Keep Customers Coming Back for More   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2008   By P. Allen Smith
Q: As summer approaches, what are some surefire ways to encourage customers to keep coming back to the garden center after their initial spring planting?

Web 301: Getting the Word Out   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2008   By Cathy Owano
Marketing your website will connect you with your current and future customers.

More Than a Feeling   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2008   By Cindy Cragg
A little planning and research — and a healthy dose of inspiration — can add up to a successful, profitable display for upscale garden items.

A Mixed Bouquet   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2008   By Megan Bame
As garden centers continue to diversify their product offerings, cut flowers — traditionally sold at florists or farmer’s markets — may emerge as a promising new market. With the right handling and some innovative marketing, the challenge of selling cut flowers can turn into a profitable opportunity.
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Making Your Wishes Come True   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2008   By Faith Savage
Realize your garden center’s dreams of more customers and higher sales by helping customers fulfill their own visions of a garden oasis.
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Publicizing In-Store Events   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2007   By Lisa Anderson Mann
A little effort up front can help your in-store events pull in new customers.

Trends At Every Stop   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2007   By Meghan Boyer and Catherine Evans
There was a lot of information for retailers and growers alike at the 2007 California Pack Trials. From marketing ideas to variety trends, there was plenty for everyone to take in this past April.
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Independents: Setting Themselves Apart   Lawn & Garden Retailer May 2007   By Emily Stefanski and James Gibson
What are some of the best ways to show your uniqueness in the gardening marketplace? Here are some ideas that might work for you in your store.
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Fashion In Flowers And Plants Marketing   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Veronica Richardson
One thing this industry should pay close attention to is the current fashion trends and how they can impact sales. Learn what the businesses in the United Kingdom are doing with fashion trends and flowers to appeal to consumers.
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Retail Makeover: Building a Fresh New Look   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2007   By Emily Stefanski and James Gibson
Giving your store a makeover every once in a while can help freshen things up and make the consumer give you a second look.
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Healthful Gardening   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2007   By Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
Gardens can do a lot more than just look pretty. Learn what other benefits gardening has to offer.
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Transitioning From Holiday Promotions   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2007   By Maggie Kelly
Learn how different garden centers use their holiday promotions to transition to the spring season and help bring people in year round.

Low-Cost Marketing Ideas   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2007   By Morgan Muir
What are garden centers doing to develop successful, low-cost marketing strategies?
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What Looks Good To You?   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2007   By Meghan Boyer
Whatever a retailer is best known for — merchandising, customer service, atmosphere and more — certain stores stand out for their best practices. As a professional retailer, which ones do you admire? “Outside The Industry” will take a look at what some of these merchants are doing that you may want to try in your garden center.
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Pohmer On: Lessons To Be Learned…Wal-Mart   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2007   By Stan Pohmer
In the past year, Wal-Mart has made some different marketing decisions than it has in previous years. See how the decisions worked (and didn’t work) and what it means for this industry.
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Feeling The Winds of Change   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2007   Compiled by Catherine Evans
See what some garden center industry leaders have to say about what they think will take place in 2007 and how it may help improve your business.
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Changing Customer Habits   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2006   By Joseph Weishar
Looking at the history of retail is one of the best ways to learn how to understand your customers’ habits. See what the past, present and future of merchandising can do to get more customers coming into your store.
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The Not-So-Big Garden Center: Being Right About Demographics   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2006   By Judy Sharpton
The Industry is changing, and it’s important to really know who your customers are — from their perceptions of garden centers to what they want for their back yards.
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Tapping The Organic Trend   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2006   By Bridget White
How much potential is there in the organic trend, and how can it help your business?
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Weather Or Not, There It Goes   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2006   By Catherine Evans
The weather played a major part in the 2006 spring season: Read on to learn what else your peers have to say about this past spring.
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Accents Tailored For You   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2006   By Mary Jo Thomas
Learn how one of your peers makes purchasing decisions that best represent his garden center customers.
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Indoor Gardening   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2006   By Bisser Georgiev
Indoor gardening is one of the newest upscale trends, but it might require an original approach to make the sale.
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Going, Going, Gone   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2006   By Bridget White
If new products are the lifeblood of your business, what are you doing to keep them moving at a healthy speed?

Working In Community Gardens   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2006   By Marti Ross Bjornson
Getting involved in area community gardens can build your reputation and increase business.
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Scaling Down And Toning Up   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2006   By Jen Hubert
Bright color and small stature are the most prominent trends with this season’s trees and shrubs.
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It’s All Fun And Games   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2006   By Meghan Boyer
A children’s department in your garden center can create a family atmosphere and introduce younger generations to gardening — in addition to tapping into this robust market segment.
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Does It Pay To Have A Web Site?   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2006   By Jim Matya
Though treacherous, the electronic world can be very beneficial to even the smallest garden retailer…as long as you know what you’re getting into.
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Employee-Pricing Promotions   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2006   By Lisa Anderson Mann
It seems car makers found success by offering employee discounts to customers this past summer. What are the pros and cons of adopting a similar promotion at your garden center?
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Adding Some Fashionable Flair   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2006   By Meghan Boyer
Having fashion accessories in the garden center creates add-on potential for sales and allows employees to develop unique gift combinations.
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Is an Onsite Workshop for You?   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2005   By Judy Sharpton
Learn how this not-so-big garden center got a free consulting session by hosting a simple workshop at its store.
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Creating Relationships And Revenue   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2005   By Kip Creel
Learn how preferred customer programs can improve both your customer relationships and your bottom line.
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A Uniform Approach   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2005   Carrie Burns
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Catering to Container Gardeners   Lawn & Garden Retailer November 2005   By Liz Huntington
We all know container gardening is the craze right now, but what about the people who do it because they have to?
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It’s Buying Time Again   Lawn & Garden Retailer September 2005   Bridget White, Editorial Director
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Spring Ahead but Don’t Fall Behind   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Catherine Evans
“The weather is the single most factor, as most of your readers know. Recently we had temperatures in the low 80s, and we were busy. But then it hit the low 90s, and we were slow…it’s not rocket science.” -Tim Parker
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A Gem of a Market   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Carrie Burns
Garden centers are known for carrying out-of-the-ordinary or non-commodity-type items; the same should go for jewelry. Turquoise, shells and other fashion jewelry seem to be most popular with small specialty stores, such as garden centers.
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Animated Figures: Moving with the times   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005
The success of some of the best new animated figures, however, has very little to do with technology; instead, it is the result of pure artistic vision.
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Profiting from Christmas   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Ralph Gaudio
Some say Christmas is all about the children. In this case, it may be true, and no one knows this better than their parents. In order to separate yourself from the run-of-the-mill stores it is imperative that you reach the children.
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Business-to-Business Transactions   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2005   By Meghan Boyer
What you need to know about providing corporate gifts to make your holiday season merrier.
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All-Season Container Gardening Department   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2005   By Judy Sharpton
Turning a part of your garden center into a container gardening department will help customers understand combination plantings and prevent your staff from talking all over the store to make a sale.
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Pick of the Pack Trials   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2005   Carrie Burns
In talking with growers at the Pack Trials, we heard mixed reactions about the idea of a one-stop shop. There were also a few notable crop oddities in this year’s exhibits.
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Creative Easter Displays Get Sales Hopping   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2005   Liz Huntington
Turning greenhouse space into a nice Easter display takes a lot of creative and hard work. Take a look at how Platt Hill Nursery was able to pull it off.
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Adding a New Station   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Bridget White
You already know that any time you can bring people into your store it means more money, but have you thought about using more than plants and fertilizer as bait? Many garden centers now carry home décor and gift items as a regular part of their offering. What about other items? What about products that are not usually considered garden products…things like pet supplies and gourmet food? These kinds of ancillary categories are proving profitable for garden centers around the country.
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Exploit Your Differences   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Russ Manthy
Perhaps the common thread running through all our examples is the “fun thing.” Customers know when you and your staff like what you’re doing, and they also know when you are just pushing product on them.
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ABC's of Sign Making… the Digital Way   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By John Peterman
There’s probably nothing worse than spending $3,000 on your new sign printer and then looking in the box for something that can magically make signs pop out of it, only to discover there’s no sign genie inside your bottle.
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Closed for Profit   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Carrie Burns
So, how do you know if it’s a good business move for you? Many things factor into the crucial decision of closing your doors, and those factors require a lot of thought and analyzing.
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Dead armadillos…   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Stan Pohmer
Play your game, not your competitors’. It’s as important to know who you are not as it is to know who you are.
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Lawn & Garden Retailer Headlines   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   Compiled by Catherine Evans
The latest news from inside the lawn and garden industry.
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Green Goods: Bulbs…More than Just Spring   Lawn & Garden Retailer June 2005   By Karen Oderizzi
Most people think that bulbs can just be planted in the early spring, but the reality is that there are tons of varieties that do well all year-round. Find out which ones your customers will fall for.
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Looking for Linens   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Mackenzie Gaffney
You already know that any time you can bring people into your store it means more money, but have you thought about using more than plants and fertilizer as bait? Many garden centers now carry home décor and gift items as a regular part of their offering. What about other items? What about products that are not usually considered garden products…things like pet supplies and gourmet food? These kinds of ancillary categories are proving profitable for garden centers around the country.

“Developing Markets,” a monthly series that will appear in each issue of Lawn & Garden Retailer, will profile eight of these potential new markets, giving insight into the health of the market, relating how other garden centers have mastered the category and profiling some of the best new products in the category.

January: Pet Supplies
February: Gourmet Food
March: Tabletop
April: Linens
June: Stationary
July: Personal Care
August: Jewelry
November: Collectables

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Adding the Feminine Touch   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Catherine Evans
Experts have been telling us for years that women are our number-one customer, now, as proof, see what products are out there to offer them.
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Who Are Your Einsteins?   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Stan Pohmer
Academic studies have shown that it takes far more time, effort and resources to correct and improve negative behaviors than it does to positively leverage strengths or positive behaviors.
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Building Birding Success   Lawn & Garden Retailer April 2005   By Catherine Evans
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In the Bag   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2005   By Catherine Evans
Thin, plastic bags are fine for groceries but not for upscale plant material or high-end gifts.
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Going for the Gusto   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2005   By Catherine Evans
People are wanting to make their yards fun, “eccentric” places to be.
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Set the Table   Lawn & Garden Retailer March 2005   By Carrie Burns
You already know that any time you can bring people into your store it means more money, but have you thought about using more than plants and fertilizer as bait? Many garden centers now carry home décor and gift items as a regular part of their offering. What about other items? What about products that are not usually considered garden products…things like pet supplies and gourmet food? These kinds of ancillary categories are proving profitable for garden centers around the country.
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The Gardening Gourmet   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Catherine Evans
You already know that any time you can bring people into your store it means more money, but have you thought about using more than plants and fertilizer as bait? Many garden centers now carry home décor and gift items as a regular part of their offering. What about other items? What about products that are not usually considered garden products…things like pet supplies and gourmet food? These kinds of ancillary categories are proving profitable for garden centers around the country. “Developing Markets,” a monthly series that will appear in each issue of Lawn & Garden Retailer, will profile eight of these potential new markets, giving insight into the health of the market, relating how other garden centers have mastered the category and profiling some of the best new products in the category.
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Your Community - Your Business   Lawn & Garden Retailer February 2005   By Carrie Burns
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Just One   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2005   By Bridget White
As a little teaser for those unfamiliar with Paco, his company conducts research on shoppers and shopping.
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Profiting from Pets   Lawn & Garden Retailer January 2005   By Bridget White
Still, pet supplies at a garden center? It is a little out-of-the-box but not totally crazy.
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Is Floriculture Relevant?… You bet it is!   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2004   By Stan Pohmer
This conference is an industry think tank, drawing in leaders from all aspects of our industry — for four days to discuss and dissect a different topic each year.
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Larger Than Life   Lawn & Garden Retailer August 2004   By Catherine Evans
People want to buy larger items to use in the garden as a focal point or a start to their gardens. There are so many possibilities to apply this trend.
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Celebrations…   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2004   By Stan Pohmer
Few, if any other industries have people at all levels who are as committed and passionate about what they do, who can take in stride and rebound from the curveballs you’re constantly served up.
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Artistic Flare   Lawn & Garden Retailer July 2004   By Catherine Evans
People often get sick and tired of the ordinary everyday garden items and want to use something different to liven up their homes. Many of the manufacturers are adding artistic lines to their selections.
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