Merchandising

May 2012

Inspiring Through Edible Exhibitions

Whether you are an advertiser, an exhibit designer or a retail store manager, your first set of questions should always be:What is your image? What is your message? Who is your audience/consumer base?We have a... more »

May 1, 2012

Marketing & Merchandising Webinar Now Available Online

If you missed GPN's webinar on "Marketing & Merchandising Ideas from Abroad," you can now view the archived presentation online.In April, Dave Edenfield, president of The Visions Group, presented some of the latest horticulture marketing... more »

April 11, 2012

Dates Set for 2013 and 2014 California Spring Trials

The Steering Committee for the California Spring Trials has announced the dates for 2013 and 2014 California Spring Trials - April 6 to April 11, 2013 and April 5 to April 10, 2014.The Steering Committee... more »

April 2012

Merchandising Step By Step

From coordinated patio accents to container gardening, Pamela Crawford explains why keeping it simple is simply the best way to go as a merchandiser. When it comes to signage and displays, you've undoubtedly heard the... more »

March 2012

Let me explain…

Merchandise Buying In Today's Economy Like many independent garden centers, we here at Countryside Flower Shop & Garden Center, Crystal Lake, Ill., have also witnessed our sales trends mirror industry trends. Compared to 2010, our... more »

March 2012

The Pacific North(b)est Part II

I logged visits to 12 garden centers in three days in the Pacific Northwest. The following photos are just a few things that caught my eye. Part two: the Greater Portland area. I hope you... more »

March 2012

Miniature Waiting Lists

Two retailers explain what makes their ever-popular miniature garden workshops fill up fast every spring. With deserts, mountain ranges and plains between them, Southern California's M&M Nursery and Red Cedar Gardens of Eastern Kansas are... more »

March 2012

Four Season Sales

No longer just a spring thing, the owners of CopperTree Outdoor Lifestyles, Springfield, Ill., have transformed their custom containers into the talk of the town for all four seasons. In the last two to three... more »

February 2012

Let Me Explain… From Dumpsters to Displays

Believe it or not, worn out fixtures are in demand and can be the perfect pick-me-up to a boring display. The next time you walk by your dumpster — or any dumpster for that matter... more »

February 2012

Painting With Plants

While breathtaking and artistic, the concept of vertical gardening has yet to take off at many independent garden centers. Here are a few suggestions from the experts to help get your customers off the wall... more »

February 2012

The Pacific North(b)est

This past fall, I hopped on a plane west, picked up two hours in the process, rented a car and jockeyed time between two standout cities in the Pacific Northwest — Seattle, WA and Portland,... more »

January 2012

Get In Their Faces

Plants aren't going anywhere. Make plans to exploit them. They won't mind and neither will your customers. Take away your plants, bags of mulch and shelves of fertilizer — what you're left with might resemble... more »