From Feed to Fertilizer, 'Oxford's Best Garden Center' Tackles Any Springtime Demand

Bright yellow and white daffodils heralded spring’s return to Oxford. Time to gather dead branches and enliven the bare ground with new flowers. The Barn Trading Company on West Oxford Loop is ready to help Oxonians carry out their annual mission: make their homes bright and green again.
“We have annuals, perennials and tree shrubs,” said Turner Barnes, owner of The Barn. “My favorite kinds of flowers are annuals that people put in their pots along with impatiens and potato vines.”
Glistening vases of all sizes and colors, from grass green to cerulean, line the front porch of the store. Once inside, the sight is cozy and plentiful. There is a stand of bulbs – from tulips to lilies – being sold at half price, a display of succulents in all sizes and shapes, and the largest selection of trees to be found in Lafayette County. Unsurprisingly, this store was voted Oxford’s Best Garden Center.
Now that you know The Barn has a lot more than plants and fertilizer. Step inside and see their plant containers that are just as bright as the flowers, the feed for all types of birds and small critters (including hot nut bars to discourage unwanted animals) and feed for livestock. Want to create or restock a pond? The Barn provides fish for that. 
Turner Barnes got into the business of selling plants, fertilizer, animal feed and – you name it – for Oxonians’ homes and yards as the city rapidly expanded.
“Oxford was growing so fast eight or nine years ago, and they needed a good garden center,” Barnes said. “We put a plan together, and we made it work. We like to keep product lines that compete with big box stores. We try to get unique stuff that will drive and help our customers.”
Barnes loves seeing the flowers throughout the city and university campus, as the landscapers keep busy year round. To keep up, Barnes’ store is ready to tackle the demand, especially during springtime planting.
“The busiest time of the year is the end of March through July, and then October through December,” Barnes said. “We have a good fall season as well with pumpkins and then Christmas trees.”
Barnes said preparing for spring time takes him around six weeks as he works at the store every day to get the greenhouse in shape and fill out orders for more flowers.
“There are new varieties of plants every year, and we have to stay on top of our game,” Barnes said. “We have the core plants that people order every year, but we have to change it up so we can have new products.”
The store offers seeds and bulbs along with potting soil and fertilizers to help with lacking soil, encouraging colorful growth or simply maintaining a lush garden.
Barnes goes to conferences and plant shows each year to provide new and trendy products. Recently, he went to Las Vegas for new chemical products to use for yard control, from weeds to ants and pests.
With extensive knowledge and willingness to keep with the trends, Barnes welcomes everyone, especially those without a green thumb, to his store.
“Come see us,” he said. “We’ll walk you through the process and help you be the best gardener you can be. That’s what we’re here for: to help, not just to sell. We want to make sure what you want is going to last. For example, some people plant in full shade and then don’t understand why their flowers aren’t blooming. Well, just come here, and we’ll help you out.”
For more information, call 662-238-7730 or visit thebarntradingcompany.com. It’s located at 2657 West Oxford Loop.

By Callie Daniels Bryant
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