One of the coolest logo's of any garden center is Sloat's Garden Centers in The San Francisco Bay Area. This chain has been in business since 1958 and takes it's name from the site of the original store on Sloat Avenue, near the zoo.
The logo is perfect for the time and place. Forward looking woman who looks like she really gardens. This person is ready for business. This is the opposite message of The Dig, Drop, and Done Ladies. While both are "fictional" the Sloat logo sends a different message. Self-reliance as opposed to "needful", intelligence as opposed to "gossipy", independence as opposed to "group think". You could take the Sloat logo, and put it on a gift bag, or bumper sticker and it sends a message. Put the "Ladies" on a shopping bag? Not. You could even take the Sloat logo and paste different sayings across it. "Rebel", "Independent", "Flower Power", "Change", "Hope", etc. I am going to take a guess and say most women would rather where a tee-shirt with the Sloat logo on it than a tee-shirt with the "Dig, Drop, and Done Ladies" printed on it.
Is there a description of the "average" garden center customer? Is there one logo or idea that will work for all garden
centers, or appeal to all garden center customers? No. Perhaps in some regions The Dig, Drop, and Done Ladies will resonate. You cannot please everyone and each store has to decide what direction their marketing efforts go. What you have to figure out is how to allow your customers to spread the word for you. One way is through "social objects" like logo's. You want an easy way for people to share your stores message. They have to want to spread the message, and the message has to resonate with others. "I want a tee shirt like that" or "I want to be the type of person who shops at a cool place like Sloats." Make your message easy to spread. Make it a message people will want to spread.