Columns

Living Life Outdoors

Jennifer Polanz

People love to dream about their outdoor spaces.

Columns

Outdoor Ruminations

Amanda Thomsen

Everybody deserves an outdoor room; we’re just the people to make that happen.

Columns

Red Mulch Regret

Ellen C. Wells

I’m judgy. It’s horrible, I know.

Consumer Buzz

Amazon is at it Again

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Always innovating, Amazon has won a new patent, according to technology news site Recode.

Consumer Buzz

Breaking Down Facebook Interaction

Ann-Marie Vazzano

More than half (54.6%) of Facebook users don’t mind ads, according to a recent survey.

Consumer Buzz

Buying from Bots

Ann-Marie Vazzano

More retailers are relying on artificial intelligence to interact with shoppers, but many consumers are still skeptical.

Consumer Buzz

Cash Back is King

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Cash back incentives strongly influence purchase decisions, according to a recent study from RetailMeNot.

Consumer Buzz

Fill ’Er Up

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Consumers won’t cut back on driving until gas prices reach $3.37 per gallon.

Consumer Buzz

Getting Consumers to Tell All

Ann-Marie Vazzano

When it comes to sharing personal data, consumers will spill the beans if it means they can get financial incentives or resolve customer service issues.

Consumer Buzz

How Do Millennials Shop?

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Millennials shop more in-store than they do online.

Consumer Buzz

Millennials Movin’ on Up

Ann-Marie Vazzano

According to recent research from Bain & Company and Farfetch, by 2025, Millennials will make up 40% of personal luxury purchases globally.

Consumer Buzz

Most Consumers Split Shop

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Direct marketing company SKUlocal recently set out to see how many consumers split shop (buy everyday goods at multiple stores) and why they do it.

Consumer Buzz

Move Over, Personal Stylists

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Could Google’s new “style ideas” function be the last nail in the coffin for shopping malls?

Consumer Buzz

Online Shopping: Milliseconds Matter

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Half of shoppers browse products on their phones, but only 20% actually complete purchases on their devices.

Consumer Buzz

Small Businesses on Social Media

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Nearly a quarter of small businesses don’t have a social media presence.

Consumer Buzz

Social Listening

Ann-Marie Vazzano

Social listening—or “collecting social data by monitoring terms, names and products associated with your brand or industry,” has many benefits.

Cover Story

Punching Up Patios & Porches

Katie Elzer-Peters

Help customers make phenomenal plant choices for their outdoor spaces.

Features

Improving the Ambience

Jennifer Polanz

Fun touches of lighting can help create a whimsical mood in the garden and in the outdoor room.

Features

Succulent Tapestry

Rita Randolph

When it comes to succulents … more is better!

Features

The Sweet Smell of Success

Randall D. Schultz

10 tips for selling more roses.

Features

Tricks: Houston Enchantment

Jennifer Zurko

A quick trip to the great state of Texas offered us a chance to make a stop at Enchanted Gardens, one of the garden center locations owned by Joey Lenderman and his family.

Features

Young Retailer Award: Diversify or Disrupt

Ellen C. Wells

We asked the three nominees for our 2017 Green Profit/Dümmen Orange Young Retailer Award which option they prefer: diversifying or disrupting the industry. Here’s what they chose.

Front Lines

#Garden4Wildlife

Jennifer Polanz

GrowIt!, the social network for gardeners, wants users to think about the wildlife when they’re gardening.

Front Lines

Another No-Brainer Moneymaker

Ellen C. Wells

About a month ago, I had some really fun conversations with industry folks about their go-to methods for making money.

Front Lines

Aquascape Inc. = Healthy Company

Jennifer Polanz

Aquascape Inc. is one of 156 companies around the country receiving the designation of Healthiest Companies in America by Interactive Health.

Front Lines

Consumers Want to Help Pollinators

Hyak Khachatryan

University of Florida Researcher Hayk Khachatryan recently reached out to Ellen Wells about a study done in conjunction with several other university researchers looking at consumer perceptions related to pollinator-friendly plants.

Front Lines

IGCA Canada

Ellen C. Wells

If you’re a leading retail garden center in Australia or Austria, Japan or Germany—or even in the good ol’ USA—your garden center association belong to the IGCA.

Front Lines

Jim Zampini Passes

Jennifer Polanz

The industry lost an advocate and friend in long-time Ohio nurseryman Jim Zampini, who passed away at his home in April at the age of 85.

Front Lines

News from Bower & Branch

Ellen C. Wells

There are two bits of news this month out of Bower & Branch, the e-commerce brand for garden centers that sell online and in store.

Profit Planet

It’s Not Apathy—It’s Unprofessionalism

Bill McCurry

Consider role-playing with your team about different ways to ask a customer to wait.

The Friel World

Enlightened Lighting and Dry MOATS

John Friel

Outdoor rooms are more about wanting than needing.

The Goods

Adriana Heikkila

ACHLA Designs; Anamese Garden & Home; Ball FloraPlant; BioSafe Systems LLC; Botanical Interests Inc.; Bottle Benders Inc.; Donahue’s Clematis Specialists; Ernst Benary of America Inc.; Georgetown Home and Garden; Hormex; J. Berry Nursery; JRM Chemical Inc.; LFS Glove; MasterTag; PanAmerican Seed; Plants Nouveau LLC; Pleasant View Gardens; Rapid Garden POS; SPI Home; The Little Burros; Ultimate Source; World’s Coolest Rain Gauge Co.; Van Belle Nursery Inc.