Management
Register now to learn from the most innovative garden centers
Join L&GR editors and some of the industry’s most innovative garden center owners and operators for a first-of-its-kind roundtable, scheduled to take place online at 2 p.m. on Nov. 2. Register here. During this engaging... more »
Garden Center Group announces 2024 dates
Danny Summers, managing director of The Garden Center Group, recently announced dates and location of its 2024 Fall Event. The event is scheduled to take place Sept. 23-26, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. The annual event... more »
Taking third place: Making your IGC a community gathering space
What do two plant sellers have in common with a sprawling indoor/outdoor shopping complex and a vintage reseller? They all focus on being a “third place” in their community — a place outside of home... more »
Headwinds or tailwinds as 2024 approaches
It never ceases to amaze me that any three people in our industry can view the same data and situation and interpret this information differently, each of the three arriving at different conclusions and plans... more »
Success strategies for succession planning
“By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.” This familiar quote from Benjamin Franklin is especially true when it comes to succession and exit planning for your business, says Chris Cimaglio, certified exit plan advisor (CEPA),... more »
Staff training: Making safety a top priority in the garden center
A number of considerations should be examined when creating or updating a workplace safety program for the garden center. Here, Zach Bruce, safety services manager for Hortica, shares why it’s important to have a program in place... more »
6 expert tips for setting customer expectations
Consumers have almost unlimited choices on where and when they can spend their money. Brick and mortar and online, products and services, necessities and experiential (things like travel and entertainment) are all viable options for... more »
The importance of treating garden center customers as guests
A few fundamental questions for you to ponder: Are you selling plants or providing solutions and fulfilling the needs and expectations of your customers? Are you in a transactional mindset, selling one plant at a... more »
Bring on the dragons
You may not realize it, but the story of your business — of any small business — is an epic one. It is a story about taking magnificent risks for elusive rewards, about shouldering burdens,... more »
Beyond the brick and mortar: A race for revenue and relevance
In Simon Sinek’s book “Start With Why,” he addresses the “Law of Diffusion of Innovation.” It’s a fancy way of saying there is a wide range of decision-making for IGCs who want to leap into... more »
What’s your focus: How to differentiate the vital from the trivial in your business
Productivity isn’t necessarily about how many things you get done every day, but rather how many of the right things — the things that add the most value to your customers and your business —... more »
Reaching new customers — while keeping the current ones
As an industry, we were blessed during the pandemic when our sales and profits exploded, thanks to both existing customers who were flush with cash and more leisure time, and an estimated 16+ million new... more »
Videos
News
October 4, 2024
NGB awards $7,500 in Therapeutic Garden Grants
October 4, 2024
Proven Winners announces 2024 scholarship winners
October 4, 2024
Plantpeddler, Syngenta Flowers pre-release new begonia series
October 3, 2024
2025 Philadelphia Flower Show theme revealed
October 3, 2024
Sakata relocates headquarters to Woodland Innovation Center
October 1, 2024
