Sandy's Plants

Sandy McDougle, founder of Sandy’s Plants, Inc. in Mechanicsville, Virginia, has always loved plants, and she was lucky enough to transform her lifelong hobby into a successful family-run business. 

“I wake up every day and think how blessed I am. I’m 76. Definitely don’t need to work. And yet I can’t imagine not waking up with a purpose.”

Sandy has always had a love of gardening and poured much of her time and money into the perennial gardens at her old home. After her and her husband moved, however, she was horrified to discover that all her hard work was discarded. 

“It hurt my feelings that people dug up my plants.” 

The following year, Sandy decided to restart her garden in her new home, and her mother’s creeping phlox attracted the attention of a garden center owner. 

“He said, ‘I’ll give you fifty cents a piece.’... It was gold. Fifty cents a piece forty-two years ago was way more profit than twelve or thirteen dollars.”

Sandy’s kids are a big part of the reason the business grew. They started out young, helping make deliveries after school. Now, Sandy’s daughter Mitzi is the company’s CEO.

“Having the family support makes the whole thing. I mean, obviously, I would have a small garden for me. I could not run the business as my daughter and son-in-law do.” 

Visit Sandy's Plants online for more information.

This film is by Josh Wingard

Produced by Kendahl Huber