Depending on the circumstances, or sometimes, simply on the time of day, family members can be best friends or mortal enemies. Intergenerational and interpersonal dynamics are complicated at best, downright exhausting at worst.

But imagine coupling that with running a business, and keeping that family business thriving for four generations. That's the success story behind Garland Nursery's upcoming celebration of 70 years of business.

In 1937, William and Corlie Schmidt started Garland Nursery in Corvallis. It passed down to their daughter, Garland, and then their grandson, Donald Powell, and his wife, Sandra. It is now in the hands of the Powells' three children, Lee Powell, Brenda Powell Zinn and Erica Powell Brown. Lee's two daughters, Cali and Maddy, can often be found deadheading flowers or working the cash register on weekends.

"It is statistically pretty unusual," said Mark Green, director of the Austin Family Business Program at Oregon State University. Family business succession from the first to second generation has about a 30 percent success rate, and from second to third generations, only 14 percent.

"It's a tribute to them," that four generations of family members have owned and operated Garland Nursery, Green said. "They're beating the odds."

Green said family businesses face the same challenges and changes in business cycles as other business, but with the added stress of family dynamics.

"It's hard to keep a family business going and keep the same motivation and direction," Green said. For the older and younger generations to successfully communicate, support each others and adapt to changing circumstances is particularly challenging.

But it's a challenge the family at Garland has met with enthusiasm. When younger, the Powell children worked in the yard (there are three family homes on the property) and in the nursery and gained an appreciation of horticulture. However, none of the children planned on devoting forever to the business.

"If you'd asked us in high school if we had a love of gardening and planned on coming back," Lee said, "the answer would have been a resounding 'No.' "

But after graduating from Louisiana State University and working as a landscape architect for five years in San Francisco, Lee and his wife, Linda, decided to return to Lee's home and start working at Garland. Brenda came back to the nursery after graduating college, and younger sister Erica spent 10 years in the travel industry before returning home.

All three siblings' spouses help out in the business as well, in a full, part time or volunteer capacity.

Now Lee's daughters Cali, 14, and Maddy, 12, earn a little money and work experience at the nursery, but they're not necessarily being groomed for ownership.

"We'll let them decide on their own," Lee said.

What's been crucial to the success of the family business, Lee said, is that Sandra and Don welcomed their children back into the business and always respected their contributions and skills.

"My parents, when we came back in, gave us responsibility and let us make our own mistakes," he said. "Neither parent is a control freak."

Don agrees that a hands-off approach has been key to keeping everyone happy and involved in the business.

"When you're dealing with siblings and their spouses, you don't try to micromanage everything," he said. In fact, he now enjoys a less prominent role where he follows the orders, or suggestions, from his children.

Don and Sandra are now retired, and the business is officially in the hands of their children. But living on the property has made it easy for them to spend almost every day still working at the nursery. Sandra answers phones and Don is in charge of arranging displays and showing off pottery and products to their best advantage.

Don said he's grateful that his children returned to work at the business.

"I'd been up to here," he said, gesturing to his neck. "Lee saved me at a critical time in my life."

Sandra agreed.

"It's great. We didn't think that would happen," she said. "When they all decided to come back, we thought, 'That's a good thing.' "

Lee, his wife, Linda, and the girls live in another house on the property, and Erica and her husband live in the original house owned by her great-grandparents.

"I never thought I'd have a passion for plants and pottery," Erica laughed. But after spending years traveling, she now loves working at Garland, even coming in on her days off.

"My goal is to make people excited about what's out there," she said of the plants available at the nursery. Many people no longer make time for gardening, which she thinks is a shame.

"People don't realize what it's like to sit in your yard and appreciate all your hard fun," she said. Because gardening is really fun, it's not work.

The property includes trees planted by William and Corlie, and the rock garden carefully tended by Garland. Many of the non-family employees have been with Garland a long time, and the collective wisdom of the group is a boon to customers, Lee said.

"We have a knowledge base that's second to none," Lee said.

If you go

The Garland Nursery 70th Anniversary celebration takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 21-22. The celebration includes food and beverages, cake, music, prizes and giveaways.