Get to know Mitzi Marker

Mitzi Marker started working at Sandy’s Plants when she was six years old. Her mother, Sandy McDougle, founded the perennial nursery in 1979. Mitzi and her brother, Ryan, helped out by digging phlox before school and helping with deliveries after school.

Now she’s the CEO of the 30-acre nursery that produces about 1,500 varieties. The Virginia grower/retailer has 25 year-round employees, and another 20 to 25 seasonal workers.

NM: What do you like most about being a small business owner?

Mitzi Marker: Something that is unique about us is that we’re 90% female — running the crew, doing everything. It requires us to be more understanding with the schedules. That’s something that I do truly enjoy: being able to empower women, being able to work with their schedules, so mom would still be able to get the kids on the bus and leave at 2:30 p.m., to make things work out.

NM: The company’s tagline says “rare and unusual perennials.” How do you determine what to put into production?

MM: We have the “bread and butter” plants that we sell the most of, but the rare and unusual makes us happy. For many years, Sandy has called me the Plant Policeman, because I tell her ‘If we’re not making money on it, we can’t continue to produce it. Figure out a way to sell more of it or you don’t get to have it.’ But she has her favorites, and we can keep a few just to carry for those customers. I consider us the Williams-Sonoma of perennials. If it’s something rare and funky and you need it, then you can come here.

NM: How do you pick what stays and what goes?

MM: If it doesn’t make it in Sandy’s garden, then it’s on the chopping block. Because if we can’t be successful with it with our know-how, how is the retail customer going to be successful with it? It’s like ‘Nope, pick something else that’s going to live and be happy.’

NM: How did COVID affect your business?

MM: This year was still crazy as far as the amount of customers we’ve had. We have 25 golf carts that customers are allowed to use to go out and get their plants (see photo). But in 2020, we had people who were bringing their best friend for their birthday. They would tie a balloon to the golf cart and grab a cup of coffee. And this is how they were spending their time as opposed to taking them out to dinner. They were taking them out to buy plants. It was really kind of cute. Retail has been tremendous. Our sales are up 27%. Expenses are up more than that, but our sales are up 27% this year.

NM: What do you expect for 2022 sales?

MM: I think it’s going to flatline for next year because of how much we’re going to have to increase prices just based on inputs. That’s the sad thing; everybody’s worked so hard. Our catalog recently went to press, and we’re going up 15%. And that just hits me in my gut. Normally, we’ll go up 10 cents or 15 cents, and now we’re talking 70 cents a pot. And that is shocking. I don’t see how people can’t be shocked or change their orders. I don’t know that the end consumer is going to be prepared to pay. It’s not something we can absorb. We’re having to put in our pot order for 2023 and I don’t know what I’m going to be paying for it. But it doesn’t matter; you need it.

NM: How are you handling the supply chain disruptions?

MM: They’ve said that pots are 360 days out, in some cases one company is 400 days out on production. Hopefully, they’ll fix that. But what if that happens to the fertilizer companies, or other chemicals we need? I’m trying to be prepared. But I’m wondering what can I do without? I have to have a pot; there’s no other way. We could do without slow-release fertilizer. It wouldn’t be good. But what are our other options? I’m going down the list and saying, what chemicals do we have to have?