B.B. Barns is more than a sprawling and beautiful garden center. This locally owned and operated business has a team of more than 80 people with extensive knowledge of its plant selection and a passion for gardening and landscaping. B.B. Barns is owned by Thomas Gibson and Jon Merrill. Thomas says, “The fact that we have both a retail garden center and a full-service landscape division really allows us to serve our customers in a way that not many in the area can.” B.B. Barns has a 4-acre store, a colorful feast for the eyes for plant people and garden lovers, located at 3377 Sweeten Creek Road in Arden.

B.B. Barns offers a Garden Coaching service for “everything from the simplest of on-site plant identification to helping customers with a long-term vision for their property,” Thomas says. “Garden Coaching is probably our most unique service and one that people rave about.” Founded in 1988 by longtime owners Barney Bryant and Ned Gibson, the original location of B.B. Barns was in the Oakley neighborhood of Asheville. In 2004, B.B. Barns owners made the move to its current location in Arden. Shortly after, in 2006, B.B. Barns expanded its landscape division with the help of local horticulture expert Hunter Stubbs.

Born in 1988, Thomas grew up in the business. “In 2020, my wife and I purchased the company and today are surrounded by an incredible group of team members who are passionate about plants, people and Western North Carolina.”

B.B. Barns is an integral part of the community. Thomas says, “We support the adult education classes at the N.C. Arboretum and are involved with local schools. Just this winter we donated our time and materials to refresh the bed around the T.C. Roberson High School sign on Long Shoals Road!”

B.B. Barns holds regular seminars and workshops that are free and open to the public and also hosts several fun ticketed events and fundraisers throughout the year. “In the aftermath of Helene, we opened our doors to be a non-potable water fill-up point and used our parking lot to be a disaster relief station,” he says.

Spring is the ideal time to drop in and peruse the vast selection of plants for your home at B.B. Barns. Discover unique gift ideas throughout the store as well. The team at BB Barns brings life to people through beautiful plants and gardens. 

Go to BBBarns.com.