About Us

Our Company Turtle Pond Nursery is a family owned and operated nursery located in Delray Beach, FL for the past sixteen years.  We are situated on  twenty-five acres of property right off the Florida Turnpike.  We grow  florist quality foliage and orchids and we have recently expanded our orchid operation to include a new "state of the art" greenhouse with cooling pads.

Our Business Philosophy

We pride ourselves on the following:

1) Family owned and operated business.  Should you call at any time, one of the owners-Terry, Scott, or Michael is available to meet your needs and handle any problems or service requests.

2) Optimal size of our operation: We are big enough to supply you with quantity, yet small enough to maintain superb quality control and consistency among plants.

3) Quality of Plants-All of our plants are of the highest quality and are under the best care.  Our experienced staff pays close attention to all of the plants on a daily basis to assure optimal feeding, watering, and light conditions.  Our orchids have healthy root systems, large leaf spans, and high bloom count.  We do not ship a plant that does not meet our standards.

4) Employees-We pride ourselves on a very low employee turnover rate.  All of our key employees have been with us for over ten years.

5) Professional Affiliations:  We are longstanding members of the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association (FNGA), the Palm Beach Wholesale Growers Association, and the Florida Farm Bureau, the American Orchid Society, and the International Phalaenopsis Alliance. 

Our Employees

Principals

Michael Borkon - Our founder and President
Michael started his career as a Veterinary Physician in New Jersey. During this time he dabbled with plants as a hobby in his backyard.  After fifteen years of successful veterinary practice, he decided to pursue his true passion.  Michael moved down to South Florida in 1985 and bought his first piece of nursery land.  Turtle Pond Nursery was born.  Turtle Pond catered (and continues to cater) to an upscale market for 10" foliage.  In 1999 he decided to expand the business into ORCHIDS. That was a great move, as orchids have added a unique accent to the business and to our lives. Under Michael's guidance, we have extended the Turtle Pond tradition of quality and service into the orchid operation.  Table after table of beautiful Phalaenopsis fill both of our orchid greenhouses.  We are also expanding into other types of orchids.  Michael is a true leader, visionary, and family man. He resides in Boca Raton, FL and is married to Sandy.  Together they have four children and three grandchildren.

Scott Glazer - Sales Manager.  Scott is a native of New Jersey.  He is a family member who has been with the business since 1997. He came to us with public relations experience from the Miami Heat basketball team. Scott prides himself on coordinating our sales efforts for local, national, and  international sales.  His hard work has led to our company's sales expansion into Canada and almost all of the fifty states. Scott's strongpoint is customer service.  Whether you are shipping truckloads of plants or just one box of orchids, Scott will give you the fine personal attention that has brought him respect and admiration in the industry. 

Terry Chemtov - Orchid Grower and Manager.  Terry is a native of Canada .  He is also a family member who has been with the business since 1999.  He came to us with experience as a CPA and an insurance executive.  He found his true passion in orchids and in managing the day-to-day operations of the orchid greenhouses.  His responsibilities include production planning, selection of crosses, shipping, and overall orchid culture.  He works closely with our orchid staff to ensure quality control and consistency throughout the greenhouse.  Terry is a Board Member of the Palm Beach Wholesale Growers Association, where he keeps abreast of all the issues in our industry. Terry resides in Aventura, FL and is married with two children.

Support Staff

Roger Bufford - Roger has been with Turtle Pond since inception.  He has made his career with the company and is a devoted employee and team player. He is the foliage foreman and grower.  Roger has been instrumental in the logistical development of the orchid division of Turtle Pond. Roger is married with one child.

Deborah Schaeffer - Deb is a native Californian.  She joined the Turtle Pond Team last year as a sales assistant.  She has been instrumental in the processing of our weekly business.  She has also helped us in developing our orchid client base.  Deb is a welcome addition to the Turtle Pond team.

Lori Weakland -  A native of Michigan, Lori is our office manager and bookkeeper.  She is the most recent addition to Turtle Pond and comes to us with experience in accounting and as a UPS Customer Service Specialist.  If you call in the morning, you are likely to be greeted by her friendly voice.