Is Susie Coelho from outer space? (No, just Southern California)

Latest issue of  Garden Chic, the art of niche retailing arrived. This is a new publication for garden centers and nurseries. (That's the last issues cover.) They have a section called Celeb View which is billed as unique perspectives from influential style setters.

I don't watch much HGTV so I have missed out on Susie's show, Surprise Gardener and " Outer Spaces". I do see she got a mention in Garden Rant. I did read the whole article, since we are told she is an important person I need to know about to better improve my business.

Her statement that she is one of the few, and probably the most prominent, lifestyle experts in the country, in terms of outdoor living got my attention. She continues "I was one of the few on the air, at the time that covered outdoor rooms. Oh, oh there are those words again, outdoor rooms. Now I just read in Garden Rant "outdoor rooms"is a term well over twenty years old. I understand that Henry Mitchell said "Some mischief has been done, probably, by calling the garden an 'outdoor living room,' as if any living room in the world had such wonderful things in it as a garden has."

Garden Chic asks Susie, as the outdoor room becomes more popular, do you think Americans are going to get use to changing out accessories? Susie answers, across the country, Americans have to get used to the way Californians live. It's because we are outside all the time. A lot of times, we will bring things in. If you want to live that stylish life, it takes a little effort. When it rains, we just dash out and take the decorative pillows off so they don't get drenched. Most are outdoor-rated anyway, but why not keep them nicer? It's the same as people who put their cars in the garage if it's raining or snowing."

Do you get it? You had better start living like Californians if you want to be stylish. Newsflash! We don't have a garage to put our car in, we don't have decorative pillows outside, and I would sure as heck forget to run out and pick them up when it's raining. If you lived in any other state wouldn't you feel a little insulted? I live in Northern California and I am insulted.

She is popular with the stylish crowd that thinks, in her words, you can go to the home improvement stores and buy 4-foot pavers, and, as long as you can lay them on sand with no grout. Fill them with crushed granite, and you have yourself a patio. Don't forget the throw pillows!

What is so infuriating is that Garden Chic magazine bills it self as the art of niche retailing, and then throws this main stream lifestyle expert at us as someone to look to for advice. If garden centers are going to niche themselves, shouldn't we be looking to someone a little less main stream, and a lot less annoying. I'll take garden bloggers any day over her.

Anyway I have to keep reading as there is an article on Garden Antiques and how some garden centers are selling them in their stores. Ed Pasquesi, owner of Pasquesi Home and Garden in Lake Bluff, IL. says I might get a $30,000 length of iron fence work that's really spectacular. I'd bring it in on consignment, and I'd be satisfied to make $5000. If we sell it, fine, and if we don't fine. But I like having those items in the shop because it puts us on a different level. Yea, I'd be satisfied.