Inspiration

Jennifer Polanz

It often lurks around corners, jumping out at you when you least expect it. Sometimes it surfaces wherever you do your best thinking. Or during dinner or a round of drinks with friends. Regardless of where it happens, it’s best to take heed and explore the new idea.

I’ll tell you an inspiration I had recently while finishing up a presentation for the South Dakota Nursery & Landscape Association (which, by the way, is a wonderful group of people who I thoroughly enjoyed meeting). In a slide on how retailers can assert their edge with the edibles segment, inspiration found me. What if independent retailers started an Edibles Club that welcomed gardeners of all stages—from newbie to master?

The club could meet in the early spring for instruction on starting seeds, then reconvene later in spring to talk about transplanting starts into the ground. The late spring/early summer meeting would focus on pest and disease control, and the late summer would emphasize proper harvesting procedures, as well as where extra food can be donated. The fall get-together would include canning and freezing, and yet another could be a taste-testing activity so club members could share their bounty and their experience growing that particular variety.

Of course, you have to infuse some meetings with recipes, visits from local chefs and perhaps even a food truck. And don’t forget the drink recipes and taste-testing!

Now you’ve created a community around a segment of your garden center, who’ll be coming to your store multiple times throughout the year and viewing you as the expert. The club could even have its own newsletter that follows up the meeting in case some missed it. I’m sure there are more facets of the idea that I’m missing—feel free to fill in the blanks. And if you like this idea, by all means, take it and run with it.

Before you do that, though, make sure you peruse the rest of this magazine for more inspirations. There’s no shortage of ideas and new products within these pages that could spark something new for you to pursue:

• Be inspired vicariously through GrowerTalks Managing Editor Jen Zurko and her photo guide to IPM Essen’s coolest concepts.

• Find out how potted plants can inspire your customers to expand their gardening with Editor Ellen C. Wells’ story.

• Find out the latest trends and new products we picked up at multiple shows over the last two months and game-changing technology for retail.

• And finally, you can be the inspiration that entices someone to garden. Find out the importance of content marketing.