Tatterson Greenhouses at Port Haywood has downsized for the winter but, contrary to rumors in Mathews, is not going to close, president Kathryn Tatterson said Tuesday. Its garden center will remain open through Christmas and reopen as usual in the spring, she said.

The business, a fixture since 1972, has sold all of its fall wholesale products and, as it did not grow poinsettias this year, had to lay off about 10 people who worked at the company, Tatterson said. She said it was a good fall for the firm as a main competitor unexpectedly went out of business and demand was strong.

Tatterson and her husband Sterling Hudgins also own and operate M&M Building Supply of Hartfield in Middlesex County. Sterling Hudgins and his father own M&M Building Supply at Port Haywood.

One big reason for scaling down work at the greenhouses has been so Tatterson can spend more time with her 4-year-old son. She said working late hours means missing out on preschool and soccer and other grow...