About Us

Deerwood Nursery is a family owned and operated nursery. It all started with a dream not long after Rick and Karen Jordan were married. To reach their rented house they had to drive through a tree farm. Time after time, they discussed their ideas to someday start a tree farm of their own. Almost two decades later, they sit on their back porch looking out over the fields they were able to develop into Deerwood Nursery.

The first step in creating the nursery was taken when the Jordans purchased land in Zirconia, NC. The land was suited perfectly for farming. Streams border this level property and an irrigation pond was easily constructed. One year later, the first trees and shrubs were planted with the intention of selling these items in the future. Deerwood Nursery was officially established in 2000.

In 2009 the nursery decided to diversity its plant base and take advantage of the growing needs for plants for streambank and wetland restoration projects, neighborhood water retention areas, streambank stabilization and other environmental landscaping activities. The banks of three streams running through the property offer excellent locations to produce restoration type plant material.

So where did the nursery name come from? While Rick and Karen were walking through the first field they purchased, one of them spotted something that looked like a deer skull from distance. As they got closer to the object, it turned out to be a piece of wood. The comment about the “deer wood” later turned into the name of the nursery. If the second track of land had been purchased first, the nursery would probably be known as Arrowhead Nursery. The land sits near an old Indian campsite and many arrowheads have been found by the Jordans while working in the nursery.

Now you know the history, but what does the future hold. Since Rick and Karen have been blessed with two wonderful children, they hope to pass the nursery on to their children.

On a day-to-day basis, Rick will be in charge of all nursery operations. He will handle everything from choosing plant types to harvesting plant materials. His diverse background in horticulture and agriculture includes landscaping, crop consulting, IPM, and being an insurance adjuster for crops. He enjoys learning everything he can from everyone he meets. The bookkeeping will be handled by Karen. In addition to this she has proven to be quite capable of driving the tractor, pulling weeds, and trimming young plants. Together, Rick and Karen make a great team.

Deerwood Nursery is a member of the North Carolina Association of Nurserymen and Blue Ridge Horticulture Association. Deerwood Nursery is certified with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Mission Statement for Deerwood Nursery

May we always know the Seed.

May we avoid sowing seeds by the wayside by acting justly and treating customers with respect.

May we keep from planting seeds on the rocks so our plants will have strong roots and be of the highest quality we can produce.

May we strive not to plant seeds among the thorns so we can stay focused on our mission of helping others in need.

May we always plant seeds on good ground so we can pass on a solid nursery - with a good reputation for quality, honesty and respect - to our children.