Shaking things up

Autumn in arriving in much of the country and, as with any seasonal transition, I get a little restless with my usual routine. Have you found yourself doing things the same way just because that’s how they’ve always been done, and perhaps feeling ready to revamp your routine, too? Sometimes all you need it a little change of scenery to get a new outlook, and now might be the time to do it.

In August, I had the opportunity to join 250 other green industry professionals, mostly retailers, from more than 20 countries, in Ireland for the International Garden Centre Congress. Everyone there shared at least one goal — getting new ideas and inspiration to shake things up at home. I’ll share some of the ideas delegates were most inspired by in an upcoming issue. We visited garden centers, gardens, retail shops and important cultural sites, and even had dinner with the president of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.

But probably as important as the visits was the networking. When else do you have five days to bounce ideas and problems off colleagues from all over the world without everyday distractions or geographical limitations? We discussed the relatively positive year in much of the U.S. and Canada, and the slow, rainy season in Germany. We contemplated the popularity of cafés in the United Kingdom and debated how to increase plant sales. We evaluated different display systems and signage options, and retailers shared what’s working for them, and what they won’t touch with a 10-foot pole. The ROI for this Congress is high.

Next year’s Congress is in the land of Hans Christian Andersen — Denmark. We’ll keep you posted as the event evolves, but I can say that it’s already shaping up to be another inspirational Congress. Find out more at www.igccdenmark2015.org

But returning to the issue at hand here at home, this month we’re bringing you our annual State of the Industry Report. I won’t go too much into it here (there’s a lot to talk about!) but I can say that retailers were more positive about this season and the future than in previous years. We found this to be true both in our research as well as in talking to retailers like you. You can check out the results starting on page 21.

As the leaves turn shades of red, yellow and orange and the air becomes crisp, I hope you have some time to get out and get inspired, whether that’s by visiting other retail operations or simply taking a stroll through the changing landscape. Small changes in scenery can do wonders.

Happy autumn!

kvarga@gie.net