Introducing our honorees!
I’m thrilled to introduce you to Lawn & Garden Retailer’s 2026 Innovator of the Year award honorees. We sorted through entries that came in not only by the garden centers themselves but also supplier companies and members of their local communities. From those, we selected these 10 standout garden retailers that have set themselves apart by providing an immersive experiential retail experience, partnering with local nonprofits to make a difference in their communities and expanding their businesses in — yes — innovative ways. It was an honor to get to know them all and share their stories with you here.
And what’s better than celebrating them in print? Celebrating them in person! This July, we’ll be introducing the honorees at Cultivate. You’ve invited to join us at 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 12 in the Short North Ballroom at the Greater Columbus Convention Center for the festivities.
I hope you’ll be inspired to incorporate some of their ideas in your own retail operation. I’d love to hear your thoughts — drop me a line at tmcpherson@greatamericanpublish.com.
Also In This Issue
We continue our California Spring Trials coverage this month with some notable new varieties that caught our eye at CAST. Find all the details here.
The spring rush might be over, but garden retail leadership teams are still feeling like they’re being stretched too thin. This month, contributor Jeff O’Brien, founder of Brands in Blooms shares how giving your staff ownership allows them to become more confident, gets problems solved faster and is less disruptive to management. Click here for more.
Every retailer has at least one dead spot that can create headaches, writes contributor Michelle Sherrier. It’s typically an odd corner, a small space that fits only a few items or the very back of the store. Here, she offers expert merchandising tips for identifying these underperforming store areas, analyzing customer traffic patterns and improving merchandising.
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