Bountiful Home: Thriving Then and Now
First, a little history of Bountiful Home and Nursery: As a 14-year-old, Todd Waddell sat on the back porch under a sprawling Cecil Brunner rose playing with crickets. His mother was inside selling her Nigella pods to Joan Searle, fondly known at that time in Edmonds as “The Weed Lady.” As the teenager waited, overlooking the herbs and flowers, little did he imagine that 30 years later he would return – this time as gardener and restorer of The Weed Lady.
For decades the Weed Lady, a small shop located at 122 4th Ave. S., was famed for growing and selling dried herbs and flowers in Edmonds. Waddell kept in touch with Searle as he finished school, worked at Nordstrom, and at Ravenna Gardens. In 2006, he asked his 77-year-old friend to keep her eyes open for an opportunity, as he hoped to start his own business in Edmonds. She invited him to lunch and they chatted about design, gardens and life. By the end of their visit, she felt compelled to offer Todd the business. The transition of The Weed Lady to Bountiful Home became official in 2007.Ed
Fast forward 14 years to 2021. While the Weed Lady specialized in herbs and flowers for drying and creating arrangements, Waddell has focused on home décor. Visitors to Bountiful Home are treated to an eclectic collection of cozy vignettes. A treat for the senses, corner and table themes range from whimsical to vintage, to botanical to old world décor. Throughout the store, be it classic books, vintage glass, a charming pillow or botanic cards and artwork, shoppers can expect to be inspired.
Heading out to the nursery, the once-tousled herb gardens in the back yard now coax customers along tidy pathways. Brightly colored beds surround tables of nursery plants and garden accessories. Waddell describes it as ‘wild and wonderful’. He is not afraid of color. Chartreuse is a recurring accent in the plant selection, partnered with blues, purples and oranges. Inspired by the borders, browsing the backyard nursery becomes an opportunity to begin painting one’s own backyard canvas.
One thing that hasn’t changed since the days of the Weed Lady is the climbing Cecil Brunner rose that continues to greet shoppers as they enter the nursery. Another constant is Waddell’s connection with the Edmonds community. For years, Bountiful Home has been one of a handful of merchants supporting Edmonds in Bloom by selling tickets to the annual Garden Tour. This year is no different, and tickets to the July 18 event can be purchased there.
Visit Edmondsinbloom.com for more information on the Garden Tour or Edmonds in Bloom summer activities.
–– By Carol Murray, Edmonds in Bloom president
Love Bountiful Home! They have such unique items and the shop is so close to everything!