Articles

Is an Onsite Workshop for You?

The story of Bemis Farms Nursery is the story of an industry. Although the garden center is unique in its philosophy, presentation, products and personality, it is representative of the more than 17,000 independent garden... more »

That Wasn’t A Trial

Many of those who attended the first annual Eastern Performance Trials (EPT) this summer came away thinking those exact words...that wasn't a trial. Like its California Pack Trial cousin, EPT, developed by Garden Centers of... more »

10163

It’s Buying Time Again

Welcome to the fourth annual Lawn & Garden Retailer Visual Sourcebook. You'll notice that our Sourcebook continues to grow every year as we add more companies to the listings and more products to the "Marketplace."... more »

10163

An Industry of Silos…or the Power of One?

As individual businesses in the floriculture industry, associations serving different segments of our industry, and universities doing research, we each rightfully have our own agendas and programs that support the needs of our own specific... more »

10163

Retail Ready Poinsetias

Growers and retailers are continually challenged to maximize quality and profitability of poinsettia crops. This flower is the traditional "living symbol of Christmas" and a must have in retail outlets everywhere. So bottom line, if... more »

10163

Business-to-Business Transactions

The National Retail Federation found that holiday sales in 2004 rose 5.7 percent over the prior year, with consumers spending a whopping $222.23 billion throughout the Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa seasons. Looking back at your... more »

10163

Profiting from Christmas

Making the most of the holiday season can be easy if you create a plan and follow through with it, including staffing accordingly. Though the window of sales is short, the holiday season can be... more »

10163

Animated Figures: Moving with the times

A wreath on the door, a brightly lit tree visible through the window and lots of presents tied up with bows. This description typifies a classic Christmas scene, but these "old-fashioned" Christmas decorations are often... more »

10163

Inspire New Tradition

The Christmas tree is one of the most popular and cherished traditions of the Christmas season. In fact, each year 35-40 million live trees are purchased and decorated in the United States alone. Why do... more »

10163

‘Tis the Season for Ideas

We are back again for our second installment of Lawn & Garden Retailer's "Christmas Retailer." It was such a hit in February that we wanted to give you more info to help make your Christmas... more »

10163

A Gem of a Market

You already know that any time you can bring people into your store it means more money, but have you thought about using more than plants and fertilizer as bait? Many garden centers now carry... more »

10163

Winner’s Circle

Being selected the best plant in a given category is no small accomplishment. Each group that bestows awards — from All-American Selections to the American Ivy Society — has its own set of criteria to... more »