Cover Story

Almaden Valley Nursery: Buzzing Through Inventory

With high inventory turnover, Almaden Valley Nursery is a small-sized retailer that posts big-time sales numbers week in and week out.

Slideshow: Almaden Valley Nursery

In this photo slideshow, see owner Matt Lepow show off the features that make Almaden Valley Nursery shine.

Features

Communicating With Growers

Growers share their new and improved methods of maintaining good communication and building stronger relationships with independent retailers.

Gardenware Software: Minute To Print It 

Gardenware software empowers retailers with the ability to produce their own labels, signs and tags in just minutes. 

Five Questions With Lakeview Nurseries

Owner Michelle Harvey explains how solar power has been the right decision for both the environment and her business.

Summer Trade Show Preview 

OK, you're fried from working nonstop since March or April. Catch your breath, and then check out these summer events to help you snag great ideas to use next spring. 

Making Gifts Work For You 

Gifts can help sustain a garden center business during slower, off-peak times, but retailers must first meet the unique challenges a gift department can bring. 

Gifting: New Products

Check out these fun new additions for your gifting department.

Tool Tips 

Use these quick ideas to bring landscape tools and accessories back into fashion. 

Landscape Accessories & Tools: New Products

Check out these new tools and accessories for your customers' landscapes.

Signs Sell: Informative Signage 

From silent salesman to silent teacher, informative signage is a quick and clear way to share vital information with your customers. 

New For Spring 2011 

The California Spring Trials is where most of the new annuals and premium perennials debut. Here are the new varieties that really caught their attention. 

Anthony Tesselaar Plants' Soleil Petunia 

Soleil is a new breakthrough. Here's how to showcase it. 

Customer Loyalty - What Went Wrong? 

There is a right and a wrong way to go about creating a loyalty program. 

Columns

Touchpoints By Pete Mihalek

The Cool Kid

Technology certainly has an awe factor, doesn’t it? And just like phones, we’re starting to see major advancements in, believe it or not, garden center signage.

Strategies And Concepts By Kurt Fromherz

Navigating Social Media 

Use the three ingredients of social media – incentives, information and relationship building – to create a fun environment that encourages repeat customers and increased dialogue.

End Cap By Jennifer Polanz

Quality Of Life 

Running a garden center isn't just a job. It's a lifestyle.