Independent garden center

The winter farmers market helped to bring customers into the garden center and increase sales for other items as well.

February 2024
Should you start a winter vegetable market?

Vic Vanik said starting a winter vegetable program and farmers market was “a game-changer” for Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery. He and his wife Gail bought the company in 1998, a grower-retailer in Dolores, Colorado,... more »
5 Minutes With Bob Wasson 800

February 2024
5 Minutes With … Bob Wasson

What’s the best part about your job? The best part of being in the garden center business is the seasonality. I love the buildup to Mother’s Day weekend, followed by the slower summer days, then... more »
From seed to store How an agribusiness became a shopping destination 800

February 2024
From seed to store: How an agribusiness became a shopping destination

When Banny Oakes started a produce stand in South Florida in the 1930s, he likely could not have foreseen that his no-frills business would grow into the largest independently owned agribusiness in the region. Under... more »
Garden Center Show Logo

January 11, 2024
The Garden Center Show, L&GR announce collaborative partnership

The Garden Center Show, a leading event in the lawn and garden products industry, is excited to announce a strategic trade show partnership with Lawn & Garden Retailer, the leading brand in the lawn and... more »
Weston Nurseries announced it has acquired Stonegate Gardens in Lincoln, Massachusetts

January 3, 2024
Weston Nurseries expands with acquisition of Stonegate Gardens

Weston Nurseries announced it has acquired Stonegate Gardens in Lincoln, Massachusetts, to operate under the Weston Nurseries name. Weston Nurseries currently has stores in Hopkinton, Chelmsford and Hingham, Massachusetts. In an email to customers, owners... more »
A lot of new ideas at Wallace’s Garden Center come not only from staff, but from visiting other garden centers.

January 2024
Cultivating innovation in the garden center

It’s no secret innovation is key to staying relevant in garden retail. Lawn & Garden Retailer explored hot retail topics in a recent roundtable webinar with several recipients of its Innovator Awards: Edna Kane, Butterfly... more »
Revamp Your Retail Series: Merchandising

January 2024
Revamp Your Retail Series: Merchandising

What goes unseen goes unsold; if customers never see the product, they can’t buy it. This makes merchandising a keystone of retail sales. In mainstream marketing, merchandising research is often conducted with identical packages of... more »
Molbak's to permanently close operations

December 19, 2023
Molbak’s to permanently close operations

Molbak’s recently announced in a statement that it is unable to stay in its current location in Woodinville, Washington, and thus has "no financially viable options that will allow Molbak’s to keep operating as the... more »
Top Feature Articles of 2023

December 19, 2023
Top 13 garden retailer feature articles of 2023

We've crunched the numbers and the results are in: Following is a list of the 13 feature articles that received the most clicks from visitors to our website in 2023. 1. Meet the 2023 Lawn... more »
5 Minutes With...Michael Fiore

January 2024
5 Minutes With … Michael Fiore

Michael Fiore is vice president of Smith's Gardentown, a fourth-generation family-owned nursery and garden center in Wichita Falls, Texas. What made you choose horticulture as a career? It chose me — twice! I was born... more »
Jan24_Innovativae Ideas_Staff Hiring and Team Building

January 2024
Innovative Ideas: Creating a team culture

Being in the garden center industry for the better part of 30 years, it’s amazing to look back and see all of the changes we’ve been through — how new varieties have been developed to... more »
Ship My Plants

November/December 2023
Is Ship My Plants the new Amazon for garden centers?

It was by selling through Amazon that Rich Christakes, CEO of Alsip Home & Nursery — with locations in Illinois and Indiana — was inspired to create Ship My Plants. “Here at Alsip Home &... more »