The Phelan story began in 1977 when Don and Sue Phelan sought out their dream of owning their own business. After considering numerous possibilities, they decided on a centrally located greenhouse in the Knob Hill area of Colorado Springs that also featured an adjoining home. A phone call to northern Minnesota shared the news of a business opportunity with newly retired grandparents, Lud and Anne Stupca, Sue’s parents. Without hesitation they were on their way to Colorado to visit Sunset Greenhouses—a place they loved and would reside at shortly thereafter.

For years, Grandpa Lud put in a modest 1,000 square foot vegetable garden—enough to feed family (and visitors), as well as providing a demonstration garden for aspiring gardeners. Grandma Anne canned and froze all the harvested produce. Lud’s groundbreaking techniques in organic gardening showed perseverance in his refusal to use chemicals and pesticides. He worked diligently to maintain plant vigor through composting and soil building. Until he was 90 he continued to grow fresh vegetables to share with faithful Sunset customers.

Throughout the years the family business would provide employment opportunities and a college education for four teenagers. The success of Sunset Greenhouses also helped finance expansion. In 1981, Phelan Gardens on Austin Bluffs Parkway was established. This two-acre site enabled greater diversity in the nursery business and soon became the flagship store. As Sue and Don planned for their retirement years, they gave their children the opportunity to buy the business. Since 1998, Mark and Monica have been the owners of the Phelan Corporation.

After careful planning, 2003 saw another expansion as a new Garden Center was added to the Phelan Garden’s location. This new building with its high ceilings and ample floor space provides the opportunity to showcase garden accents and support products to ensure our customers’ gardening needs are addressed.

While Phelan Gardens and Sunset Greenhouses have remained in the family for over 25 years now, many of us in the green aprons consider ourselves part of the “extended” family. The bedrock rule that has kept the wheels turning for so long is: “Our customers’ success is our success.” Our staff growers, buyers, sales reps, landscape consultants and installation and maintenance crews will make every effort to answer questions, get you excited about plants and open your eyes to possibilities right inside your own garden gate.

For over two decades this story has repeated itself. We continue to be devoted to all those who love playing in the dirt as much as we do. We strive to teach Colorado front-range gardeners that the soil here bears no resemblance to the black dirt of Iowa or Ohio and that the humidity in Colorado will never match that of Massachusetts or California. Living here forces us to rethink what beauty is. We must learn to xeriscape and conserve water. We must find satisfaction in growing what thrives here naturally. And we must often take time to look up from our gardens to stare at the majestic mountains that brought many of us here in the first place—including the Phelan family.