By Julie Vrazel

Not all farmers grow corn, cotton and grain sorghum. There are lots of specialty farmers, too. Like Mark Chamblee.

He wakes up and smells the roses every day.

That’s because Mark is a rose farmer in Tyler, where he and his family have been growing roses since 1953. Their nursery, Chamblee’s Rose Nursery, is a part of Tyler’s rich horticultural history.

Most people don’t think of roses as a crop, but Mark and his crew offer more than 200 varieties of roses from around the world. His customers range from businesses to gardeners who are trying to liven up their landscapes.

And, like other Texas farmers, Mark is doing his part to conserve water at the nursery. He recycles over 80 percent of runoff water to irrigate his greenhouses.

Have you ever wondered where roses are grown? Then, take a look at Mark’s six-acre rose farm.

Next time you stop to admire the roses, think of Mark’s farm!

Click here to meet other Texas farmers through our Meet a Farmer video series.