Irish inspiration

“Cead Mile Failte romhaibh go leir” (“A thousand welcomes to each one of you!” in the Irish language) was a greeting we heard many times throughout the week at the International Garden Center Association (IGCA) Congress in Ireland last August. And feel welcomed we did. For five days, more than 200 delegates from all over the world toured Irish garden centers, botanic gardens, wholesale growers, castles, historic areas in Dublin and ate some of the finest Irish food around. We even had dinner with the president of Ireland himself, Michael D. Higgins.

Over the next few pages, we share some of the sights and ideas that stood out the most from this year’s congress. Stay tuned for a more in-depth feature on Arboretum Garden Centre, recent winner of the Retail Excellence Ireland Award for National Store of the Year (greater than 10,000 sq. ft.), in an upcoming issue.
 

Thinking both inside and outside the box

Among the display ideas that stood out from the crowd, the use of crates and shadowboxes caught attendees’ attention at Garden House Garden Centre. They were used to create mini inspirational displays above the more traditional rows of products, some of which were featured in the mini display. We also saw some great displays showing how customers might incorporate different products into their own homes at Cois na hAbhann Garden Centre.
 

I saw the sign

Expanding outside of the traditional signage, the Irish retailers we visited created signs that were interesting, eye-catching and sometimes comical. From chalk to plastic banners, the materials didn’t seem to matter as much as the content. Johnstown Garden Centre’s signs were informative and written in clear language that would inspire, instead of intimidate, novice gardeners. Their use of black backgrounds made signs stand out. Newlands Garden Centre and Arboretum Garden Centre both had entertaining sayings and puns on theirs.
 

Don't forget the furry (and not-so-furry) friends

Pet departments were more prevalent in Ireland than in most U.S. garden centers we’ve seen, further contributing to the idea that a garden center is becoming more of a lifestyle store than just a place that sells plants. All of the garden centers that we visited were diversified with regards to their products and services. Orchard Home & Garden had a full pet department and even a small petting zoo for customers.
 

Cook it and they will come

In Ireland, as in much of Europe, visiting the garden center isn’t just about buying plants. Some stores make a good portion of their revenue at an on-site café. Arboretum Garden Centre reported that 28 percent of their total revenue was earned at theirs, named Rachel’s Garden Café after the owner and current president of the IGCA, Rachel Doyle. And after delegates were served a delicious dinner and Irish coffee at Rachel’s Garden Café, it was easy to see how they reached such numbers.
 

Join the IGCA in Denmark!
The 2015 IGCA Congress will held in Denmark, starting out in Odense, from August 9 to 14. Attendees will partake in a wide range of Danish experiences, including visiting 10 top-notch garden centers, 3 castles, a botanical garden, museums and a Scandinavian design trade fair. Attendees will visit the Hans Christian Andersen Museum and the Odense Zoo, named one of Europe’s best zoos. The week finishes up with a trip to the original Legoland park in Billund and The Flower Festival, which draws nearly 250,000 visitors from all over the world each year. A perfect blend of professional development, cultural experiences and networking with international colleagues, don’t miss your chance to expand your horizons by attending the IGCA Congress in Denmark next August.

For more information, visit www.igccdenmark2015.org