Bluebird began in 1958 as the outgrowth of a hobby of Harlan Hamernik and his wife Shirley, who grew up in the Clarkson area. Neither had formal training in horticulture (in those days, FFA was production agriculture!). The company is now operated by the Hamernik’s three sons Tom, Chuck and Mike. The nursery’s wholesale division ships millions of perennials, herbs, grasses and wildflowers to garden centers, landscapers, mail order firms, botanic gardens, parks and zoos throughout the US and Canada. Plant and seed exchanges also take place with plantsmen in China, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, etc. Some specialty seed is sold in Europe. Harlan was involved in the International Plant Propagator’s group since the early 1960’s. Plants are propagated from seed, cuttings, layers, division and tissue culture in Bluebird’s 8 acres of greenhouse plus overwintering houses and tissue culture lab.​