Real Group Connections!

by Danny Summers

Real human connections can occur in numerous ways, but the most effective way is face-to-face. To be ultimately successful, this takes a commitment to be open and care about the other person in the discussion.

The image you see above was our Fall Event Group Photo taken each year. This was shot last Wednesday morning, just before we boarded our buses for The Fall Event 2026 Tour in Cleveland, OH.

Group Connections... in the Palm of Your Hand!

by Danny Summers

It's time for all Group Centers to take the next step in Group Connections designed for your everyday use... The Garden Center Group App. Yes, our new App is now available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you are...

    •    Group Clients... use the App 24/7/365!
    •    Partner for Success, Sponsor, or Guest Retailer attending The Fall Event 2026... use the App during The Fall Event 2026 for the program and engagement throughout the event.

Here's an overview for both everyday use by Group Centers and those attending The Fall Event 2026:

Super Connections

by Danny Summers

Connections.

It's one of the defining words for The Fall Event 2026 and a perfect reflection of what The Garden Center Group is all about today.

At The Fall Event 2026, Connections will begin with our Keynote presentation featuring Chris Bashinelli...

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.

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.

What's New?

by Danny Summers

In many ways, we live in a world of "What's New?" Retail in general thrives in the search for "What's New?" Whether it's automobiles, apparel, technology, web technologies, or social platforms, they all constantly strive to show us "What's New?"

In the world of Horticulture, much of our world of "What's New?" revolves around New Plants. If you have been in the industry very long, can you remember a time when you were at a trade show, walking down the aisle and seeing an amazing new plant for the very first time? If so, that new plant made a real impression on you. And depending on how impactful that new plant has been, it is most likely one of the impressions you will remember for a long time.

Get Wiser!

by Danny Summers

The idea is simple. Every day is an opportunity for us to learn something new, to build upon the knowledge and experiences we have gained. And every learning experience adds to our ability to Get Wiser!

I have shared messages before on the goal of Life-Long Learning. Every week, our Group shares experiences, ideas, and advice that help all of us to grow. This happens in many ways throughout the year, it comes through emails, Zoom Sessions, one-on-one conversations, at industry events and of course at The Fall Event!

Excitement Ahead!

by Danny Summers

Here we are in Week 15 and that means you are most likely already feeling the excitement of busy Spring Weeks. But at the same time we have some Excitement Ahead here in The Group!

This Thursday - GROUPtalk LIVE
Rachel Reynolds presents...

The Group Experience

by Danny Summers

The Group Experience is multi-faceted. When someone outside The Group asks me what we do, the discussion progresses in multiple directions. Of course, I usually give a brief story on how The Group came together and the beginning stages of our financial sharing and benchmarking programs.

The conversation usually then moves on to all the areas of peer-to-peer sharing, through our WebSystem and all our 12+ different eLists. And of course, I talk about interaction with our Team of Service Providers as well.

Connections

by Danny Summers

Being connected can be one of the most beneficial assets for each of us. And when you consider how we are connected here through The Group and what a tremendous bank of knowledge and resources we have collectively, the idea of Connections means even more.

When I see the image above and the hand touching the surface of the water and in doing so creating a ripple effect, this is symbolic of one person here in The Group, reaching out and starting a conversation. For instance, by sending a single email through one of our eLists – we'll use GroupEs as an example. This one email, almost instantly, is delivered to over 700 mailboxes! This is when the conversation with connections begins and the knowledge and experience are shared.