Latham's Nursery, Monroe

Johnny Latham planted quite a seed when he opened his nursery in the late 1960s. With his initial assemblage of flowers and shrubbery, it's unlikely that Mr. Latham could have imagined his eventual success. Today, Latham's Nursery has expanded to three locations, where trees, flowers, and plants grow in containers across more than 140 acres.

A walk through those nurseries reveals dozens of species of shrubs, from abelia to viburnum. Trees wait in other areas, their branches covered in fruit, flowers, or a retro throwback: simple green leaves. Greenhouses contain thousands of annuals, and the nursery stocks essential gardening supplies—including soil and mulch.