Donovan K. Baltich ‘85: Cultivating Horticultural Roots at Florida Southern College

Donovan K. Baltich ‘85 has always had a passion for plants. His time at Florida Southern College helped him find his roots in horticulture and inspired him to open Wellspring Gardens, an e-commerce plant store in 2004. Twenty years later his business is thriving with over half a million online orders to date.

The Family Tree

The Baltich family is no stranger to Lakeland or the Florida Southern community. Donovan’s father, Bronko Baltich, assisted with the construction of the original FSC Wellness Center pool, and the now historic Polk Science Building. The Science Building was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1958. Later, Donovan attended classes in the same building his father constructed.

“I chose FSC because I knew a lot of people who went there. There was always a really good chance I was going to go there one day,” Baltich said.

Inspired by FSC Horticulture Classes

Although he was not a horticulture major, Baltich says that FSC helped to nurture and propel his dream of owning a plant store. He majored in German but received permission to take upper-level horticulture classes including Subtropical Fruits 101 and Commercial Nursery Practices.

“Subtropical Fruits 101 is one of my most cherished memories of FSC,” Baltich said. “Dr. Manners would travel to south Florida and bring back different varieties of mango. One day he brought in twenty different types of mangoes to try in class.”

Baltich believes that Florida Southern provides unique opportunities, being one of only two colleges in the nation with majors relating to horticulture. He also mentioned the newly announced FSC architecture program. “I’ve toyed with the idea of architecture. If it had been there when I was a student, I would have been very tempted,” said Baltich.

He appreciated Florida Southern’s small class sizes as well stating, “I transferred from a much larger university after one semester,” he said. “It was so nice to only have five to eight people in the really important classes. It means you get a lot more hands-on experience.”

Growing Steadily

After graduating from FSC in 1985, Baltich worked in advertising and sold computer software. In the early 2000s he decided to make his dream of owning a plant store come true, and in 2004, he founded Wellspring Gardens from his back porch.

Baltich’s business bloomed as one of the only e-commerce sellers of live plants. In the early 2000s, one could typically only purchase seeds or “bare root” plants online.

“They were basically just sticks in a bag,” Baltich said. “You planted them and hoped they would grow, often you could forget where you planted them because they were just sticks. I always wanted to have plants growing in the pot to prove if they were alive or not.”

Twenty years later, Wellspring Gardens is a thriving business, specializing in “baby plants.” Customers purchase starter plants and grow them to maturity. Many of the plants sold by Wellspring Gardens are food producing, influenced by Baltich’s days in Subtropical Fruits 101. The company ships all over the United States, catering to regions where tropical plants are not readily available at a local garden store. Often the hottest-selling items change week-to-week. Lately, their vanilla bean orchids and green tea plants have been at the top of the list.

Turning a New Leaf

The success of Wellspring Gardens is generational. In 2019, Donovan transitioned leadership to his children, Kirsten and Donovan Jr. They grew up alongside the business and were exceptionally proud to take the helm.

“It is very gratifying,” Donovan Jr said. “We are proud to see our parents succeed.”

According to Kirsten, her parents built an incredible thing during a time when internet sales were just starting. She added, “It feels like a gift. They gave us a great foundation to build from.”

Only five years ago, Wellspring Gardens shifted from Baltich’s back porch to a dedicated fulfillment center. A refurbished horse barn now houses the plant nursery and shipping center. The family credits their success to avoiding debt and keeping the company lean.

Although Donovan Sr still helps at the nursery, Donovan Jr shared, “In the beginning, the founders are doing everything. They have assistance here and there, but they have to be experts in every aspect of the business.”

His children have taken responsibilities off his plate, so he can focus on the work he enjoys. “He finds new plant varieties and exciting things to introduce us to. We get his input on everything,” Kirsten said.

Now that they have fulfilled 500,000 orders, Wellspring Gardens intends to continue growing. Their future endeavors include a “plantscription” box, in which customers can receive a curated box of multiple plants to best suit their needs. They also hope to revive a physical presence at local farmers markets.

Seeds of Wisdom: Advice to Current Students

Baltich’s advice to current FSC students is to remember how special the college years are and stay focused on what Florida Southern’s small class sizes and unique opportunities can do for you. But if you’re going to get distracted, make sure it’s worth it!

The success of Wellspring Gardens is a testament to hard work and dedication. Donovan Baltich found his inspiration in class at Florida Southern and built a business centered on his passion for plants and horticulture. To learn more about the nursery or view their store, visit their website.