Dickie & Bev Dickinson
Beverly Ann & George H. “Dickie” Dickinson were instrumental in making our community beautiful, helping countless customers plan, plant and care for gardens and natural spaces. They ran a three-generation business and promoted smart watering practices for
local citizens and governments. The family business began in 1952, when Dickie’s parents founded Dickinson’s Landscaping and Tree
Service at 1510 East Franklin Street. They focused on landscape design and installation, and a loyal following of retail customers grew the store beyond expectations. Dickinson’s quickly became the go-to source for knowledgeable, friendly advice for home gardeners around town. Dickie and Bev, both Orange County born and bred, each attended Carolina and were married in 1969. In 1973, they joined the family business, expanding its offerings to include gift items and garden art and growing the retail operation further. In 1996, the third
generation joined the enterprise as son Michael came to work at the store and created a new line of business, providing water garden plants and supplies. Six years later, daughter Cathy came on board offering personalized landscape design services.
Offering plants, supplies and services for every aspect of home gardening enabled Dickinson’s to remain competitive when big box home-and-garden stores entered the local market. But what kept the business successful was the team’s dedication to personal services and deep professional horticultural and design knowledge and expertise. The family members and staff made sure customers needing a quick bag of fertilizer or one more lobelia plant could get in and out quickly, yet willingly invested as much time as needed to help a customer
decide on the perfect shrub, understand pest control or visualize a new garden space. Dickinson’s thrived right up to 2013, when
the family closed the store after 61 years of operation. The Dickinsons were instrumental in advocating for smart watering policies to
keep the private and public landscape green and thriving during drought conditions. In 2002, they advocated on behalf of landscapers, garden centers and residents to avoid a no-watering restriction and helped develop sustainable watering guidelines still in use today.
For their longstanding contribution to our local small business economy and their leadership in keeping our community green and beautiful, we are proud to induct Beverly Ann and George H. “Dickie” Dickinson into the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Business Hall of Fame.
local citizens and governments. The family business began in 1952, when Dickie’s parents founded Dickinson’s Landscaping and Tree
Service at 1510 East Franklin Street. They focused on landscape design and installation, and a loyal following of retail customers grew the store beyond expectations. Dickinson’s quickly became the go-to source for knowledgeable, friendly advice for home gardeners around town. Dickie and Bev, both Orange County born and bred, each attended Carolina and were married in 1969. In 1973, they joined the family business, expanding its offerings to include gift items and garden art and growing the retail operation further. In 1996, the third
generation joined the enterprise as son Michael came to work at the store and created a new line of business, providing water garden plants and supplies. Six years later, daughter Cathy came on board offering personalized landscape design services.
Offering plants, supplies and services for every aspect of home gardening enabled Dickinson’s to remain competitive when big box home-and-garden stores entered the local market. But what kept the business successful was the team’s dedication to personal services and deep professional horticultural and design knowledge and expertise. The family members and staff made sure customers needing a quick bag of fertilizer or one more lobelia plant could get in and out quickly, yet willingly invested as much time as needed to help a customer
decide on the perfect shrub, understand pest control or visualize a new garden space. Dickinson’s thrived right up to 2013, when
the family closed the store after 61 years of operation. The Dickinsons were instrumental in advocating for smart watering policies to
keep the private and public landscape green and thriving during drought conditions. In 2002, they advocated on behalf of landscapers, garden centers and residents to avoid a no-watering restriction and helped develop sustainable watering guidelines still in use today.
For their longstanding contribution to our local small business economy and their leadership in keeping our community green and beautiful, we are proud to induct Beverly Ann and George H. “Dickie” Dickinson into the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Business Hall of Fame.