5 Minutes With … Luke Venable
Luke Venable is wholesale manager and head grower at Forest Lake Greenhouses in Florence, South Carolina.
What brought you into the green industry?
Horticulture has always been a passion of mine. Back in college, my best friend and I built a greenhouse with grant funding and even set up an aquaponic system right in our apartment — we were all in. Still, when I graduated, a career in plants didn’t seem practical or sustainable, so I pivoted to the world of logistics software.
As fate would have it, the opportunity to acquire my family’s wholesale nursery and retail garden center came up when the previous operators were ready to retire. I jumped at the chance. It was a full-circle moment: I traded my spreadsheets for soil and I haven’t looked back since.
What’s the most rewarding part about your job?
Watching plants grow from seed or cutting to a thriving, vibrant product is incredibly rewarding; the process itself is almost therapeutic. There’s something deeply satisfying about nurturing something from start to finish.
Even better, plants have a way of making people happy. It’s hard to be upset when someone hands you something beautiful and alive. When a customer leaves with a smile on their face because of something we’ve grown and cared for … that’s a powerful feeling. We’re not just selling plants; we’re sharing joy.
What has surprised you about garden retail?
Like any industry, horticulture trends shift — often faster than you’d expect. As annual growers, we’ve had to stay on our toes to keep up with the rising demand for perennials, natives and pollinator-friendly varieties. The houseplant boom, especially during the pandemic, was another major pivot.
We’re also seeing increasing interest in small-space and container gardening as younger generations rent or live in urban environments. The move away from traditional lawns and synthetic inputs is encouraging, but it’s also required us to rethink our growing and retail strategies. Adapting hasn’t always been easy, but the challenge keeps things exciting.
If your career had gone in a different direction, what do you think you’d be doing today?
Before taking over the family business, I was living in New Zealand and working in logistics software. In fact, my company was preparing to relocate our family to Australia at the time. Had this opportunity not come along, I’d likely still be working with e-commerce companies, helping optimize their warehouse operations and supply chains. It was a fulfilling career in its own right, but I’m grateful every day that I made the leap back to plants.
What’s something few people know about you?
Music has always played a huge role in my life. I started playing the violin when I was just 4 years old and continued for over 18 years. After I stopped playing, I found a new creative outlet in DJing. In college, I used to DJ house parties with friends, which led me to music production. It’s still something I love to dabble in when I find the time — just in a different rhythm than growing plants.
Favorite plant to grow? Why?
Rieger Begonias are my top pick. They’re beautiful, dependable bloomers with long-lasting color, and they respond incredibly well to careful attention. There’s an art to growing them — knowing when to space, how to shape them — and those details can really make or break their appearance. They also make excellent houseplants.
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