Paths to Growth: Growth Through Diversification with Patricia Dewar
May 8, 2026 
Photo: Dewar Nurseries
As floriculture businesses adapt to shifting consumer preferences, labor realities, and long-term expansion goals, leadership strategy matters more than ever. At No. 18 Dewar Nurseries on Greenhouse Grower’s 2026 Top 100 Growers list, Patricia Dewar of Dewar Nurseries is helping guide her family business forward.
Growth Through Diversification
Patricia Dewar is helping guide Dewar Nurseries through its next chapter by focusing on diversification, retail expansion, and data-driven decision-making. As the Apopka, FL-based company moves through a third-generation leadership transition, those priorities are shaping how it grows and where it goes next.
Dewar Nurseries produces potted roses, blooming potted plants, and ornamental edibles across nearly 1 million square feet of greenhouse space and more than 9 million square feet of outdoor production. Dewar and her sister, Kimberly, are incoming owners and part of the executive team leading the family business forward.
For Dewar, growth means expanding how the company reaches consumers. The nursery recently launched The Sun Grove, an e-commerce platform for out-of-state and varied retail orders of potted plants, roses, and tropicals. The site also features products from Elizabeth & Alexandra, a retail-focused brand built around quality, style, and convenience. Dewar says the company is also preparing to open a new retail center, which she sees as another way to broaden market reach and strengthen the connection between customers and the brand.
“E-commerce and brick-and-mortar are both avenues for growth for us,” says Dewar. “More and more, e-commerce is the way to do business with millennial and Gen Z consumers, which is an important target audience for us. That being said, brick-and-mortar business platforms may not have been the most popular choice in recent years, but we see value there, and it’s important for us to be present.”
Dewar says maintaining that momentum also depends on understanding what consumers want. In addition to reviewing industry reports, trade publications, and plant-focused social media communities, the nursery relies on direct customer feedback and point-of-sale analytics to track what is selling and where opportunities may be emerging.
“We are able to really hone in on the data through our customers, and know what people ask for and what sells quickly,” she says. “It provides real-time, valuable insight into what does and doesn’t work. You’ve really got to be driven by the data. You can’t put too much feeling into it because the data will tell you where the business is and where best to navigate next.”
Subscribe to eNewsletter
