Page 44 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2025 - Online Magazine

HONORING
SMALL BUSINESSES

Tom's Tree Place

A West Texas Legacy Since 1950

by Jane Bromley

" ot long after World War horticulture and believed in Today, 75 years after Tom and
II ended, a young man planting more than just trees— Jeanne opened the doors to Tom’s
Nnamed Tom Scarborough he believed in planting roots. Tree Place, the establishment
hitchhiked from Mississippi His expertise, hard work, and remains family-owned and
to Lubbock. He had served his approachable nature helped the -operated, proudly carrying on
country in the Navy and enrolled business blossom from a simple the Scarborough legacy of hard
at Texas Technological College tree nursery into a trusted name work, honesty, and horticultural
where he met a young lady named in landscape architecture and excellence. Those values are still
Jeanne Bullard from Shamrock. construction. Jeanne brought the roots of everything they do.
Tom was an enterprising young warmth, charm, and community
man and started a tree and yard spirit, helping turn Tom’s Tree Tom and Jeanne were married for
spraying service. He and Jeanne Place into a destination—not 66 years and have both gone on
married, and a customer sold them just for trees and plants, but for to even greener grass, but they
some land on the far west end of friendly advice, family fun, and would be proud of the multiple
34th St. (It was still a dirt road) honest service. generations of Scarboroughs who
near Slide Rd. It was just a cotton have inherited their passion. All
field at the time, but Tom had a Over the decades, Tom’s Tree three of the Scarborough sons,
plan. In 1950, he built a building Place has expanded far beyond Tom Mitt, Alex, and Scott, and
that housed his brand-new nursery, its nursery roots. Today they their son-in-law, Dale Rowin, work
Tom’s Tree Place, and a home for are respected for innovative at Tom’s Tree Place. Tom, Matt,
his young family—all under one landscape construction—designing Alex, and Scott earned landscape
roof.” (Excerpt from Lubbock Senior and building custom outdoor architect degrees from Texas
Link Spring 2021) environments across the South Tech. Alex’s wife Shellie handles
Plains. As licensed landscape the bookkeeping, and all 12 of
This year, 2025, Tom’s Tree Place is architects, they offer professional Tom and Jeanne’s grandkids have
celebrating 75 years at 5104 34th St. grade planning for both residential worked at the nursery—watering,
With a deep love for the land and and commercial projects. The staff loading, cleaning, and helping
a passion for helping people grow at Tom’s is also known widely for on crews with their dads. Three
more beautiful spaces, Tom’s Tree their expert plant advice—from of them, as well as three of the
Place has become a cornerstone in recommending Prairie Green grandchildren’s spouses are among
the Lubbock community. fertilizer to suggesting what grows the 50+ employees. Even some of
best in Lubbock’s unique climate. the fourth generation are catching
Tom was a pioneer in West Texas Their know-how is second to none. the vision. They all agree that Tom

44 Lubbock Senior Link