades ago with a major life decision. At the time, Seaver was the Vice President of Human Resources for global beauty brand MAC Cosmetics. She was also a mother of two facing the demands of balancing work and home.
“I loved my job, but it wasn't really compatible with raising a young family. I'd always had this ambition to be an entrepreneur, and gardening is my huge passion. It made sense at the time take that leap,” Seaver says.
Kate’s Garden initially started as a botanical boutique selling garden decor. Seaver saw an opportunity to expand the shop’s reach as its reputation grew among the gardening community. Using her experience in training and development, Seaver launched in-store workshops in 2001. The workshops range from basic garden care to wreath making.
“We're a creative collective of people, and our attitude was always, ‘What we know, we want to share.’ Workshops are a huge fad today, but we've been doing them for over 20 years. We’ve been doing it since before it was cool,” she laughs.
The shop’s evolution didn’t end with workshops. Many of the staff are trained horticulturalists, and Seaver started using that expertise in 2005 with an expansion into home landscaping. Today, Kate’s Garden has 25 landscapers providing expert care to gardens across the city.
“We design, install, and care for gardens. Whatever the client’s needs are, we take care of them,” she says.
In 2010, Kate’s Garden added a hardscape division. Hardscape services include anything related to stone, including courtyards, pathways, and driveways. The division's team includes expert masons and carpenters who provide complementary skills to Kate’s horticultural team.
“We can offer a holistic approach to the garden. We consider gardens big outdoor rooms, and we want to create beautiful living spaces for people,” Seaver says.
Adaptability has been a critical factor in the success of Kate's Garden. “We're really great at pivoting,” Kate says. By continuously innovating and staying ahead of trends, the business has remained resilient, even during challenging times like the pandemic. “I think the only reason we are still standing is because of customer loyalty,” she adds.
Seaver credits the City of Markham for helping get the business successfully planted back in 1999.
“Before even conceiving the plan, we went to the City of Markham to get help. Did the type of business we wanted to create make sense? We got help from the planning department. It was quite beneficial to us at the time,” Seaver says.
Kate’s Garden is more than a botanical boutique—it’s also a way for Seaver to give back to the community that has supported her.
“We've always thought that part of what we wanted to do was be mission-focused. The shop has given us that opportunity. We’ve created many jobs, and we’ve been able to give a lot back to our community,” Seaver says. “So what it hasn't given back in financial rewards, it's given back in all kinds of other areas.”
Discover more about Kate’s Garden at katesgarden.ca or visit the shop at 227 Main Street in Markham.
