GROWING BETTER TOGETHER®

ABOUT US

IT ALL STARTS WITH A BETTER PLANT

The right plant for all places: A plant with poor genetics or a limited range of performance requires more chemical inputs to survive and perform. Proven Winners® searches the world to find and select plants that are clearly superior to others of their type in our trials in Michigan, New Hampshire, Germany, Japan, and Florida. This selection process translates into better performance for the homeowner with fewer chemical inputs needed. These plants are often more resistant to disease and insect pests, have better heat and humidity tolerance, and the broadest geographic range of superior garden performance. All of this translates to fewer insecticides and fungicides needed and overall tougher plants

Start healthy – stay healthy: In addition to strenuous testing for garden performance, Proven Winners® goes the extra step in protecting our plants and the home gardeners who use them. All Proven Winners® plant varieties are screened for specific plant diseases and viral organisms. Why do we do it? So that when the plants arrive at local garden centers, we know we have done everything possible to ensure home gardeners are getting the healthiest plants possible. It is really a simple concept – gardeners are more likely to succeed and see the value in Proven Winners® if they start with strong plants. We want people to remember Proven Winners® as the best plants they have ever grown! A better garden really does start with a better plant.

Educate for success: We have made a primary commitment to home gardeners. That’s because we feel that if our customers are well informed, they will have more success in their garden and make fewer mistakes that could have an environmental impact. We reach millions of gardeners annually with accurate information, including how to water and fertilize, seasonal issues such as pruning and overwintering, gardening ideas, and most of all, a commitment to their success.

Over 40 Years of
Plant Growing Experience

Four Star Greenhouse has been working with growers, Independent Garden Centers, and professional landscapers to provide high-quality young plants and finished crops for over 40 years. As a founding member of the Proven Winners® brand, Four Star Greenhouse invests heavily in research and development and has bred many outstanding Proven Winners® and Proven Selections® brand plants.

The Proven Winners® premium grower and retail programs offered by Four Star Greenhouse include:

These programs are designed to deliver more profit per square foot and give customers gardening success.

Planting the Initial Seed for
Four Star Greenhouse – 1977

Four Star Greenhouse began as Smith’s Greenhouse in 1977 when Tom Smith started growing plants in Carleton, Michigan, and focused mostly on finished crops of bedding plants from seed sold at markets. In 1982, Smith started producing starter plants or “plugs” to sell to growers. Four Star’s growing operations grew from the initial 60,000 square feet to approximately 140,000 square feet (now the Indian Trail Road facility), with Tom and Sharon Smith becoming the founders and respective president and vice president of the new company, Four Star Greenhouse Inc.

The Continuation of
Four Star’s Growth

Today, Four Star Greenhouse has over 20 acres of indoor growing area and four additional acres of outdoor growing space at the Carleton, Michigan headquarters. Three recent greenhouse growing areas have been added for expanded production of annuals, perennials, and shrubs. The award-winning display gardens are open to the public and industry professionals in summer months.
Our retail team is here to help you whenever you’re ready. Please visit our Retail Team page to contact your respective representative by region.

To learn more, or contact us, please visit our contact us page.

Get In Touch