The popularity of social media allows for many independent garden center marketing opportunities, especially during the spring months. Whether you post bright flowers or open up workshops for spring-themed activities, it's the perfect season to increase engagement at your center. Here are a few of the latest IGC posts we've spotted:
Event ideas for independent garden centers
Roger’s Gardens (#21 on the 2023 Garden Center magazine Top 100 Independent Garden Centers List) is welcoming foodies and garden lovers to its location in Corona Del Mar, California, for an Herb Festival. The IGC offers a large variety of herbs and has invited local vendors to sell their herbal-infused products as well. The Herb Festival will have tasting tables, as well as an herb planting station where people can learn to grow herbs of their own.
Armstrong Garden Centers & Pike Nurseries (#1 on the 2023 Top 100 list), with 48 locations throughout California, Georgia and North Carolina, is holding a Hummingbird Happy Habitat Garden Class to teach its customers about the types of flowers that can attract hummingbirds to their gardens.
The class plans to go through five different flowers that attract hummingbirds, including fuchsias; the video on Armstrong's Instagram page says they are perfect for a shady spot, and the “ballerina” shape of some fuchsias are especially good for hummingbirds due to their long beaks that can reach the nectar in tubular flowers.
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Cornell Farm (#78 on the 2023 Top 100 list) in Portland, Oregon, is utilizing its nursery and café. The IGC is holding a succulent bowl workshop while the café serves cocktails. Attendees at the farm’s “plant-and-sip” will have access to many colors of succulents, sand and stones to build their own creations.
A post shared by Cornell Farm Nursery & Cafe (@cornellfarm)
Gasper Home & Garden Showplace (#40 on the 2023 Top 100 list) is hosting “Workshop Wednesdays” in Richboro, Pennsylvania. This IGC has announced three workshops for the months of June and July. First, it will hold a cutting garden workshop to teach garden enthusiasts to grow and arrange a flourishing cutting garden. “What’s Eating You?” is a workshop to educate gardeners on the differences between beneficial insects and pest insects. The third workshop will teach gardeners all about lavender: how to grow it and how to get creative with a lavender harvest.
Creative plant displays and promos for independent garden centers
Earl May Garden Centers (#11 on the 2023 Top 100 list) get innovative when it comes to a display. This IGC, which has stores in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, tied in #mentalhealthawareness this month by creating a “Relaxing Retreat'' display. To create a garden of relaxation, Earl May Garden Centers uses flowers with calming colors and textures.
Moana Nursery (#19 on the 2023 Top 100 list), located in Reno, Nevada, introduced its new fundraising program, Mumkins, for local nonprofits. These are locally grown chrysanthemums in a jack-o-lantern porch pot. By selling Mini-Mums and Maxi-Mums, the participating organizations get to keep 50% of their Mumkin sales.
New plants, greenhouses and gardens
A new trial garden continues to grow in Metairie, Louisiana. Perino’s Home and Garden Center (#41 on the 2023 Top 100 list) has committed to testing out plants at the IGC. In the trial garden, staff will see which plants grow well to be able to offer new plants to customers. The IGC also welcomes customers to stop by and check on the trial garden throughout the season.
Mahoney’s Garden Centers’ (#7 on the 2023 Top 100 list) Brighton, Massachusetts, location has opened up a state-of-the-art Dutch Greenhouse after years of planning. It houses plants, pottery and garden accessories. Mahoney’s worked with The Galante Architecture Studio and Carr Enterprises to accomplish the dream greenhouse.
Audrey Trevarthan is the GIE Ornamental Group editorial intern. Contact her at atrevarthan@gie.net.
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