HIGH Expectations!

by Danny Summers

As spring winds down and Group Centers begin to promote summer activities and events, we also have major trade shows in our sights. The Group will focus on both Cultivate'26 and Farwest'26. Both of these are listed below in our Retailers' Choice Awards signups. Be sure to participate if you will be at either.

New Plant Varieties and Products Galore
Both events feature large numbers of new plant varieties and new product showcases highlighting what can be found throughout the show floor. It's a great place to begin your search for great new items. Here are a couple of things we already know to expect to find...

Get Connected in Cleveland!

by Danny Summers

Registration is Now Open! We're excited to share all the exciting details for The Fall Event 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio–and we hope you can join us

Connections matter.

They shape how we engage with our audiences. They help connect customers to the experiences of nature, gardening, and plants. And they create opportunities for growth through meaningful relationships with fellow members of The Garden Center Group.

Memorial Day sales pivot to heat-tolerant landscapes and edible harvests as summer gardening peak arrives.

Reporting period: May 21 – May 27, 2026

By the numbers

Market overview

Independent garden retailers are currently bridging the gap between spring planting and summer maintenance, using the Memorial Day holiday to clear annual inventory while introducing heat-hardy perennials. We see a significant shift toward 'solution-oriented' retailing, where shops are bundling plants with expert advice on pest prevention, climate resilience, and water-wise gardening. This strategy aims to keep foot traffic consistent as shoppers move from the initial planting rush into a season focused on outdoor living and home-grown harvests.

Your Rx... as Close as Your Garden Center

by Danny Summers

This overall subject is not new to The Group. It has become a pillar of who our Garden Centers are since 2020 or even prior. From Florence Williams' The Nature Fix story in 2021 to numerous blog messages and Group conversations, the benefits of gardening and plants continue to gain acceptance.

But, over the recent months, we have began to see the focus on how nature can benefit our lives intensify. It is now becoming even at a prescription level!

The Group Intel Report: May 13-May 20, 2026

Pollinator awareness and Memorial Day readiness drive a nationwide shift toward high-performance summer color and heat-hardy perennials.

Reporting period: May 13 – May 20, 2026

By the numbers

Market overview

Independent garden retailers are pivoting from spring planting to summer endurance, heavily promoting 'heat-loving' annuals and drought-tolerant perennials as temperatures rise. Many businesses are integrating lifestyle elements—such as boutique fashion and food truck events—to transform garden centers into social destinations during the peak shopping season. There is a notable emphasis on educational content, particularly regarding pollinator support and pest management, to build long-term customer success.

Customer Connections

by Danny Summers

A lot has changed in the way Garden Centers communicate with their audience. If we travel back to around the time The Group was formed in 2000, we would see Centers using a combination of direct mail, local newspapers, and the emerging use of email, with support from basic, relatively new websites.

Today, websites have certainly morphed into dynamic presentation tools, with more interaction with live inventory and buying options.

The Stars of the 2nd Season

by Danny Summers

The ideas for this message actually began back in June of 2023. Seth Reed, then Sales & Marketing Manager for Ball/Darwin Perennials, asked me to invite some of our best-performing Garden Centers in the Perennials Category to come to the Darwin Perennials Day to share details of how they position Perennials. They did a wonderful job, and it was a great experience.

One of the observations I came away with from their presentations was...

Newton's Third Law of Motion... at Retail?

by Danny Summers

The idea for this message began with the way a clock pendulum swings from one side to the other. Whether you are looking at styles and colors in apparel, paint colors for home decor and furniture, or even cars, next year will they be more square or rounded in the newest styles, one thing that is consistent... is change.

Ever heard someone say, "If you don't like the way [it] is (substitute any topic you like for "it" here), just wait. That too will change." Certainly, styles come and go, and many even return. This is where the reference to How the Pendulum Swings or Newton's Third Law of Motion comes in.

Get Connected at The Fall Event 2026

by Danny Summers

At the very core of The Garden Center Group, Connection is central to what we do, together. Through the numerous forms of sharing in The Group, whether emailing through any of our 16 eLists to connect with peers or all the numbers shared in our Weekly Department Review, or our annual gathering, The Fall Event, the word Connection describes what is happening within our community.

The word Connection is one I have also used often here in GROUPtalk and in blog messages.

The Benefits of Being Consistent

by Danny Summers

What are the REAL BENEFITS of being CONSISTENT?

Years ago, Dan Parsons, a senior CPA who served an association that Karen and I managed for 18 years, made a comment that has stuck with me: "In bookkeeping, if you are wrong, it is best to at least be consistently wrong."

Knowing What's Possible - Part 2

by Danny Summers

In Part 1 last week, we covered the Annual P&L Study for 2025 and the first level of awards, the High Achiever Awards. While Tim Quebedeaux shared the overall benchmarking results from the 2025 study in The Group's March session, we announced the winning Centers for the High Achiever Awards here in GROUPtalk last week. If you missed that, you can catch up HERE.

And now, for the next level of awards, Tim provided this introduction into the Best Practices level...

Knowing What's Possible

by Danny Summers

For Garden Center Owners, it is understandable to wonder and have these thoughts...

• "How are we doing compared to others?"
• "If sales are up (or down), is everyone else similar?"
• "How is our profit compared to others?"
• "Are we as efficient as we can be?"

All of these concerns are typical, but one of the most important questions is...

Displaying Confidence

Rachel's New VM Course is Ready!

A Visual Merchandising Program for Independent Garden Centers
Displaying Confidence is a visual merchandising training + community experience designed specifically for independent garden centers that want their store to feel more inspiring and more shoppable, and be more profitable. Your staff will learn foundational merchandising skills and how to cultivate self leadership in a high-profile role.

Created by Rachel Reynolds of Birds Eye Visual Merchandising (former garden center employee + seasoned nursery visual merchandiser), this program teaches garden center owners and staff how to create intentional, beautiful, high-converting displays that help customers buy more, feel more confident, and stay longer in the store.

The Search for Amazing!

by Danny Summers

Last week, I shared a blog post through our main eList GroupEs featuring Ball Publishing's video coverage of the California Spring Trials 2026 (aka: CAST) as they visited each site and the participating genetics firms.

Each morning after their previous day's tour, they shared what they found in video, how each new introduction was unique and why each new plant impressed them. A special THANK YOU to Chris Beytes, Jen Zurko, and Bill Calkins for guiding us through all the Amazing Plants and Osvaldo Cuevas for his professional videography!

California Trials 2026

Coverage by Ball Publishing's GrowerTalks

Most Garden Centers do not attend the California Trails in-person, but you can see what's coming in new plants through the GrowerTalks coverage. Chris Beytes, Jen Zurko, and Bill Calkins provide your best seat to not only read but to see their video coverage.

This is a preview of what we will see at upcoming trade shows and the exceptional new plants that may be selected by you for the Retailers' Choice Awards or Cool Product Awards!

Who Is the Real Customer of Your Garden Center’s Online Store?

by Souny Kennedy

A recent order inside the E-Commerce Connect network made us stop and think. The order totaled $1,900—all placed in a single transaction with larger quantities of plants. When we first saw it, our initial thought was simple: maybe it’s a homeowner tackling a major landscape project. That certainly happens. Many passionate gardeners will invest heavily when redesigning a yard or installing new beds.

But it also raised a bigger question - Who is the real customer of your garden center’s online store?

Round-Up... for a Cause!

by Danny Summers

Your Garden Center may have local or favorite "causes" that you promote, fundraise for, and get involved in throughout the year. Do you know we actually have one for our industry, including Garden Retailing? It's Seed Your Future.

Most Centers have had challenges filling staff positions over the last few years. Yet, we have a growing audience of consumers who love nature.

Plugged In: The Value of Being Connected

by Danny Summers

Some weeks, things simply come together for this message. It becomes obvious what I should share by what is in my notes for the week.

Events that have happened that we can share results, new programs that are or will be available soon, and even things that have developed from what we have done in the past, all bring important details to share with you here in GROUPtalk and in our blog.