Articles

Keep It Going

In the good old days of retailing, consumers flooded into garden centers at the first sign of spring, paid good margins, bought the majority of their annual purchases and returned only sporadically for maintenance needs.... more »

Plant Profit in an Instant

I was telling a salesperson at my local garden center about my recent change of landscaping plans, and they directed me to some All-American Selections (AAS) winners. The salesperson gave me a brief overview of... more »

Staying power

Imagine if you will, a rough day at work, no traffic in the garden center but lots on the way home, a messy home and dinner yet to cook. Now, imagine how much attention you... more »

Branding quality

Less than five years ago, Miles Rosedale undertook one of the biggest marketing initiatives in the 76 years since Harry Rosedale started Monrovia. Rosedale and the company's marketing division, led by vice president Pam Wasson,... more »

Become a growing resource

I had so much to do before spring arrived and was counting on my local garden center to provide me with all the resources I needed. Like many people, I made a resolution for this... more »

I DareYou

Did you watch Sesame Street when you were little? I did. Loved it. Remember that game where you were presented with several objects, and you were supposed to identify the member of the group that... more »

What happens when there’s no pipe and drape?

You know what pipe and drape is -- the rows of pipe poles with some 2-color combination of worn drapery fabric that is the signature look of every green goods trade show you've ever been... more »

Consumer Buying Habits

This past crop year (September 2000-August 2001) was a relatively good year for garden centers. Consumers spent 10 percent more on floral purchases at these locations than they did in the year prior. That lift... more »

Keeping your quality

Postproduction care and handling of bedding plants and other crops presents a challenge for retail garden centers. Plants must not only look great in retail displays but also grow and flower in the landscape throughout... more »

Teaching Your Team to Think

All around the country, on the same day of the week, at the same time of day, successful, progressive garden centers are gathering their entire teams together to train. The topic that everyone is training... more »

Weeding Out the Right Ingredients

A customer approaches you: "Excuse me, I've got this awful weed in my yard that I can't seem to get rid of -- it's almost like a vine, and has started twining itself around some... more »

Clean Up Your Merchandising

Many garden centers have a rolled-up shirtsleeves look about them. Carts piled with plants in various stages of transit, garden tools scattered here and there, a bit of dirt on the floor. Who's to care?... more »