What brought you to Rosehill Gardens? 

With the opening of the Event Space and the Wine Bar, Rosehill was in need of someone to coordinate all the moving pieces. My unique mix of experience matched up perfectly with the unique needs of the position that was created.  Hospitality, horticulture and marketing is right in my wheelhouse having been in the hotel business, a freelance graphic designer for many years and an avid gardener all my life. I have been a Rosehill customer for a long time and have recently watched the evolution of the beautiful new event space and the addition of the Somerset Wine Bar.  I am very excited to be a part of the new things happening at Rosehill and the resurgence of Martin City.

What are some trends you are seeing in small businesses/local/shared spaces? 

Complimentary businesses are sharing space now more than ever. It is a win-win for both companies if managed properly. A great example is the Somerset Wine Bar that is adjacent to our Garden Center on Friday and Saturday evenings.  We also are a pick up location for a Farm in Adrian that raises high quality beef and pork. Space sharing helps small business owners pool their resources and support each other for shared success. And it works for our customers and our local community as well.

What is your favorite type of naturescape/outdoor setting?

I am all about native plants!  My gardens have always featured hardy perennials like Coneflower, Russian Sage, Salvia, Daylily’s and Black-Eyed Susan’s. I have Irises that have been handed down through my family for over 100 years.  I also have a ridiculous amount of native grasses, Indian grass is my favorite.  Making focal points and small environments where you can sit and be surrounded by nature is a big part of what I like. I have a morning coffee spot and a shady evening spot that I enjoy being in and both are just in range of my Wi-Fi!

What would we be surprised to know about you?

I have lived in Anchorage Alaska, Denver Colorado, Adrian Missouri, Pittsburg Kansas, Honolulu Hawaii, San Francisco California, Hartford Connecticut, Long Beach California and Stilwell Kansas in that order.  Having lived in all those very different places has given me a unique perspective on people and life!

What are some concerns regarding the natural world that are important to you?

I am very disappointed that our leaders are not heeding the call to action from the science community and the very obvious signs of climate change.  Making the kinds of change needed is not easy but it can be done.  I have traveled to places that are already doing it and they have found that as always, humans will adjust to a new normal. The challenges that we will face in agriculture will require us to be innovative and flexible to keep up with the fast changing conditions.  My main concern is for my daughters and their children and how our inaction will affect their quality of life.

Cindy Reynolds – Owner Somerset Wine & Cider Bar

What drew you to Rosehill Gardens with the idea of opening a Wine Bar?

Because of the time it takes to plant a vineyard and raise vines to maturity and the extensive process of getting state and federal liquor licenses, we never thought we’d have a second location, much less in Missouri. But one day the nicest couple visited us at our main vineyard location just down the road from the Louisburg Cider Mill. They waited in line…I could tell they had never been out to see us before. I was lucky enough to do their tasting and we started talking about the business of growing grapes and making wine. We had a fantastic time talking and when we finished the tasting, the gentleman handed me his card and asked me to connect with him the following week. That was Gary and Carmen Weidenbach of Rosehill Gardens. When we connected a few months later to talk, the idea of opening a tasting room in the beautiful Rosehill Gardens space came up. Since Martin City is just two miles from our home, we were happy to think through the possibilities.

What type of nature/landscape are you drawn to?

I love formal gardens and big pops of color, which is ironic because I don’t have anything resembling a formal garden!

What is your history/background with local horticulture?

Many people don’t know but before Prohibition, nearly 90% of the wine in the US was grown and made in Missouri and Eastern Kansas. So there’s a long history of grape growing right here. Kansas was the first state to have Prohibition in 1881 so we lost many generations of vines and the opportunity to grow the industry. But now we’ve had our grapes in the ground for a full 20 years…planted in 1998 so we, as an industry, are well on our way back. Currently there are more than 40 wineries in KS now and nearly 200 in MO so the industry is growing and thriving. When you have 8,000+ vines, it doesn’t leave time to focus on many other plant varieties. We’ve recently replanted our vineyard hillside in native Kansas wildflowers designed to attract pollinators. That was such a fun project. And because we have many visitors to our vineyard, we do our best with flowers and vegetable gardens to add to the experience.

What sense of community would you like to create with Somerset and Rosehill?

Dennis and I love our community…all sides of our community. And while we were asked to open locations in the Crossroads and others, we had to be real about what we could do well. Martin City is just five minutes from our home and it’s easy to get to the vineyard too. We dine at every one of the amazing restaurants in Martin City, our favorite florist is in Martin City, it’s home for us and made a natural place for us to open our Missouri winery. And our partnership with the team at Rosehill has made this such a pleasure. And we think our combination of indoor/outdoor space at Rosehill is ideal for enjoying time with friends and family.

What is something we would be surprised to know about you?

I’m an avid volunteer. If you don’t see me at the vineyard or in Martin City, I’m volunteering somewhere in KC because I absolutely love it!