It all started with two grandmothers. One named Lily and the other named Rose who were accomplished gardeners and my inspiration to pursue a lifelong passion and a career in the garden business. I first started exploring the world of plants by growing tomato plants and flowers under lights and sold them to my teachers and neighbors.

Goldner Walsh Nursery is a well established landscape company founded in 1953 by Al Goldner and his wife Jean Walsh Goldner. Al Goldner offered me a job at the new location in Pontiac in 1980. I worked on the landscape crew for two summers while in school. Upon my graduation from MSU in 1982 in Ornamental Horticulture and Business, I was promoted to the Operations Manager for Goldner Walsh. I purchased the company in 1988 when I was 28 years old.

This philosophy of business was the foundation of the important mission we still hold today. At the same time, my passion to give back to the community and support education and the arts was always part of my daily mantra.

Some personal awards include:
• President of Pontiac Rotary 2016 and 2017
• 2016 Business Person of the Year Award / Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce
• Sam Walton Business Leader Award
• Boy Scouts of America Community Service Award
• Volunteer of the Year from Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center
• Michigan Recreation and Park Association Community Service Award¬

Jim grew up in Northeast Detroit, influenced into gardening and plants by his Grandmother who lived above the family corner flat with gardens on almost every square inch of the property. This led later to his receiving a Master of Science Degree in Landscape Horticulture from Michigan State University, having also taught there. Previous academically he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Botany from the University of Detroit with studies at Wayne State University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and several seminars in England and The Netherlands. He joined Goldner-Walsh, Inc. in Southfield in 1973 and gravitated to residential landscape design, influenced by Alfred H. Goldner, owner, founder and past president. Jim along with Tim Travis (current president of Goldner Walsh Garden & Home) purchased GW in 1988 upon Al’s retirement.

He belongs to several professional horticultural organizations and presently writes for “The Michigan Gardener”. Jim has always been a traveler with a cause – visiting many American gardens as well as trekking to others world-wide for inspiration and enlightenment. Currently he resides in Northern Oakland County at his private arboretum and garden park, “Diana’s Pines” in its 33rd year in development. An annual passion and challenge is planting a “Tropical Plant” garden at home to be enjoyed by family and friends at the early September reunion picnic. Jim likes to admit in his 45th Year in horticulture at GW: “My wealth of experiences has run the gamut from landscaping a children’s playhouse in Birmingham to the gardens of The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island for its centennial year celebration.” The signature gardens around the Bloomfield Township Public Library in Oakland County are still under his wing for design and direction.

Local Landscape Architect Amy Schimmel Bessolo began her relationship and career at GW as a college student for a summer in 1985 working directly under Al Goldner and Jim Slezinski. She completed her landscape architecture degree from MSU in 1987 and went on to work in several positions in landscape architectural firms on high profile urban projects and passing her state landscape architect board exam (rla) before returning to GW in 1993. She worked as a consultant and in a part time capacity for a period of time while growing her family but always kept a hand in the design world. Her experience in the commercial and public sector as well as residential projects gives clients a wide range of experience. Amy offers an artistic eye bringing together hardscape and plant materials and greatly enjoys designing, working with her GW crew and developing long lasting relationships with clients.