In addition to an extensive palette of plants, Dig It Gardens lovingly cultivates a community.

Upon arrival to the modest plot of land along 16th Street, just north of Thomas Road, where Jessica and Ryan Jerrell have set up headquarters for Dig It Gardens, visitors are greeted with a massive mural that sums up the couple’s philosophy on flora. In large block letters, the words “Plants Grow People” are stenciled across the facade of the building. Beneath the mantra is an ode to Arizona: Vibrantly painted depictions of desert botanicals—in all their curly, spiky, frilly glory—beckon guests inside, where the real living things await discovery.

“We take inspiration for our approach to our work from art, music, friendships and the community we’re a part of,” Ryan explains. “This is a very unique area of the Valley. There’s a diverse demographic and a strong cultural and historical background. It felt like the perfect place to invest in our passion for plants and educational engagement. A place where we could have our friends paint a mural on our building and have it feel like home.”

The husband-and-wife team created their joint business after various career moves that seemed to circle closer and closer to the world of landscape design and horticulture. Originally an Illinoisan, Jessica boasts a background in marketing and media, while Ryan, a Mesa native, has worked in nearly every aspect of the “live goods” industry, including stints at both mom-and-pop and big box nurseries. “It took me about 15 years to figure out where I wanted to take my career,” he recalls. “I finally decided that I wanted to start a garden center that was outside the box and different from all the others in the city.”

The husband-and-wife team created their joint business after various career moves that seemed to circle closer and closer to the world of landscape design and horticulture. Originally an Illinoisan, Jessica boasts a background in marketing and media, while Ryan, a Mesa native, has worked in nearly every aspect of the “live goods” industry, including stints at both mom-and-pop and big box nurseries. “It took me about 15 years to figure out where I wanted to take my career,” he recalls. “I finally decided that I wanted to start a garden center that was outside the box and different from all the others in the city.”

Since 2015, when they first opened Dig It Gardens and their landscaping design and consultation offshoot, Dig It Design, the Jerrells have carved out the nursery’s niche as a friendly, welcoming place to pick out the perfect desert-adapted specimen. “We really take pride in our attention to what works in this environment,” Jessica remarks. “For example, we don’t sell annual flowers because they require a lot of water and, especially after this last scorching summer, they just aren’t worth the work. Instead, we offer native species that are easy to maintain and just as beautiful, including various cacti, succulents, agave and water-wise landscape trees.”

Landscape architect and Phoenix Home & Garden Masters of the Southwest award winner Greg Trutza is one of the many local professionals who often source their plant materials from Dig It Gardens, and he also recognizes the value the business brings to the community. “Jessica and Ryan’s refreshing attitude and inventive nursery layout attests to their core love of how plants add a healing balance to our life,” he remarks. “We will always have a need for havens like this that celebrate the natural world.”

The garden center also serves as a place for community engagement and education, as the Jerrells and their knowledgeable staff offer classes and workshops in partnership with various charities and local arts and culture institutions, including Epilepsy Foundation and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Dig It invites guests to partake in such creative endeavors as terrarium building or pumpkin pot planting, or learn about cultivating the right soil for a fall garden, with proceeds from participation fees going to support the nonprofit organizations.

“If you’re not giving back to others, what are you doing?” asks Ryan. “I know we can be impactful, whether it’s through teaching classes or just giving someone the confidence to try again after accidentally killing their landscape plants. I don’t want anyone to walk into this place and think, ‘Everyone is smarter than me.’ Our mindset is ‘Come in. You are welcome. Humility is valuable here.’”

Jessica agrees, noting, “We want to create a positive environment where people can grow and share their stories, successes and failures without judgment or correction. We want you to simply feel better when you leave.”

After five years of operating their dream garden center, the Jerrells still find delight in the growth that has occurred, both in their business and in the city around them. Ryan remarks, “When you drive around and see with your own eyes that you helped shape and beautify the community—I can’t even describe how great that feeling is.”

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