John F. Pyfer, Jr. has gone from being a super lawyer to an orchid grower. He pinpoints his love of nature and respect for conservation to his lifelong involvement in scouting. He honors the county he loves through volunteerism. Like the world in which we live, it seems all his interests have become interconnected. 

You could say John’s love of orchids grew out of his stressful career as an attorney. In an effort to find a relaxing diversion, he became a collector of trains and clocks. “Nothing clicked,” he says. The issue was resolved in the late ‘80s, when he discovered the allure of orchids. “You know how that goes,” he laughs. “One plant led to another and soon I was in trouble. A sickness took hold that has yet to let go.” To accommodate his obsession, two greenhouses sprang up in the Pyfers’ backyard. 

John Pyfer turned a hobby into a thriving business when he and son, Trey, and wife, Carol, launched Pyfer Greenhouses and Little Brook Orchids 15 years ago. Today, Little Brook is the largest grower of orchids in the Northeast.

In an article that appeared in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine (2004), John’s friend and fellow orchid enthusiast, Gary Hawbaker, observed, “It’s the challenge of rescuing them that attracts John to orchids. He’s a great rescuer.” He backed up those sentiments by saying nothing motivated John more than buying deeply discounted plants that were in terrible shape and saving them. He also made the observation that whether John was representing clients or growing orchids, his ultimate goal was achieving a successful outcome. 

While growing orchids brings satisfaction, John says he derives the most pleasure from providing orchids with a solid foundation and nurturing environment, i.e., the potting and re-potting process. “I can come in here early in the morning, become lost in my work and the next thing I know, it’s time for dinner,” he explains of working in his greenhouses at home. “I’ve never found anything that’s more relaxing.”  

One of the allures of orchids is the array of colors.

It would also be fair to say that John’s interest in law and orchids was his destiny. His mother, Myrtle, was a long-time justice of the peace in Willow Street. As a child, John would “sit in” on his mother’s cases by hiding under her desk. Later, they would “argue” the merits of the case. After earning his law degree from Vanderbilt University, he returned to Lancaster, eventually launching his own practice; his Willow Street office is located in his childhood home.   

As for gardening, he inherited his green thumb from his father. “My dad had 10 green thumbs,” he notes. “He could grow anything, but roses were his favorite. Me, I like perennials.” 

As the new millennium dawned, John’s orchid collection had outgrown the confines of the two greenhouses. His wife, Carol, saw the wheels turning in his head and decreed that a third backyard greenhouse was out of the question. “So, I started looking around,” he recalls. His search led him to Rider Avenue, where he made a deal with Ken Fries to rent two of his greenhouses. Two years later, Fries offered to sell John the entire complex of eight greenhouses. The wheels started turning again; John saw it as an opportunity to launch a business devoted to all-things orchid. 

Phalaenopsis is an excellent starter orchid.

After two years of renovation work and building an inventory, John was ready to launch his business. Fortunately, he found a business partner in his son, Trey, who had just returned to Lancaster after living and working on the West Coast for 10 years. He, too, had inherited the Pyfer green thumb. Unlike most teenage boys charged with home lawncare, Trey had always enjoyed such chores and liked helping his father with his plants and flower beds. Carol signed on to be the company’s CFO. 

Trey credits his knowledge of all-things-orchids to research and self-education.

They needed a name for the business. Knowing that his father always included “Little Brook Orchids” on the name tags he attached to his plants, Trey suggested that as the name. And, so, Pyfer Greenhouses/Little Brook Orchids took root. 

From the moment it opened, Little Brook became orchid central. Today, it is the largest grower of orchids in the Northeast. “All the credit goes to Trey,” John says. “He’s the one who developed it into a thriving business.” 

Trey is a walking encyclopedia where orchids are concerned. While his father considers orchids to be the perfect accent plant, Trey appreciates them for their “alien” appearance. “You’ll find orchids growing all over the world, including the Arctic,” he says. Trey is also a bug master and explains his expertise is a result of lots of research and self-education. “You could probably eat off the floor in this place,” John says of Trey’s dedication to the health of the orchids. 

Trey also developed several side businesses including re-potting and boarding services. The latter has become an integral part of the business. Clients include plant lovers who turn their prized orchids over to the Pyfers when they are not blooming, as well as those who may travel for extended periods. “Residents of area retirement communities love what we offer,” John says of clients who head for warmer climes during the winter. 

The Lycaste orchid is known for its large, showy and sometimes fragrant flowers.

Then, there are clients who over-winter their tropicals – lemon trees, over-sized palms, bougainvilleas, etc. – at Pyfer Greenhouses. “Some of the plants we take care of represent major investments for the owners,” John says. “They don’t fare well in the house or in a basement over the winter. This is like a spa for them. When they’re ready to leave here for the summer, they look great and often have a two-week jump start on other plants.” 

Another offshoot of the business entails providing area businesses and social clubs with orchid-centric displays. Gift arrangements are another specialty. Trey also conducts in-house workshops and presents lectures to garden clubs and orchid show attendees. 

The roots of many varieties of orchids prefer to wind over rocks and wrap around trees and other structures than be pot-bound.

According to the Pyfers, orchids constitute a world all their own. Orchid mania can be traced back to the Victorians who so loved them that many hobbyists and collectors added conservatories to their homes in order to provide their plants with optimal growing conditions. The development of tissue culture in the early 1900s aided in their popularity. “There’s a lot of history connected to orchids,” John says. 

Their allure is attributed to flowers that bloom in a kaleidoscope of colors, exotic fragrances and, for avid collectors, lineage. “Some of our clients have sizable collections, while others have heirlooms they inherited,” John says of the devotion that is paid to them. “People who board their orchids with us will stop in to visit them and check on how they are faring.” 

The Pyfers’
summer garden blooms with daylilies, hosta, begonias, lantana and other flowering plants. Ferns and tropical plants such as palms, which overwinter in the greenhouses, add to the displays.

Then, there’s the competitive aspect of growing orchids. During the blooming season – November through March – shows are held. Envision a Westminster-style show for orchids. The Pyfers travel the circuit, as both competitors and vendors. During this year’s Susquehanna Orchid Society show at Hershey Gardens – one of the last to be held due to the coronavirus – Little Brook claimed Best in Show and Best Commercial Exhibit honors. “Little Brook has won 28 awards from the American Orchid Society,” John says. “I also enter a lot of plants at the West Lampeter Fair every year. It’s just something I like to do.” 

There’s also the social aspect of orchids. “We’ve met people and have made connections with growers from all over the world,” John says, adding that the grower connections enable Little Brook to stock the latest hybrids. “This is a close-knit industry,” he says. 

The social connection also draws visitors to Little Brook from up and down the East Coast. “Oh, they come from Manhattan, Philadelphia and D.C.,” he reports. John takes pride in a note Trey recently received from a visitor from Lynchburg, Virginia, who wrote, “I wanted to share a little JOY with you in this rather stressful time.” She told of visiting the greenhouses on a dreary day last spring and engaging in “a wonderful conversation with a gentleman who was very helpful and encouraging. I explained I was a green-behind-the-ears newbie orchid enthusiast. I had recently been bitten by the Orchid Fairies and was now a hopeless addict. I asked the gentleman so many questions, I do believe he was relieved to know I lived in Virginia and would not be able to be there very often.” She went on to report that her collection has expanded to include more than 130 orchids.  

Little Brook’s success has been further fueled by the resurgence of houseplants. According to the 2019 Trends Report published by Kennett Square-based Garden Media Group, houseplants have officially become a craze. In 2018, 30% of all households in America bought at least one houseplant. Pinterest searches relating to houseplants surged 90%. 

Credit goes to the Millennials – the indoor generation – who, according to the New York Times, view plants as a component of their well-being. As they become more proficient “plant parents,” the Millennials are spreading their wings beyond succulents and venturing into tropical plants. “We certainly have something for everyone here,” John notes. “And, we’re more than willing to educate people on the care of orchids.”   

So, what happened to the two greenhouses in the Pyfers’ backyard? Be assured, they are not languishing. You could say they have become John’s man cave. “I became interested in wildflowers, so I use the greenhouses for growing, potting and transplanting them. I’m out there 10 minutes and I’m totally oblivious to what’s going on,” he explains. The wildflowers grow in a wooded area of the property that John calls “Shenks Ferry North.” He adds, “It’s just beautiful here in the spring.” 

Orchids also prompted an interest in other tropical plants that are used to enhance the landscape and patio during the warm-weather months. The greenhouses provide storage for them over the winter. In keeping with the tropical theme, a large koi pond is on the premises. 

John and Carol take an evening walk through the wildflower preserve that spans the back of their property.

The Pyfers love to share their gardens and often host garden clubs, church groups and nonprofit organizations at their home. “I hate to see anything go to waste,” he says, noting that sentiment can be attributed to his lifelong involvement in scouting. “I was so excited to become a Cub Scout,” he says of joining Pack 58, Den 3, which was sponsored by the Willow Street United Church of Christ, at the age of 8. In 1962, he earned his Eagle Scout ranking. (Trey is an Eagle Scout as well.) 

A pond filled with koi fish and water plants provides entrance to the backyard’s gardens.

Scouting has enabled John to travel the country and the world. Having earned the honor of being named a Distinguished Eagle Scout, he says scouting has had such an impact on his life that he begins each day by reciting the Scout Law and ends each day by asking himself if he lived up to the Scout Oath. 

An interest in conservation prompted John to become involved with the Lancaster Conservancy. Today, he serves as the organization’s chairman of the board. The Pyfers also gifted the Conservancy with a 20-acre preserve in the Southern End that once served as John’s family’s getaway. “My father had a lot of fun there as a boy,” he says. Trey also has fond memories of the woodland getaway on which his grandfather had built a cabin. 

The organization, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, oversees more than 40 nature preserves that are open to the public. They have become magnets for people seeking to commune with Mother Nature during the coronavirus pandemic. “The Lancaster Conservancy is a remarkable organization,” he says of the staff and volunteers. “I couldn’t be happier to be the chairman of its board.”  He’s especially excited by the recent acquisition of 20 additional acres at Climbers Run Nature Center. “It’s a wonderful education center,” he says. 

Little Brook Orchids is located at 25 Rider Avenue in Lancaster. Normal hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Because of the coronavirus emergency, the shop/greenhouses have been closed to the public. We would suggest you call or visit Facebook for updates. Details: 717-394-1000, littlebrookorchids.com, or facebook.com/littlebrookorchids.  

Kathy Hohenadel and Vickie Groff live in the home where they grew up. “Our yard was the gathering place for the neighborhood kids,” Kathy says. Decades later, it’s still the go-to place for entertaining family and friends. Last year, they gladly shared it with patrons of Columbia’s Art in the Gardens Tour. 

Half of the backyard is home to an outdoor-living area that was built in three phases. First, a stone patio replaced the area where a leaking above-ground pool once stood. Next on the agenda was adding a deck that contains a bar and outdoor kitchen. The final element was a pergola that serves as an outdoor dining room. The double doors on the house lead to a screened porch.

The Hohenadel sisters – Kathy, Vickie and Jolene – had a typical baby boomer childhood. Their neighborhood on the east side of Columbia represented the building boom that transformed communities during the ‘50s and ‘60s. Modern ranch-style and traditional Cape Cod designs lined its streets. While many such neighborhoods go through transitions, this one has been home to generations of the same families. “It’s a neighborhood you stayed in or came back to,” Kathy says, noting that two “new” neighbors on the street grew up there and have returned to take over their parents’ homes. 

The Hohenadels’ ranch home originally had two bedrooms. “The three of us shared a room,” says Kathy, while Vickie adds, “And, we shared a small closet.” As youngsters, the close quarters weren’t really that much of a concern to them – like other members of their generation, the sisters spent their leisure time outdoors. As in most neighborhoods, kids seemed to gravitate to certain backyards and in this case, the Hohenadels’ spacious backyard became the go-to place for playing games, hanging out or attending Mrs. Hohenadel’s “reading time” gatherings. “We always had family visit us on weekends,” Kathy recalls of the many cookouts that were held in the backyard on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. 

Sisters Kathy Hohenadel and Vickie Groff.

Mr. Hohenadel was a carpenter and when his daughters became teenagers, he instinctively recognized the need for their own space and transformed the basement into a suite – two bedrooms, a sitting room and a bath – for Kathy and Vickie. “He was always doing something around the house,” Kathy says of her father’s carpentry skills. “We loved the space he created for us.” 

All three of the Hohenadel daughters became teachers, earning their degrees from Millersville University and working in local school districts. “I believe my mother would have liked to be a teacher,” Kathy says. The three are retired now. Kathy devotes her time to serving as the organist at her church, working part-time at Landis Homes and volunteering in the community. Vickie works for BB&T Bank. 

A covered pergola, which the sisters put together themselves, provides space for outdoor dining.

While they followed the career path they believe their mother would have chosen for herself, Kathy and Vickie credit their creativity and can-do spirits to their father. Those traits were put to the test just as Vickie was preparing to make the move from Lancaster to Columbia. Disaster struck when the basement was inundated from rains produced by Tropical Storm Lee (2011). “Underground streams crisscross this area,” Vickie explains. Unfortunately, the basement was in total ruins. “Everything had to come out,” Kathy says. 

Despite their disappointment at seeing their father’s work disappear, the sisters set out  to redesign and update the lower level of the house. Seven years later, they worked with Valerie Kissinger to remodel the kitchen. They also revamped the screened porch that once wrapped around a side and across the back of the house – a gift from Vickie to her parents for helping to pay for her college education. Three years ago, they ordered a pergola from Lowe’s and put it together themselves. They also tackled a table that their father built and topped with Formica. When the Formica began to deteriorate, Kathy announced, “Let’s try a project,” suggesting they tile the tabletop. The tiling went fine but they had trouble with the wood trim and had to call a friend for guidance. “We can usually figure out how to do things,” Vickie says.      

A rain barrel aids in watering the gardens.

They point to their grandfather for their interest in gardening. “He lived nearby,” Kathy explains. His house was a show-stopper due to the hybrid tea rose hedge that surrounded it. “Snyder Hardware would hold contests and his roses always won,” she recalls. Kathy and Vickie take pride in the rose bushes they grew from slips they took from their grandfather’s hedge. They estimate them to be 50 years old. 

Kathy saw this bench in Key West, traced its manufacturer to a company in North Carolina, and ordered one for her garden.

While the backyard was always entertaining-friendly, Kathy saw an opportunity to take it up a notch when the large, above-ground, never-used pool began leaking in 2007. Kathy had it removed and began contemplating what she would do with the round footprint  the pool left behind. Figuring it would be nearly impossible to remove the sand from the footprint, she decided to take advantage of the situation and install a patio. 

The next phase of the backyard makeover transpired 10 years later and included a deck that features a bar and outdoor kitchen (stove, grill and fridge). The final element was the pergola that shelters a dining table. Lighting throughout the area enables them to use the backyard well after dark.  

The ferns were gifted to the Hohenadels by their neighbors who operated Kloidt’s Flower Shoppe in Columbia.

As for floral displays, the selection covers the gamut. “We have color for a lot of the year,” Kathy says. Spring awakens with tulips, daffodils and azaleas. In the summer, clematis, daylilies, daisies, coral bells, crocosmia, calla lilies and the roses provide a spectrum of color. The ferns on the property are courtesy of former neighbors who owned Kloidt’s Flower Shoppe in Columbia. 

Asilbe provides color and texture in May and June.

Birds and butterflies flutter about the gardens. Kathy’s love of butterflies is evidenced in a butterfly-shaped bench she spied at the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservancy. She traced its maker to Cricket Forge, North Carolina, and ordered one. 

Container gardens also abound. “We take pictures of all the containers,” Vickie notes, explaining the pictures aid in replicating the plants and placing the finished containers in their proper spots the following year. Two ponds – both of which the sisters installed – add to the ambiance of the backyard. 

If they aren’t in the backyard, you’ll probably find Kathy and Vickie in their fully furnished (including television) screened porch. Their father made the dining table and when the Formica top began to deteriorate, the sisters gave it a new look with tile and wood trim.

The two are hands-on – Kathy takes care of the mowing, while Vickie tends to the trimming. Both help to spread the 40 bags of mulch that are needed for all the beds.  

Despite the passage of time, it seems as if not much has changed at the Hohenadel residence. “We spend a lot of time outdoors,” Kathy says of the warm-weather months. “If we’re not on the screened porch, we’re probably in the backyard.” Vickie adds that even in October, you’ll find her on the porch wrapped in blankets. 

Art in the Gardens Tour 

June 13, 2020, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Columbia is filled with interesting gardens that offer a palette of styles. Once again, they will also be filled with artists and musicians sharing their talents. Tickets/guidebooks can be purchased at Columbia Crossing (41 Walnut St.) on the day of the tour. Proceeds benefit Create Columbia. For more information, visit facebook.com/createcolumbia.