Blog

Nov 22, 2016

Shop Till You DropAbby Kleckler

The countdown to Thanksgiving is less than 24 hours away. Hopefully you will all have the day to indulge in family and food before those with a Christmas shop might have one of their busiest days of t... more

Nov 9, 2016

All in the NumbersAbby Kleckler

I love numbers, contrary to the jokes that they’re not a journalist’s forte. Without talking politics here — I know better than that — I will say that I was on the edge of my seat last night a... more

Oct 25, 2016

“Fly the W”Abby Kleckler

As a Chicago resident and lifelong Cubs fan, you better believe that this has been an exciting baseball season. The Cubs are making their first appearance in the World Series since 1945 (game 2 is ton... more

Oct 11, 2016

More Than MumsAbby Kleckler

There's no doubt your store is looking like fall at this time of the year (and maybe even Christmas is out in full force). We visited a handful of garden centers near Houston, Texas, two weeks ago... more

Sep 28, 2016

Fall is Here, and Trial Results Are InJasmina Dolce

Are you as thrilled as I am that fall is here? It's definitely my favorite time of year. The cooler weather, the falling leaves, the darker evenings, and the freedom to accessorize with a scarf and bo... more

Sep 28, 2016

A Clear MessageAbby Kleckler

Are you willing to displease two people in your community to get one new customer for life? As I listened to a presentation by Tim Miles of Miles & Co. on Tuesday, this question was asked more tha... more

Sep 13, 2016

Have You Heard?Abby Kleckler

Have you heard who won the title of Lawn & Garden Retailer's 2016 Merchandiser of the Year? If not, I'm here to spoil the surprise. Top honors go to Distinctive Gardens in Dixon, Illinois, with... more

Aug 24, 2016

Demand for Perennials Continues to RiseJasmina Dolce

Perennial varieties are seeing much success this season, and I foresee the demand for this landscape staple to escalate next season and beyond. It seems like many gardening trends come full circle eve... more

Aug 22, 2016

Tackling Product OverloadAbby Kleckler

How do you decide what products to carry in your store? There are so many options out there. Take for example one of the largest online retailers, Amazon. At recent check, they have 371,064,392 pro... more

Aug 9, 2016

Going for GoldAbby Kleckler

The Summer Olympics are in full swing, and I don't know about you, but I look forward to them every four years. Michael Phelps has already added to his historic medal count, but after the first nig... more

Jul 27, 2016

2017: Year of the PansyJasmina Dolce

As you may have heard by now, the National Garden Bureau recently announced the four plant classes that will be featured in the 2017 "Year of the" program. Today, I'd like to just focus on its annuals... more

Jul 26, 2016

On the RoadAbby Kleckler

Summer is a busy time for travel, and between all the garden center tours and trade shows, I return from each trip with a plethora of ideas (that I hope you'll find useful). Text codes were a doub... more