Growing With Minimal Limits
I absolutely love seeing “non-traditional” gardens. There seem to be more and more vertical farms, rooftop gardens and unique commercial installations than ever before.
The latest plans out of China really caught my eye. A vertical forest containing 1,100 trees and more than 2,500 shrubs and plants is slated for completion in 2018.
The Nanjing Towers will measure 354 and 656 feet tall, according to a CNET article, where you can also watch a video of the blueprints.
Not only will the vertical forest be a welcome site to see but also a way to improve oxygen levels in an area with unhealthy air quality.
Milan, Italy, and Lausanne, Switzerland, already have similar vertical forests, and more are in the works for other Chinese cities.
Automated Shopping
A second story that recently piqued my interest was also out of Asia. Panasonic has created a shopping basket, named the “Reji Robo,” which has a barcode reader.
Customers scan their items as they put them in the basket and then place the basket on the register. The bottom of the basket drops out, instantaneously bagging the goods.
Word of this basket, which is being used at Lawson grocery stores in Japan, came one week after Amazon spoke of its Amazon Go concept store where people walk in and out without paying at a cash register.
Retail is sure changing! What changes are you making? Let me know at [email protected].
One Final Thing …
This is the perfect season for us to travel and see all of your amazing stores. Make sure to follow Lawn & Garden Retailer on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see all the latest updates.
Cheers,
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