Vegetables & Microgreens
Jim and Debra Ziesler
How does your company become the leader in designing and installing live and artificial plants on the largest cruise ships on the high seas? And then bring that flair for spectacular performance under adverse conditions ashore?
For company principals, Debra Smeltzer and Jim Ziesler, it began with backgrounds in marine botany and marine geological research at the University of Texas. In 1986, one year after Greensleeves opened, Smeltzer and Ziesler made an inspired presentation to design and install plants on the Windstar, a large five-star commercial sailboat. Greensleeves was awarded the contract because of the marine background they both had.
For company principals, Debra Smeltzer and Jim Ziesler, it began with backgrounds in marine botany and marine geological research at the University of Texas. In 1986, one year after Greensleeves opened, Smeltzer and Ziesler made an inspired presentation to design and install plants on the Windstar, a large five-star commercial sailboat. Greensleeves was awarded the contract because of the marine background they both had.
When the Windstar installation was complete and the ship was preparing for its maiden voyage, the French architect Marc Held, who designed the ship, praised Greensleeves’ problem-solving plant installations and floral arrangements as “nothing short of extraordinaire.”
Greensleeves’ at-sea know-how and passion for excellence continued to pay off and was followed by winning the contract to work with a team of four European architects on over 4,000 square feet of plantings on a vessel under construction in St. Nazaire, France, the Sovereign of the Seas. At that time, Sovereign of the Seas was the largest cruise ship ever to be built and the first to encompass a large lush outdoor garden, as well as thousands of indoor plants.
For 35 years, Greensleeves thrived in Miami, and now we turn a page and have come home to our roots – Texas. Being a GLT-trained company in green walls and roofs, growing vertically is commonplace for the team and, thus, was the perfect fit with Freight Farms. Greensleeves grew microgreens and vegetables in Miami and knew “farming” would be their next big adventure.
Greensleeves’ at-sea know-how and passion for excellence continued to pay off and was followed by winning the contract to work with a team of four European architects on over 4,000 square feet of plantings on a vessel under construction in St. Nazaire, France, the Sovereign of the Seas. At that time, Sovereign of the Seas was the largest cruise ship ever to be built and the first to encompass a large lush outdoor garden, as well as thousands of indoor plants.
For 35 years, Greensleeves thrived in Miami, and now we turn a page and have come home to our roots – Texas. Being a GLT-trained company in green walls and roofs, growing vertically is commonplace for the team and, thus, was the perfect fit with Freight Farms. Greensleeves grew microgreens and vegetables in Miami and knew “farming” would be their next big adventure.
Debra and Jim at La Mar Green Wall, located in Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Miami, 2010, after receiving the PLANET Decade Award for 10 years of extraordinary maintenance. The award is coveted, as it is rarely given to more than four national firms per year.