Merchandising

June 2017
All Eyes on Retail

Tasty Ideas 1. Hort Couture showcased its edible varieties with a stunning farm-to-table concept. New intros were dropped into the wood table as the main dishes and other popular varieties were the... more »

May 2017
Rooted in Edibles

Waldoch Farm has won the hearts of canners throughout Minnesota. We are a garden center and family-run farm specializing in uplifting spirits spring, summer and fall by using flowers, food and fun. We have offered... more »

April 2017
Exploring an Indoor Gardening Category

There are too many upward consumer trends to ignore. The political fallout from the past few months will probably leave many of us with our share of skepticism heading into the 2017 gardening season. However,... more »

March 2017
Out of This World

Buchanan's Native Plants Houston, Texas Wherever you looked at Buchanan’s a number of signs caught your eye. Signage clearly marked employees favorite varieties, labeled the plants that could benefit both your... more »

March 2017
French Fries with the Hummingbird Feeder

If I ever went through a fast food drive-thru, and the voice in the box failed to ask, “French fries with that sandwich?” I’d wonder, “Who trained this employee?” As spring approaches and consumers enter... more »

February 2017
Brewing Garden Center Success

Husband-and-wife team Amanda and Pat Weakland started their first horticulture adventure together with the opening of a mobile greenhouse in 1991. Their history in the industry, however, dates back before then. Pat is a third-generation... more »

January 2017
Think Bigger About Your Edibles

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, it’s clear that the state of the edibles market is exploding. And the demand for fresh, local food has further ignited this trend... more »

January 2017
Red, Green and Evergreen

Ellis Home & Garden Bossier City, Louisiana At this Ellis Home & Garden location, live trees were visible from the busy street with the “Ellis Tree Farm” set up in the parking lot. Each tree... more »

November/December 2016
Spotted in Portland

Portland Nursery Portland, Oregon 1) Portland Nursery plants and maintains the landscaping near the sidewalks of the garden center, which also acts as display gardens, while 2) a fountain at the center... more »

September/October 2016
Back to Basics

Foot traffic may be strong, inventory may be right and customer reviews online shout out your store is stellar. Despite these strong attributes, however, sales don’t always add up to what you want them to... more »

August 2016
Big Departments, Miniature Inventory

Behnke Nurseries Beltsville, Maryland Behnke Nurseries has its miniature gardening nook close to the entrance of the garden center. One-of-a-kind, yet very basic, shelving units are the perfect size for the various figurines. They make... more »

July 2016
Minnesota Marvels

For this photo-heavy look at Minnesota garden centers, see the PDF below. Tonkadale Greenhouse Minnetonka, Minnesota 1. The first thing customers see when they walk into the greenhouse at Tonkadale is what’s called the “seasonal... more »