They want to hear from you!

I have been a fan of Hugh MacLeod's Gaping Void Blog for some years now. He is an artist who does most of his work on the back of business cards. I like how he get's right to the point, like this card in the photograph. It's social media gang, not rocket science. You don't need a specialist. You can do this stuff yourself. That's the whole idea. They want to hear from you!

Home Depot's new garden center concept

In Cape Cod The Barnstable Patriot reports that, "Home Depot at 65 Independence Drive, the former Bradlees store, will be selling Christmas trees come this November and assorted flora this spring as it debuts its outside seasonal garden shop, providing all permits are obtained on schedule. The Cape Cod Commission has already approved the plan." According to the article, "as contemplated, a small version of the garden center will open from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31 for the sale of Christmas trees and reopen from March 20 to Sept. 20 for the sale of seasonal flowers, plants and implements." When asked by the council why Home Depot is going with the temporary structure, "Tom Gallagher, the company's real estate manager, cited two major reasons: Capital return on investment and less site disturbance. He said the seasonal model will be a big boost to the store's sales performance."

This happens time and again. People say, "garden centers should just have to deal with the box stores on their own terms". The problem is Home Depot and these other large enterprises use their size to intimidate cities, and municipalities into changing the rules. My local Placerville Home Depot always extends their garden center into the parking lot during the busy season. They we're told that to get the permit to build they had to supply X amount of parking. Now they expand the center into the parking lot later? The parking is not needed during the busy spring season?

What a sweet deal for Depot. To open provide X amount of parking for the size of the building. Later, go before the council and ask for as special use permit. Then expand your operation into the parking lot that was suppose to be used for parking. When the season is over, take the tent down. It's not so much the tent, or temporary aspect that get's under your skin. It's that the place would have never been built in the first place, if they had said they would be using the parking for sales!  I think this idea is brilliant on Home Depot's part and is going to spread, likely to a Depot near you.

The checks in the mail...

I have noticed an increase in visitors to this blog based on Google searches of photographs. More and more, images are what will lead people to you. This picture of a Toyon  has lead lot's of people to this blog.  It was from a post I did in 2007. I did a search today of "Toyon" and the photo is on the first page. So someone who is interested in Toyon and Google's the name, can end up at my blog.

A lady representing a botanical book publisher called today, and bought the rights to use the photo in  a new online educational book! I was ready to just say "give me credit and use it", but a little voice said, "ask if others are getting paid for their photo's."  Yes they are, and we will pay you! The proverbial check is in the mail, but I was quite surprised by how much they offered. Looks like I am going to be taking a lot more photographs this year.

This is a horticultural industry game changer!

Readers of this blog know I have been talking about garden centers  getting involved in hydroponics or indoor gardening

for over two years. Why let the hydroponic warehouses take all that gardening business? There we're naysayers who warned about garden centers getting involved in this market. Would it offend the older generations that come in our store? What would people think? I also heard from garden centers that said they didn't think there was a market for this kind of stuff in their area.

Take a look at this new"potting Soil from Dr. Earth, a mainstream brand. It's for your, "Organic Medicine Gardens". It's not potting soil, it's "POTting Soil". It's being sold across the country. There are even bumper stickers available.

This is going to get interesting. I wonder if the hydroponic community knows the locally owned garden center is moving in on what was their exclusive market. Out here in nor Cal I have 8 hydroponic warehouses within 15 miles of here.

I have never seen a major, mainstream soil  or fertilizer company go this far. Does anyone even doubt what those leaves on the bag represent? If enough locally owned garden centers get on board this could change the dynamics of a major market in California. What happens when Home Depot, or Lowe's starts carrying a competing product? This is a game changer in that it signals an acceptance by the main stream garden center trade. What are all the specialty soil companies like Foxfarm, going to think of this? I like the fact that at the top of  Dr.Earth's website it proclaims, "Dr. Earth is proudly sold at independent garden centers only! (No chain stores)"

Right on Dana!

I wanted to highlight a comment made at my post "Jamie Durie say's..." Dana Stenger, of  Pike Nursery in Atlanta gives her view as to the mash-up of businesses and personalities we discussed.

Here is the comment:

"Right again, Sir! I just gave my two cents on this issue on the blog at Today’s Garden Center recently; Home Depot To Open Detached Garden Center.  (here is the link) This is all about the subliminal message that is screaming to the IGC consumer as a result of this powerhouse marketing relationship. Whether Lowe’s sells Monrovia or not doesn’t matter, Jamie Durie is the face of Monrovia and they will assume that Monrovia’s product is on the shelf–that gets them in the door and pulls them away from the IGC. From there, if dissatisfied, they will toddle across the street to Home Depot since both feed off of one another. IGC’s that are sleeping will be left in their wake. The writing is on the wall and has been for some time. Because of the humanistic tendency to default to the 'Normalcy Bias', the IGC owner will become confused and immobile, unable to move forward; only capable of pulling on experiences from the past rendering them unarmed and helpless. I am seeing this right now on many levels and I’m sure you are too. These are the new deep, deep waters of commerce where you can’t touch the bottom and you can’t see the surface but you have to keep functioning at optimum levels—and they most certainly will prove lethal to the leaders who lack the vision to see what’s coming or the ability to process information and quickly pivot in order to avoid losing their companies. Keep ringing the bell Trey, in the end when it’s all said and done, none will be able to say you didn’t warn them. Carry on!"

Right on Dana!

In addition I have been receiving great comments concerning my post, "Guess who is not coming to your flower show". Scroll to the bottom for the comments, and the great back and forth between Gen X and the older generation.  Some real good stuff that can benefit those who can look beyond their generational prejudices, and work together to keep the local owned garden center alive and thriving.

Monrovia not selling to Lowe's

Received a call from Bob Smiland of Monrovia Nursery. He tell's me Monrovia does sell to Home Depot, a little to Costco, but does not sell to Lowe's.  He did mention a couple of other chains, but I can not remember which ones.  I am awaiting an e-mail, and then might be able to clarify who they are.  What got his attention was my post concerning Jamie Durie, "Jamie Say's..." In that post we talked about how Jamie works for Monrovia, while at the same time working for Lowe's, where I said he would have access to Monrovia's plants. Well if Monrovia doesn't sell to Lowe's then he won't be able to get his plants there! My mistake, hence this post. I appreciate Bob taking the time to clear this up.

Guess who is not coming to your flower show

I wanted to post the following comment left at my blog post, "Adapt or die" It's from Chad, a self-described generation x who say's he is passionate about gardening.  His comment explains why he won't be visiting any flower shows any time soon. If you would like, substitute the terms "garden center" or "nursery" for "flower show." We keep hearing about how generation x and y are not into gardening. They must not be interested in gardening because they are not coming into our garden centers or flower shows.  New's flash! They are interested in gardening and getting dirty, they are just not coming into your garden center, or flower show.

Here is his comment:

"I don’t own a small business and I don’t work in this field. I don’t attend flower shows either. But I wanted to respond anyway.

I am a Generation X customer who is passionate about gardening and that includes growing some of my own food, composting, general landscaping, and collecting cultivars that intrigue me.

In spite of my passion, I can’t convince myself to put up with the hassle of fighting traffic and paying to park, wandering around a fluorescently-lit convention center for a few hours only to leave empty handed and disspirited because I couldn't find anything that I wanted to buy or could afford.

My flower show is the Internet. On the Internet I can learn about plants, I can stop and pause to think about how those plants might fit into my plan, and I can choose just the plants I want. And the blogging/discussion forum communities fulfill a lot of my desire to rub elbows with like-minded individuals so I don’t even feel as much need to go and physically rub elbows with other gardeners.

I’m not opposed to going to a flower show, but what’s the draw compared to what I can experience online?"

There you go, the future of gardening is talking to anyone who will listen. Chad is not necessarily buying stuff online, he is researching and being entertained online. He likely would come into your store if he knew you existed (online), and you gave him a compelling reason to check you out. It may seem as if this a generational thing yet I can totally relate to Chad, and I am not a generation X. It may seem to be a generational thing, but it's starting to look more like a lifestyle thing.

Jamie Durie say's...

This is interesting. Jamie Durie is the host of an HGTV show titled, "The Outdoor Room".  He also works for Monrovia Nursery as a spokesman for Monrovia plants on HGTV. As many of you know Monrovia has started selling plants to the box stores, which includes Lowe's Home Improvement Stores. I just received a link to this webcast site put out by Lowe's.  It say's Jamie will now be helping Lowe's "get your garden ready for spring". It will be convenient for Jamie, as he will have ready access to Monrovia plants while shooting at Lowe's.

The nursery trade is changing at lightning speed. The people that once championed the locally owned garden center are now focused on where the money is. The box stores, and their suppliers are now teaming up with social media PR companies to push the message that you can get quality plants, endorsed by well known figures, on well know home improvement channels, at the local box stores."

Where is the locally owned garden center in all this? You tell me.

Adapt or die

Over at Garden Rant there is a post from Michelle titled, "What should a flower show be?" It addresses the declining attendance at these types of shows. At one time flower shows where the "bee's knees". If you recognize that saying you remember when flower shows we're popular.

Elizabeth has a couple of good suggestions for making the shows more exciting. I think that Duane Kelly, who founded the San Francisco and Northwest Flower shows hit it on the head when he said,  "younger people are...less interested in the aesthetics of gardening and more in the environmental benefits, like composting."

So there you have it. The answer is staring us in the face. Change the shows so there are more displays utilizing what people want to see, "how to" displays. Why not have displays showing composting, pest control, high-density fruit tree planting, etc." Give the people what they want! We talked about this very subject just a post or two ago here. People have changed along with their needs. If flower shows are going to exist in the future they, like the rest of us, had better change and adapt or face an irrelevant future.

Sell me your product at a fair price!

Was sent a link to an article titled "Is Groupon Ruining Retail?". Yes, it's that internet coupon service that is all the rage, and a frequent topic here.  My feelings about the service are clear. The person who sent me the link works for a wholesale nursery that is feeling the pinch, as the large wholesale companies dump their product on the box stores and other garden centers.  This has the effect of lowering prices to the point there is little or no profit in selling them. While at first blush the customer feels they are reaping the benefit of this, the end result is it is going to force more small and medium sized businesses out of business. Now inflation is rearing it's head. You have seen food and gas prices rising. That cost has to be either passed on to the customer, or absorbed by the business. With the customer already feeling the pinch most businesses are loathe to raise prices, and possibly scare off the customer. So businesses eat the extra cost and and make less money. The problem is most of these businesses are barely hanging on, and the increased costs mean's many will go under. Less choice for the customer.

Now on top of this we have Groupon which only encourages the whole, "price is the only factor" mentality. The customer thinks they are getting a great deal, yet in the long run they are actually contributing to the whole downward spiral that many small businesses find themselves in. The idea that you will attract a few of these coupon shoppers to become loyal customers is just a false hope. I don't buy it, and it seems a lot more businesses are starting to see it that way. The New York Times article is written by a small business owner that tried the service and finds it less that satisfactory. I love the highest rated comment out of 115 comments as of this morning. The commenter says, "I hate coupons. Sell me your product at a fair price to begin with." Bravo!

What does that mean? Sell  me your product at a fair price. These coupon deals, massive 50 to 75% off sales, and other gimmicks only encourage the idea that we are somehow making too much money. The average person does not work for themselves. They really have no idea what it cost's to run a business, and therefore assume we are pricing our products at a "unfair" price? Unfair to whom? The cash strapped shopper, or the barely hanging on business? As more people leave the corporate workforce and try their hands at running their own business, this will change.

There is nothing wrong with having a sale or discount offered, but why pay Groupon to do it for you? Offer your loyal, regular customers a special now and then. Let the good word spread through your's and the customers social media efforts. These people are already interested in what you have, and are the ones most likely to spread the word.  What a novel, yet simple concept. Offer the customer a fair price regularly for stuff they want. Sure you might not get that rush of people through the door that Groupon would provide, but the people that do come through your door will be more likely to return, and pay a fair price for what you offer. And on top of it you get to stay in business!

Are we ready?

It was just last week, March 8th that we talked about re-thinking your garden center. That post included this, "What if you had to tear down your present garden center and start over? What would you do different? Don’t use the assumption  that things will be like they we’re before the recession. They won’t. Fundamental shifts are taking place that will change the way we do things from now on." Just a couple of day's later an earthquake and tsunami has sent a modern, industrialized country into a tail spin. Food shortages, radiation, mass destruction, loss of life, it goes on, and on. If that can happen in Japan then any industrialized, modern economy is at risk. Certainly the scale of the disaster precludes any notion of "grow your own", etc. Everything was washed away, including the garden. What happens when the infrastructure we have come to depend on fails? What do we do when the government say's, "sorry, the scope of the problems to large, we can't help."

We have come a long way since 2006 when Susie Coelho told us that outdoor rooms were the "in" thing and "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.” Yes, there are still people who care about this, and can afford the lifestyle. If your garden center is in one of these areas then you might be able to make a living off this kind of stuff. Otherwise it would be best to eschew the "lifestyle" market, and focus on your neighborhood, and it's needs.

For most it won't involve "throw pillows". As food prices rise and safety issues come to a forefront it will fall to the local garden center to become the go to place for advice and supplies. No more "what color pillow will go with that outdoor TV". Instead it's, "earwigs are eating my crop and I need it to stop." The questions and answers just got a whole lot more serious. As more people turn towards their own gardens for their livelihood they will want advice that pertains to their particular situation, and who better to provide that? Yup, your locally owned garden center. Are we ready?

Time to rethink your garden center business?

As we approach spring you can feel the excitement as garden centers across the country come back to life. Unlike here in California many nurseries close down for winter, and only re-open with the arrival of spring. We all need to get the cash flow going again as we try and navigate the new world that we find ourselves in. While many look forward to the "recession" ending and things getting back to normal I wonder what normal will be like? Here in California we are no where near out of the woods economically. As I drive through the foothills and Sacramento the number of commercial spaces available is astounding. Many strip malls are only half rented. "For lease" signs dot the region. Commercial landscaping is still dead, while residential landscaping is on life-support. Despite the government cheer leading that tells us of an "unexpected" drop in un-employment or "un-expected" surge in stocks, we know different. People are starting to realize that the government doesn't have a clue what's going on. It's up to us to get the news, spread the news, and adjust where necessary.

For garden centers in nor Cal my suggestion would be to continue to ride the wave of self-reliance that is starting to sweep the nation. People want fresh food that is safe to eat. Where does one find that anymore? Grow it your-self. Want tasty-tax free beer and wine to drink? Make it yourself. How about storing you own food for winter consumption? Do your own canning and freezing. More and more it is becoming hip to be self-reliant. This is not the survivalist view of self-reliance, though we can learn much from them. This is more about a self-sustaining lifestyle.

Garden centers are perfectly poised to become the self-reliance centers for every neighborhood. People are starting to see the relationship between smaller, locally owned businesses, and the health of their communities. If people are going to invest time and money into growing their own they need a local expert to go to when they need help. Time for those of us in the business to look at what we do in a whole new light.

What if you had to tear down your present garden center and start over? What would you do different? Don't use the assumption  that things will be like they we're before the recession. They won't. Fundamental shifts are taking place that will change the way we do things from now on. More and more we need to show people how to accomplish their goals. Demonstration gardens, workshops, seminars, on subjects that may not be just about gardening. How about beer and wine making classes? Canning classes? Bee keeping workshops? Cooking classes? Solar energy workshops? Hydro-ponics? Aquaponics?  Waste water treatment for rural areas? Wind power? etc. Imagine a new type of resource for the community. A new type of business. A new way of doing business. Maybe this is the year to re-invent how you approach what you do. Selling bulbs, roses, and landscape shrubs just doesn't cut it here anymore.

Why the Whole Earth Catalog? I loved that thing. Just going through it and imagining all the possibilities was a long term project. The idea behind the catalog is still viable, it's just moved online, and we are all authors now. Let's start a new chapter...

Hines Nurseries making a comeback?

According to NCTimes.com, "A bid submitted by Black Diamond Capital Management LLC of Greenwich, Conn., was the only qualified bid submitted to a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware, according to legal documents filed Monday. Both Bank of America and Black Diamond hold substantially all of Hines' debt." Here is where it get's interesting, Black-Diamond want's, "assurances from Home Depot and Walmart to continue buying plants from Hines." In my last post we found out, according to commenter Cd that Black Diamond, "sucked the place dry before the auction by laying off salesmen, not canning new material, etc. They made a killing off that and now they got the company back for pennies on the dollars. $31 million is not pennies but if I remember correctly at the time of filing there were about $130 million and assets and $50 million in liabilities. They essentially bought an 80 million dollar company for 30." Now we hear Black Diamond want's assurances that Home Depot and Wal-Mart will continue to buy Hines plant's.

Interesting.

Black Diamond buy's back Hines for $31 million?

Received a comment yesterday from "Cd" concerning Hines Nursery and the recent auction of property and materials. Hines Nursery is one of the all time top search terms at this blog. Everyday people end up here trying to find out information on this once powerhouse of a company, so I thought it would be right to publish Cd's comment as a service to those people. I have not verified the information Cd sent, but have published his comment in the hope that we will hear form others concerning this. Here is part of the comment, "the Hines bank auction was awarded back to black diamond for $31 million. Anyone knows what this means for the future of the company? My personal take is black diamond couldn’t be happier. From what I’ve heard they sucked the place dry before the auction by laying off salesmen, not canning new material, etc. They made a killing off that and now they got the company back for pennies on the dollars. $31 million is not pennies but if I remember correctly at the time of filing there were about $130 million and assets and $50 million in liabilities. They essentially bought an 80 million dollar company for 30. My guess is they continue selling off plants and sell the company off in pieces to continue maximizing profits. Which essentially means Hines is done. Again I am just speculating but does anyone think black diamond is in this for the long haul?"

While at the ANLA clinic this past month I had the opportunity to talk to a former Hines employee. He offered the information after he realized I write this blog. He said the information published at this blog concerning the whole Hines fiasco was correct, and for a awhile was the only place to get information on the company. So after these past few years of reporting on the Hines business it was good to hear this blog, and the information provided was so helpful.

The Wal-Mart of weed?

So by now you have heard we have the first "Wal-mart of weed" right here in Sacramento. According to The Sacramento Bee, "the store, the first franchise from an Oakland warehouse outlet that opened last year, requires customers to present proof of a physician's medical marijuana recommendation before staff guides them on equipment purchases to grow their own. The store will also offer classes in cultivation." So this place is an expansion of the IGrow operation in Oakland which was also called "The Wal-mart of Weed."

It's all hype. Read the reviews of the Oakland shop at Yelp. Here is what one reviewer has to say, "yes it is 15,000 Sq ft but could have fit in 3000. It really is a sham, a wal-mart type of vibe where the pricing is no different than the many hydro shops closer to me." They continue, "I rather support many smaller stores that have been working in this industry for a long time now than some 'honest' costco type."

I had a hard time wondering why anyone would want to be the Wal-Mart of anything? The image I get of a Wal-mart is cheap, boring, huge, and "made in China". Why did the people opening this warehouse hydro-shop want to be compared to Wal-mart? They saw dollar signs, and decided that bigger was better. Like the reviewer above said, "support many smaller hydro stores that have been working in this industry a long time." So it appears the hydro-biz is starting to deal with many of the same concerns the nursery biz has been dealing with. It's fragmenting between the huge players and the little guys. Box stores vs. the indies.  While the smaller hydro-stores battle it out with the IGrow super stores there is a huge opportunity for the locally owned garden center. Just saying...