Smith Gardens, Inc. has acquired Skagit Horticulture’s inventory and assumed control of Skagit’s former Riverbend facility operating out of Mount Vernon, Washington, effective April 8, 2024, according to a company statement. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
Skagit announced in February that it was closing April 7, citing business conditions, rising costs and the business climate in the state of Washington.
The Riverbend site in Mount Vernon housed the merged operations of the former Skagit Gardens founded in the 1960s and Etera/Northwest Horticulture formed in the 1990s. The facility includes 24 acres of greenhouse and 20 acres of outdoor production space. The acquisition will expand Smith Gardens’ capacity, allowing the company to continue its tradition of growing quality plants and a diverse product mix, the grower stated.
Smith Gardens is operated by fourth-generation owners Eric Smith, CEO and Mark Smith, COO. Based in Bellingham, Washington, Smith Gardens employs up to 1,000 people in four greenhouse facilities in Washington, Oregon, and California that service big-box retailers in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The company also owns Pacific Plug & Liner in Watsonville, California, which provides young plant liners to growers in North America.