KINGSTON — An answering machine seems to be all that is left of Heronswood Nursery. The message still sounds the same, giving away nothing, no sign that the nursery is no longer open to those who enjoyed it most. The famous gardens are devoid of visitors and workers, and soon will be leaving Kingston altogether.

On Tuesday, a seemingly typical day for Heronswood employees, representatives from the Pennsylvania-based W. Atlee Burpee Company, which owns the nursery, came in and closed it down.

“We went to work on Tuesday morning as usual,” said Heronswood administrative assistant Connie Lammers. “At about 10 after nine, (co-founder and co-owner) Dan (Hinkley) showed up. He took us into the break trailer and explained that George Ball was in town to close Heronswood. Dan got there ahead of him and was able to tell us. We couldn’t believe it.”

Lammers went on to explain that Ball, the president of Burpee and of Heronswood, told employees it wasn’t financially feasible to keep the nursery open in Kingston. The employees were then spoken to individually, asked to gather their things and leave for good, Lammers said.

“We’re moving the nursery to Pennsylvania for two reasons,” Ball said Thursday, noting that the plants will ship better from that state. “Also, it’s 3,000 miles away from us and customers. It’s become less profitable.”

Ball said Heronswood had never been a big money-maker, and recently had been doing poorly. Burpee examined the situation and decided it would be best to change locations.

The nursery’s 23 employees are now scrambling to cope with the move and looking for new jobs.

“I’m lucky,” Lammers said, adding that she’s married and can handle being out a job for a while, except for the sitting around part. “A lot of the employees are single, and this was their only job. They’re left wondering what they’re going to do now.”

Ball said he and Burpee worked hard to provide a good severance package for the employees and wishes nothing but the best for them. He also said they didn’t seem too upset by the news.

“Honestly, they didn’t indicate any emotional reaction,” Ball said. “I suppose they were surprised. We were just trying to make sure they understood what we were doing and why.”

“I’m still angry,” Lammers said. “I was in shock when I first heard about it. Working there was more than business or a job. The employees were like extended family.”

That family that grew around the nursery’s unique plants extended well into the community of gardeners, not just in the area, but throughout the world. Media mogul Martha Stewart was a big fan of Heronswood, Lammers said, and visited often.

Holly Savage, of Savage Plants and Landscape in Kingston, frequented the nursery as well.

“It was a wonderful nursery,” she said. “It has a collection of plants that not many people in the country have. It’s pretty sad, it (Heronswood) actually brings a lot of people to the area.”

Heidi Kaster, owner of Dragonfly Farms Nursery in Hansville, said the loss of Heronswood will leave a huge hole in the gardening community.

“The gardens are unbelievable,” she said. “It’s just wrong and sad. Dan and Robert worked so hard for it. It’s their life.”

Along with selling rare plants, the nursery attracted business for the other nurseries in the area, like Savage Plants and Dragonfly Farms. Both Savage and Kaster agree that it will be difficult to gain that again without Hersonwood.

Hinkley, who operated Heronswood for 17 years, is devastated, Lammers said. He was unable to be reached for comment.

“He’s in Washington D.C. right now,” Lammers said. “Receiving an award. He didn’t want to go, he was too upset, but I encouraged him to go. It’ll be good for him.”

The decision Burpee made was difficult, Ball said, but had to be done. It was decided that Kingston would no longer be a good place for Heronswood, he said, describing it as too remote a location and facility for such a popular nursery.

“This will be the best of both worlds,” Ball said. “We’re not moving away from the Pacific Northwest, we’re moving to Pennsylvania.”