Charlie Gale took the name Gale Nurseries and continued working in garden maintenance until 1963 when a major shift took place. An accountant friend of Charlie’s told him for years “If you can get the lawnmower out of your hand you will be more successful”. The evolution from garden maintainer to garden creator did not happen overnight.
In 1963 Charlie was able to take his friends advice, and with three employees began doing landscape design and installation. By the early 1970’s through a combination of coursework and work experience, Charlie had accumulated enough knowledge and expertise to receive his Landscape Architecture license. Later, Charlie was honored to serve on the same licensing board that had granted its seal of approval on his work.
This time Chuck, Charlie’s son, had graduated from Delaware Valley College and was working with his father. In the mid 1970’s during a flight over the Main Line, Chuck realized this was where Gale Nurseries needed to expand. Then, through their association with the Philadelphia Flower Show the Gales were recommended to John T. Dorrance Jr., son of the founder of Campbell Soup Company, who hired them to design gardens on his Gladwyne property.
