Top 9 posts of June 2018

June was a hot month in more ways than one. Many garden retailers dealt with higher-than-normal temperatures, but one in particular found itself caught in a legal firestorm. When police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided Sandusky, Ohio-based grower/retailer/landscaper Corso's Flower and Garden Center on suspicion of employing undocumented immigrants, the horticulture industry as a whole took notice. Advocacy groups spoke out, government representatives got involved and readers had a wide variety of reactions.

See what else made the list of the top nine news posts and articles on gardencentermag.com from the month of June:

1. Updated: Immigration agents arrest 114 at Ohio retailer/landscaper - According to Cleveland.com, Corso's Flower & Garden Center was the target of a sting operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

2. Corso’s issues statement, AmericanHort’s Craig Regelbrugge discusses industry ramifications in aftermath of ICE raid - Corso’s says it “demands proper documentation” from workers following the raid that resulted in 114 of the company’s employees being arrested. AmericanHort is working to provide resources for green industry businesses to navigate the issue.

3. Corso's update: Local representatives take action - Public officials speak out and pledge to visit detainees, one of whom has been deported as a result of the June 5 ICE raid of the garden center.

4. Customers shocked by sudden closing of Sunnyside Greenhouses - The Calgary, Alberta-based retailer is ending operations after 100 years in business.

5. Gardens Alive! to close Michigan nursery - The 1,700-acre former Zelenka facility will close Aug. 3.

6. AmericanHort releases position statement on ICE raid of Corso’s Flower and Garden Center - The organization says elected officials need to act now to fix the U.S. immigration system.

7. AmericanHort announces new board members, officers - The new members will be officially welcomed at Cultivate'18 in Columbus, Ohio.

8. The cultural consumer - The burgeoning Hispanic demographic wields an enormous amount of spending power.

9. Lawrence Greenhouses closing after 77 years - Its owner, George Lawrence, is retiring after running the business for 42 years.

Photo courtesy of ICE.