The pressure of trying to make a go of it in the horticultural world these days is forcing huge changes within the nursery world. Companies that are use to doing business one way, find themselves contemplating doing business in way's they might have never contemplated earlier. This is effecting not only the small operations, but the largest companies, too. Who you sell to, who you buy from, and well just about every aspect of your business. Changes made at large horticultural concerns will effect everybody that buy's or does business with those large concerns. I had been talking about how the horticultural industry is fragmenting into two camps. Those that service the box stores, and those that service the rest of us. I fear this is going to accelerate, leaving the smaller garden centers with fewer and fewer suppliers that they can call independent only suppliers.
Over the next few months the changes that are taking place in the horticultural world are going to become even more noticeable to those of us in the business, and eventually the customer. After being in the business for over 30 years part of me is sorry to see what's coming down the pike. These are challenging times to be in the horticultural businesses. From these difficulties we have to hope that a leaner, more sustainable model for garden wholesale and retail will emerge. It's just that changes can be painful to watch at times. These are some of those times. Fasten you seat belts!