Originally founded in 1979, Southern Patio, or Southern Edging as was the name at that time, was merely a supplier of wooden, lawn edging products. Soon after, with his strong mind-set of developing products to provide the greatest values in the world, owner and founder, Ken Harbaugh, expanded the business to producing swing and play sets; Southern Swings.
By the mid to late 1980’s, Southern was becoming a “go-to” company for many retailers for items that were not readily available; or were not readily available at a great value. It was then that the company began sourcing and manufacturing a wide variety of products internationally and became the first US company in the industry to have offices in mainland China.
In the early 1990’s, during a trip to China, the original Southern Butterfly Offset umbrella was designed. Not long after it was first manufactured, the umbrella caught the eye of a major retailer who then immediately put it into stores across the country.
This was Southern’s first major breakthrough and it opened up the flood gates to their potential and product offering. What started as one umbrella turned into a whole line of lawn and garden products including, but not limited to, an expansive line of intricate and innovative planters.
In 2001, the company began designing and manufacturing high quality planters constructed of PU foam. The following year, the patented FiberGlast™ planter and fountain lines were introduced. With so much growth happening, Southern opened a new warehouse location in Orangeburg, SC and, in 2007, expanded their design potential by building the “Innovation Lab.” The I-Lab then grew from one to nine designers in a matter of two years which has maximized design potential and helped Southern become a trend leader in the industry. 2008 brought the HDR line and currently, in 2009, Southern is proud to introduce their ceramic program.
For their innovative and trend setting designs, Southern Patio has won a multitude of prestigious awards including the following:
• 2005 Home Improvement Executive Innovation Award for Fiberglass Planters and Urns
• 2006 Home Improvement Executive Innovation Award for Fiberglass Planters and Urns
• 2006 Home Improvement Executive Innovation Award for Fiberglass Fountains
• 2008 Georgia Trend Magazine’s Fast 40 – One of the 40 fastest growing companies in Georgia
Southern latest and most exciting growth potential happened when they acquired another leader in the lawn and garden industry, The Hayes Company. In mid 2008, the two companies came together and now work to provide an even more robust selection of items for lawn and garden enthusiasts. With the acquisition, Southern Patio has grown from representing six core categories, including planters and umbrellas, to representing eleven core categories, including bird houses and accessories and iron décor.
Though Southern has certainly been busy with a growing business, they feel that it is important to give back to those who are truly in need. For this reason, the Share God’s Love philanthropic organization was established for children in China. Through this program, Southern has contributed to educational growth by creating schools for school children. For more information on this organization, please see our Share God’s Love page.
Today, along with running a philanthropic organization, offices in Kansas, South Carolina, Georgia, and China, and providing world class products all over the nation and Canada, Southern Patio has kept busy even through these trying economic times. Though certainly, just as any growing business, there have been some road blocks along the way, Southern’s mission has remained the same now as it did when it was first conceived in 1979; to provide, responsibly, the greatest value in the world to the consumer through innovative, high quality products.
