When Stephen, one of our cherished team members, approached us with a song he’d written about The Arbor Gate, we knew immediately that it was something special. Armed with his banjo, a heart full of love, and lyrics that captured the very soul of what we do here in Tomball, Stephen gave us a gift we’ll treasure forever—and now, we’re sharing it with you.
“When my heart is heavy and my mind needs a rest, I know just where to go…”
These aren’t just lyrics—they’re a lived experience. Like so many of our team members, Stephen has found something here that goes beyond a workplace. He’s found a peaceful oasis. A sanctuary. A home.
Bringing the Vision to Life
The music video features everything that makes The Arbor Gate the Gulf Coast’s premiere gardening destination:
- Our Living Landscape
- Sweeping shots of our meticulously designed display gardens
- The fragrant rose house with its heirloom varieties
- Our herb house overflowing with culinary and medicinal treasures
- Carefully curated yard art that transforms outdoor spaces into galleries
- An extensive collection of pottery for every style and season
- Our Beloved Residents. Yes, Stephen gave them their own verse—and they deserve it! Our resident cats, chickens, and ducks aren’t just ambiance; they’re family. They greet customers, patrol the gardens, and remind us daily that The Arbor Gate is a place where all living things thrive.
Our Founder’s Wisdom
No tribute to The Arbor Gate would be complete without Beverly Welch, affectionately known as “Big Momma” (a nod Stephen cleverly worked into the lyrics). Since founding The Arbor Gate in 1996, Beverly has built more than a garden center—she’s cultivated a movement. Her vision of organic gardening, native Texas plants, and education-first service has transformed how Gulf Coast gardeners approach their craft.
In the video, you’ll see Beverly doing what she does best: sharing knowledge, nurturing relationships, and embodying the welcoming spirit that defines our entire operation.
Our Community
The final—and perhaps most important—ingredient is you. The video features real customers and team members, all wearing genuine smiles. Because that’s what happens here. Whether you’re a seasoned horticulturist or just bought your first tomato plant, The Arbor Gate welcomes you with open arms and expert guidance.
“Nature’s Palette and an Artist’s Eye”
This line from Stephen’s song perfectly encapsulates our philosophy. Gardening is art. It’s painting with living color, sculpting with texture and form, and composing with scent and sound.
At The Arbor Gate, we provide the palette:
✅ Texas native plants that thrive in our Gulf Coast climate
✅ Heirloom vegetables and herbs with stories as rich as their flavors
✅ Fruit trees and berry plants for edible landscapes
✅ Seasonal blooms that bring year-round beauty
✅ Organic Soil Complete, Food Complete, and Compost Complete (Soil and Compost available in bags or cubic-yard totes)
✅ Natural pest management solutions including beneficial insects and garlic-based sprays
✅ Mulches, amendments, and microbial sprays to feed your soil ecosystem
But you—our community of gardeners—provide the artist’s eye. You take these raw materials and create living masterpieces in your own backyards.
“A Love of Gardening Felt Throughout the Year”
Stephen’s lyrics remind us that The Arbor Gate isn’t just a spring and fall destination (though those are certainly our busiest seasons!). We’re here year-round because Gulf Coast gardening never really stops.
Winter? Time to plant cool-season vegetables and prepare beds for spring.
Summer? We’ve got heat-stress solutions like seaweed sprays and tree trunk protectant.
Fall? Bulb season! We grow bulbs for Chris Wiesinger of The Southern Bulb Company, cultivating heirloom varieties in our dedicated raised beds.
Every season has its own rhythm, its own tasks, its own rewards—and we’re here to guide you through all of them.
“The Arbor Gate, You’re Calling Me Back Home”
This chorus hits differently for everyone who hears it. For some, it’s nostalgia—memories of childhood gardens and grandparents who taught them to grow. For others, it’s aspiration—the garden they dream of creating. And for many, it’s present-tense truth: The Arbor Gate is their happy place.
We hear it all the time:
“I come here when I need to de-stress.”
“This is my therapy.”
“I just love walking through your gardens.”
“Everyone here is so knowledgeable and kind.”
Stephen’s song puts words and melody to what our customers have been telling us for nearly three decades. And honestly? It never gets old. This is precisely why Beverly founded The Arbor Gate in 1996—to create a sanctuary where gardeners could find not just products, but connection, education, and peace.
The Full Lyrics
In case you want to sing along (and we hope you do), here are Stephen’s complete lyrics:
Let’s take a trip to that peaceful oasis, You know that place just soothes my soul When my heart is heavy and my mind needs a rest, I know just where to go.
They’ve got plants and they’ve got trees, They’ve got all the pots and yard art you need, And there’s lots of love and Big Momma’s touch, And they’ve got the cutest cats, chickens and ducks.
Nature’s palette and an artist’s eye Hummingbirds beneath an Autumn sky A friendly face awaits, knowledge to share. A love of gardening felt throughout the year.
The Arbor Gate, you’re calling me back home.
What This Means to Us
Stephen gave us a genuine, heartfelt expression of what The Arbor Gate means to him. And in doing so, he articulated what we hope it means to all of you.
This music video is more than a marketing piece (though we’re certainly proud to share it!). It’s a love letter. It’s a thank-you note. It’s an invitation.
Whether you’ve been shopping with us for 20 years or you’ve never visited, Stephen’s song is calling you home. To a place where:
- Your questions are always welcome
- Your garden dreams are taken seriously
- Organic, sustainable practices are the standard, not the exception
- Community matters as much as commerce
- Even the chickens will greet you with enthusiasm
Come Experience the Magic Yourself
We could tell you about our expanded selection of native plants, our custom compost blends, our natural pest management solutions, and our educational events—and we do, regularly, because we’re genuinely excited about this stuff.
But Stephen said it better with six strings and a banjo.
The Arbor Gate is calling you home.
The Arbor Gate
Tomball, Texas
Founded by Beverly Welch in 1996, The Arbor Gate has grown into the Gulf Coast’s premier destination for organic gardening products, Texas native plants, expert advice, and a welcoming community atmosphere. We’re more than a garden center—we’re a peaceful oasis, a learning hub, and apparently, we’re song-worthy.
