Sizing your product assortment strategically
A young couple stands in front of rows and rows of plants, neatly organized by names that mean nothing to them.
Do annuals come back every year?
I thought there was only one type of hydrangea.
What is a perennial, anyway?
Are these houseplants safe for pets?
Does this plant go in the sun or the shade?
Does it go in the ground or in a pot?
The questions stack up faster than the answers. After a few minutes, the excitement they walked in with quietly turns into hesitation. One of them finally says what both are thinking: “I’m just going to kill another plant.”
They leave without buying, not because they don’t want to garden, but because there were too many options and no clear signal that any of them would actually work for them.
Scenes like this play out daily in independent garden centers — not from a lack of interest, but because expanding assortment without guidance turns curiosity into doubt. As garden centers work to attract the emerging generation, this tension is becoming impossible to ignore.
More variety does not automatically lead to more sales. Without the right structure, it can overwhelm customers, stretch staff thin and increase failure once plants leave the store. The opportunity is not simply to add more plants, but to curate your assortment in a way that builds confidence.
What the Axiom Study Reveals About Variety and Confidence
The 2026 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study reinforces what many retailers are seeing firsthand: Millennial and Generation Z gardeners are spending more time and money on gardening, and that trend is expected to continue. They lead all age groups in anticipated increases in both time and spending. At the same time, education remains one of the most important drivers of confidence, success and repeat behavior.
The study also shows that independent garden centers are now the No. 1 place consumers go to learn about new plants, surpassing websites and mass merchants. Shoppers are actively looking for more plant choices and new varieties, but they still want help choosing the right plant for their space, lifestyle and level of experience.
That combination matters.
The emerging generation is not asking for fewer options; they are asking for a clearer path to success.
Why Variety Attracts and Simplicity Converts
Retail research supports this tension. Harvard Business Review has shown that perceived variety attracts customers, while excessive complexity creates decision paralysis. Forbes has echoed this insight in its coverage of modern retail, noting that the most successful retailers do not win by carrying everything. They win by curating assortments around outcomes and lifestyle fit.
Garden centers sit squarely at the intersection of these ideas.
The Axiom data shows that shoppers are willing to pay more for specific colors and varieties, and many will shop at other retailers or drive farther if they cannot find what they want. Concurrently, time and money remain the top barriers to gardening more often.
The implication is clear: Variety draws people in. Clarity is what turns interest into action.
Expanding Assortment With Clear Criteria
The garden centers that expand successfully tend to apply a consistent filter before introducing new plants: Does this plant feel achievable for a busy, modern customer?
In practice, that often means prioritizing varieties that are low-maintenance and forgiving, compact enough for smaller yards, patios and containers, capable of extended flowering or multiseason interest, and easy to explain in plain language at the bench.
When assortment is built around these criteria, variety feels exciting rather than intimidating. It invites experimentation without making customers feel like they are taking a gamble they cannot afford to lose.
The Axiom study reinforces this behavior. One of the strongest emotional drivers behind purchasing new plant varieties is the desire to make a garden feel different and personal, while still achieving success.
Why Education Becomes More Important as Assortment Grows
As assortment expands, education becomes critical, not optional.
The Axiom data makes it clear that consumers continue to rely heavily on independent garden centers for plant knowledge and guidance. At the same time, it is unrealistic to expect retail teams to carry the full educational burden as more varieties are introduced each season.
This is where the industry needs to think differently.
I spent seven years as director of sales and marketing at Bloomin’ Easy. One of the reasons I continue to partner with them today is their recognition of this challenge. Garden centers cannot educate every customer on every plant entirely on their own.
Programs that pair curated genetics with strong plant tagging and post-purchase care reminders extend education beyond the sales floor. When customers receive guidance after they get home, confidence increases, plant success improves and willingness to try something new grows.
This approach does not replace the role of the garden center; it supports it. As assortment grows, shared responsibility for education becomes one of the most effective ways to reduce failure and build long-term loyalty.
Assortment, Layout and the In-Store Experience
Assortment decisions do not exist in isolation. How plants are grouped, displayed and explained often determines whether expanded variety feels inspiring or overwhelming.
Through Brands in Blooms, we visit garden centers and audit their layout through the lens of the emerging customer. We walk the store the same way a first-time or less-confident gardener would, identifying where confusion creeps in and where confidence breaks down.
From there, we provide a clear game plan. How to group plants by use rather than Latin names. Where signage needs to do more of the heavy lifting. How flow, adjacencies and education points can support expanded assortment without increasing friction. The goal is not to reduce choice, but to make choice feel manageable.
When layout supports clarity, expanded assortment becomes a revenue opportunity rather than a risk.
Assortment as a Strategic Choice for the Future
Expanding your product assortment is not about chasing trends or filling benches; it is about deciding who you want to serve next and designing an experience that makes people feel capable. The Axiom study shows that inspiration is the No. 1 driver of increased spending at independent garden centers. Education is what allows that inspiration to turn into confidence and repeat visits.
Garden centers that treat assortment, layout and education as inseparable will attract the emerging generation. Those that do not risk watching customers admire plants from a distance and walk away unsure.
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