Startup nurseries draw on inspiration, entrepreneurial desire and the mentorship of others Every nursery has a different story, and every story has a beginning. Although one of every five small businesses is family run, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the percentage of nurseries that are family run is undoubtedly much higher. The ownership […]
Retail for the holidays
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Garden centers transform themselves into destinations for fall and Christmas The months leading up to December can lead to a slowdown in business at many garden centers, as gardening activity decreases. But some retailers have made these months quite profitable, and without going too far off mission, if at all. After all, nurseries and garden […]
Beauty from the ground up
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These bulbs offer great color and fragrance with disease resistance, and some are native to boot When gardeners, landscapers and restoration managers look to buy bulbs, they’re finding exceptional and versatile material that meets their design goals and gardening aspirations. Breeders and growers are providing an outstanding selection of commercial bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, corms, […]
Green from the ground up
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Whether the customers are landscapers or retailers, the most sought-after characteristics in ground cover plants for pathways and walkways are the same. People want low-growing, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, evergreen, flowering, noninvasive, deer-tolerant, durable and — gaining in popularity — rabbit-resistant plants. And it would be nice if they could also help with the dishes! Customers […]
Satisfying in small spaces
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Trees, conifers and weepers that fit the bill with beauty, versatility and easy maintenance Smaller yards haven’t changed homeowners’ need for shade or beauty. But, they have changed what will fit into a yard, which has changed the market and by extension, growers’ business focus. We asked growers to share favorite selections of small trees, […]
Digging in to edibles
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Ornamental edibles continue to change the rules of landscape design The back-to-the-land movement in the 1970s prompted young people to move in droves to rural settings to try their hand at modern homesteading- — growing their own food, living sustainably and mastering animal husbandry. Decades later, the echoes of that movement were heard in urban […]
Remarkable annuals
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Annual bedding and garden plant sales represent approximately 70 percent of the total U.S. bedding and garden category, according to the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Services, totaling $1.29 billion out of $1.86 billion wholesale. Annuals pick up where perennials leave off, providing colorful foliage and flower displays inside the season. Customers are continuously searching for […]
Trees for screens
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Living screens are as versatile as they are varied. They hide the neighbors, block ugly views, provide backdrops and create garden rooms. Originally, though, screens were used to hem in livestock. When humans made the leap from hunter-gatherers to start an agrarian lifestyle, they prevented animals from wandering by using living screens left behind as […]
Mulching in containers
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With timely and full application, hazelnut shells and other mulches can keep weeds at bay Weeds. They can be like urban wildlife, with endless amounts of time to find the weaknesses in your domicile to one day become uninvited houseguests. Through drain holes, in small piles of woody debris and in bark — as tubers, […]
Grower guidance vs. customer demand
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Sometimes customers want one thing and climate wants another, but this dilemma presents opportunities for the grower If Mick Jagger had been a horticulturist, he might have sung, “You can’t always plant what you want.” Case in point: Sean Hogan, owner of Cistus Nursery (Portland, Oregon), was driving home from work in late August and […]