12. Arnoldia 78/5-6 « October 2021 
cut flowers to florists in the Boston area. My 
mom, Charlotte, worked as a bookkeeper and 
also managed the flower deliveries. Twice a 
week, she would load my sisters and me into 
the van and deliver flowers. We loved helping 
her carry the bunches of fresh flowers into the 
stores. After the energy crisis of the 1970s, we 
stopped growing cut flowers and closed our 
greenhouses every winter to conserve heat and 
save money. With specialization, airplanes and 
trucks could bring cut flowers from the south- 
ern regions of the United States and overseas, 
so Russell’s stopped selling wholesale. My 
uncle had built several greenhouses, and my 
dad recommissioned them for growing annuals 
and vegetables. This transition was the start 
of the garden center as we know it today— 
and was yet another instance of the business 
evolving in response to changes in the market 
and technology. 
“Because we were located on Route 20, we 
had plenty of customers driving by to stop in,” I 
told the camera. “We added houseplants, cactus, 
poinsettias, and potted mums and began selling 
more Christmas trees, wreaths, and fresh floral 
arrangements.” At that point, my dad hired his 
best friend, Hugh McKenzie, who started the 
Garden Shop. Hugh added tools, fertilizers, and 
insecticides, along with garden statuary and 
supplies for birds. My mom worked long hours, 
too, and expanded the offerings to include 
vases, pots, silk flowers, candles, Christmas 
ornaments, and décor. 
At noon, Genevieve suggested we take a 
break. During the interview, her plan for struc- 
turing the film had shifted, and she wanted to 
run the idea past me. “Mom,” she said, “I’ve 
decided to start with the history of Russell’s 
before we go into the story of everything you 
all did to overcome the pandemic.” I agreed that 
this was a great idea. We had already decided 
that the last thirty minutes of our movie would 
be about the remarkable response from our 
community once we were able to reopen the 
business in the spring of 2020, after more than 
a month of closure. We found that the com- 
munity embraced gardening with newfound 
enthusiasm—and in the end, Russell’s not only 
survived 2020 but thrived. 
With the camera rolling again, Genevieve 
asked when Tim and I joined the company. 
Tim told the story of us joining in 1986. “I’m 
a recovering mechanical engineer,” he joked, 
“and Elizabeth’s expertise is in marketing and 
advertising. I quickly learned that this was a lot 
more fun than sitting in an office all day.” 
I explained how, at this point, I’m delighted 
that our son, Dan Skehan, has joined us full 
time. He is the fifth generation to work at Rus- 
sell’s. With a background in accounting, human 
resources, and financial management, he was 
instrumental in helping us figure out how to 
stay in business through 2020. He secured pay- 
roll protection loans and helped us furlough and 
then rehire and train our employees. Moreover, 
he kept abreast with ever-changing guidelines 
from the Center for Disease Control and the 
State of Massachusetts. “He remained calm and 
added a wealth of knowledge,” I explained. “I’m 
not sure we’d still be in business if we didn’t 
know that Dan would be here to continue the 
legacy of Russell’s Garden Center.” 
Elizabeth Russell-Skehan is the president and 
vice president of marketing at Russell’s Garden 
Center. They are now editing a full-length feature 
documentary film called Growing Through Covid- 
19. To watch a trailer or to donate to the film, visit 
www.growingthroughcovidl9.com. 
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685] 
1. Title: Arnoldia. 2. Publication number: 0004-2633. 3. Filing date: September 22, 2021. 4. Frequency: Quarterly. 5. Number of issues published annually: 4. 
6. Annual subscription price: $20.00 domestic; $25.00 foreign. 7-8. Address of offices of publication, publisher, and editor: The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard 
University, 125 Arborway, Boston, Suffolk County, MA 02130-3500. 9. Full names of publisher, editor, and managing editor: The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard 
University, publisher; Jonathan Damery, editor. 10. Owner: The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other secu- 
rity holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total: None. 12. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for 
federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months. 13. Publication name: Arnoldia. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: June 
29, 2019. 15. Extent and nature of circulation. a. Average number copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 1,720. Actual number copies of single issue 
published nearest to filing date: 1,750. b. Paid and/or requested circulation: (1) Paid outside-county subscriptions: Average: 28. Actual nearest to filing date: 25. 
(2) Paid in-county subscriptions. Average: 1,181. Actual nearest to filing date: 1,193. (3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, and counter sales: 
None. (4) Other classes mailed through the USPS: None. c. Total paid and/or requested circulation. Average: 1,209. Actual nearest to filing date: 1,218. d. (1)(2) 
(3) Free distribution by mail. Average: 191. Actual nearest to filing date: 196. (4) Free distribution outside the mail: Average: 250. Actual nearest to filing date: 
250. e. Total free distribution: Average: 441. Actual nearest to filing date: 446. f. Total distribution: Average: 1,650. Actual nearest to filing date: 1,664. g. Cop- 
ies not distributed. Average: 70. Actual nearest to filing date: 86. h. Total. Average: 1,720. Actual nearest to filing date: 1,750. i. Percent paid and/or requested 
circulation. Average: 73%. Actual nearest to filing date: 73%. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. Jonathan Damery, Editor. 
