Growing sustainably for The Home Depot has been Bell Nursery’s business since 1995. The Elkridge, Maryland-based grower produces and ships more than 100 million locally-grown annuals, perennials, shrubs and – during the holidays – poinsettias each year to hundreds of Home Depot stores.
Locally sourced, environmentally-conscious nurseries like Bell Nursery use sustainable practices to grow hardy plants that don’t have to travel far to reach your home garden.
"The Home Depot has always been encouraging us to pursue sustainable initiatives," says Brett Guthrie, chief operating officer of Bell Nursery.
Using cutting-edge growing practices earned Bell Nursery the gold standard in floriculture and horticulture: a 'Veriflora Sustainably Grown' certification. This huge milestone means they meet or exceed benchmarks for sustainable crop production, product quality, employee health and safety, ecosystem protection and product purity.
Another turning point came in 2014 when Bell Nursery began growing plants without neonicotinoids, or neonics. They became one of the first growers to do so for The Home Depot. Now, 98% of plants sold by The Home Depot are free of neonics.
The nursery also does its part for the environment by using wind power and recycling more than a half-million pounds of cardboard and plastic.
“We hope customers will understand that when they buy a Bell-grown plant, they are getting a product that was produced thoughtfully and with our communities in mind,” Brett says.
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