Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-07
UNIQUE FLOWER SHOP
John Robertson, Expert, Has
Fine Exclusive Trade.
FIRST STORE IN SECTION
Proprietor Served at the White
House for Nine Years.
LEARNED HIS BUSINESS WELL
Acknowledged to Have Great Skill
in the Growing and Produc-
ton of Plants.
LEARNED HIS BUSINESS WELL

Catering to fashionable and exclusive
trade and presided over by the proprietor
In person. one of the most successful
flower shops in the city is that Of John
Robertson. at 1910 II street northwest.
This flower store is the oldest on Con-
necticut avenue. and was the first to be
established in that one-time ultra fashion
able section of the city. 1t remains today
as it was a score or more Of years ago
and has. to considerable extent the
same trade.
The store was opened twenty-five years
ago by Alexander b. Garden. proprietor
of big nursery In that suburb When he
opened the place the section around Du-
pont Circle was vacant ground and the
first handsome dwellings were just be-
ginning to work their way up Connecticut
avenue.
Pioneer in the Section.
The building is one of the oldest built in
that section and was built by Rauscher.
the caterer, who. as the section grew.
found the structure too small for his
needs. Nine years ago Mr.. Garden. desir-
ing to devote his entire time to his Ana
costa nurseries. sold his business on Con-
necticut avenue to Mr.. Robertson. Since
that time the business has grown steadily
with the growth of the city to the north
west
The inside of this flower shop is a mass
OF palms and cut blooms, and Mr.. Robert
son gets some of the most choice and
rarest buds in the city. He has made
the growing and care of flowers a life
long study and Is himself an expert gar
dener. Consequently he is familiar with
every phase OF plant life.
Worked Under Government.
For many years Mr.. Robertson was an
expert in the Department of Agriculture
andI at the White House. He has grown
flowers since his childhood and he learned
the business with the thoroughness that
the European teachers give. In Europe
gardening is one of the regular profess
sions and a man must serve an appren-
siceship of eight long years before he is
considered qualified to start out on his
own hook as a journeyman.
Mr.. Robertson was born in Bathshire
Scotland. in 1855. and received his educa-
tion in the Scotch schools. When he was
old enough he started as a gardner and
learned botany from the ground up. He
worked on many of the big estates In
England and Scotland, but in 1SS2 decided
TO come to America. He entered the en-
ply Of William Bennett. the famous
florist Of Flatbush, who. a year later, sent
him to the White House gardens because
of his great skill in plant pr duction. For
nine years MI. ROBINSON ola the con-
servatory and landscape work connected
with this position. when he was trans
ferred to the Department of Agriculture.
lie was in the propagating gardens of the
department for nine years. when he re-
signed and purchased the Connecticut
avenue business from Mr.. Garden.
Show His Expert Hand.
Many of the estates OF the wealthy
around Washington, even the city man.
sions around Dupont Circle. show the
expert hand of Mr.. Robertson. Although
he has not made a speciality OF growing
or landscape work since he has been in
business. he receives continual calls from
his patrons. many OF whom will not lay
a lawn without his advice. In doing this
work Mr.. Robertson has become genius
in laying small gardens in the limited
spaces Of the city. Most interesting OF all
TO him. however. is the flower shop, to
which he devotes NEST OF his attention
He does not make speciality Of any class
of work. Mr.. Robertson is one OF the
hardest workers of the Florists Club and
one of the chief promoters of the flower
show. He has worked tirelessly for the
success of the show, as he has worked in
the past for the club.