In Full Bloom: A Gretna Tradition Lives On

by Meagan Cassel

It's a storied summer Mount Gretna tradition: strolling downtown on a Saturday morning and stopping to build a bunch of colorful gladiolas. Stocking up on eggs. Maybe meeting a new friend over sunflowers. The signature white tent, the buckets of red, pink, yellow dahlia stems – they make up more than just a flower stand; they are a time-honored treasure of this place we call home.

Above all, it was always the warm smile wrapping up those bouquets that touched our hearts most. Mary Kathryn Hernley, affectionately known as “the Flower Lady,” shared her farm’s beauty in Gretna for more than 55 years. When her health declined last summer, Mary began to seek help at her stand. She figured long-term, her business would dissolve…until a shared act of faith stepped in.

Brandie Greiner, the wife of Mary’s great-nephew, Ben, has a fondness for cut flowers, and so she happily lent a hand on weekends at her husband’s urging. And then, she found herself out in the fields with Mary, learning the ins-and-outs of flower farming. Before Brandie knew it, the pair had developed a close bond.

Flower Ladies Brandie Greiner + Mary Hernley

“The two of us spent a lot of time together last summer,” Brandie remembers. “We mostly just talked about life and our faith. Those times spent out in the gardens talking while we harvested flowers were memories that I will hold close to my heart forever.”

By the time they closed out Mary’s final season together last fall, the infamous Flower Lady was offering Brandie the opportunity to make this business her own. And so the labor of love would continue, the torch passed to a new generation. Heritage Hill Blooms was born.

Brandie and Ben dove right in, immersing themselves in flower farming tips from books, podcasts, and local experts. Living a stone’s throw from their aunt and uncle’s farm in Manheim eased the sudden adventure, as their Uncle Pete encouraged them to borrow from his late wife’s crop while they got started. Meanwhile, the couple’s own modest cut flower garden blossomed into ¼ acre; row upon row of bright blooms that they expect to triple in volume to meet Gretna’s demands.

Never did they foresee Ben using his farm and maintenance skills to convert their old barn into a flower shed and walk-in cooler. Nor Brandie learning to run a business while homeschooling. And yet, weeding alongside their four boys past dusk many evenings, they’re overwhelmed with gratitude that all the right seeds have fallen into place.

“She loved helping my children to feel like they were included,” Brandie recalls of Mary. “She would stop what she was doing just to help my 2-year-old snip a flower or teach another how to properly harvest. One particular thing she told me many times: ‘Brandie, don’t get stressed. It will all work out.’ She’s right. It always does. It would always make me smile because she was always so calm.”

Mary also urged Brandie to make her own mark, and so she’s taking that to heart. Regulars may have noticed small new touches, like flower name and price signs, branded bouquet wraps, and expanded payment options. But Brandie is also committed to preserving fond traditions. Rest assured, she’ll make sure there are enough “glads,” for Art Show weekend; she’ll bring eggs from her farm’s chickens; and she’ll continue to support charitable ministries with business proceeds. But above all, she’ll hold tight to the best part of the flower stand: the relationships made among the bouquets.

“I love making connections with people, learning their stories. And I love flowers. So it has been the perfect match.”

Find Brandie and Heritage Hill Blooms along Route 117 in downtown Mount Gretna on Saturdays (and most Fridays) through fall from 9 AM – 2 PM. Follow Heritage Hill Blooms on Facebook for updates.

Writer Meagan Cassel and her family live in Mount Gretna and enjoy exploring its offerings, including the beloved flower stand.