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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, lifestyle, nurseryperson on 2008-03-25, 06:05:26
I was asked today, does this blog help my business? I don’t know. It has morphed far beyond what I might have originally envisioned. We have a web page that we like to think of as our virtual store front. This is where you go to sign up for our e-news, learn about plants, or [...]
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, media on 2008-03-10, 11:24:20
Over at Garden Rant Elizabeth ask, “Are we in the middle of a gardening revolution?” She sites a number of gardening articles at various newspapers that all speak to this new awareness, especially in vegetable gardening.
What I find amusing is that all of these main stream media outlets save one, cite “pinching pennies” as one [...]
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, Controversy, The Big Boys on 2008-02-13, 08:23:43
Some posts just keep on giving. Two that have gotten attention well after they day they we’re posted are about two on companies having problems with their business. Aquascapes is the largest supplier of pond related products in the U.S. Greg Wittstock, the CEO started a blog called Pondemonium in which he details his thinking on what is up with the company. Reading the comments from Greg’s supporters as well as his detractors is an excellent lesson for any CEO considering a blog. Greg even mentions here about quitting the blog because of the reactions. He asks, “Here’s the ultimate blog question to all of you in blog heaven or hell. Should I just button up and close this blog down? Or should I continue to reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes with running any business? You tell me.”
Another post is about Hines Nurseries, one of the largest wholesale plant growers in the U.S. They have been having financial problems and we’re de-listed on the stock exchange about a half a year ago. Commenter Robert Jones has some of the latest on what’s up with the company. He says, “Hines may be going up on the ‘For Sale’ block soon! Rumor has it that a small financial group lead by a former Hines employee is charging ahead with a offer to purchase the failing dirt pile that today’s upper management has created.”
It’s interesting to see these two one time powerhouse companies as they try to steer a course through the choppy waters of doing business these days. Concerning Hines, I had always thought what Robert stated, “… maybe someone with some intellect will look at the crappy business model that creates the illusion of actually making money by selling lower to box stores than it costs to grow the plants! I could never figure that one out!” I can’t either!
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, nursery, retail on 2008-02-01, 07:54:15
Here is an interesting piece on how to attract Generation X and Y to the garden center. It is written by Ian Baldwin, a well known nursery consultant. The piece I have linked to is written by a Generation X worker in the horticultural industry. Be sure to follow the links to read the original article by Ian.
One thing that stood out was Ian’s recommendation to, “write an active blog with your name all over it. You want their 24hour blog scan to pick up on key phrases like ‘party’, ‘puppies’, ‘new home’, ‘decorate’, ‘wellness’, ‘organic’, ‘fresh’, ‘first holiday at home’, and so on.” I don’t know about trying to fill the blog with key phrases to attract search engines. It’s easier to just write what’s on you mind, and let the story speak for it self. Never the less its good to see the value of blogs being recognized by the industry.
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, lifestyle on 2008-01-30, 15:58:55
From the comments I received at the last post it would appear that we are all ready for the idea that vegetable and fruit growing will be on the rise. Genie mentioned that the resurgence in vegetable gardening may be partly because we “have the Food Network to thank for some of this. People are learning how to cook better, and therefore want better ingredients, and a lot of that is because they’re being exposed to cooking in a way they hadn’t ever before.” I think Genie is correct. I have always found the Food Network a source of interesting programming and have spent time watching Emeril, Bobby Flay, and the rest. I think however that the real action is on the Internet. Lets face it, we are a voyeuristic society and find it fun to see what our neighbors are up to. That’s why I think its more fun to see what Genie or Melinda have cooked up. People want to be a part of a community, and its a lot easier to be a part of a food bloggers community than Bobby Flays.
I noticed that Melinda is involved in a “dark days of winter” food challenge. Here are the rules, “eat 90% local for every meal, an average of 50% from the garden. If we can’t get something local, we’ll purchase bulk and organic from a local supplier. Coffee, tea, spices and sugar will be organic, sustainable harvested and fair trade whenever possible. (There are some exceptions for traveling when we do.)” What I take away from this is her enthusiasm for the challenge. Its not a drag to do these things, but fun!It’s a challenge and its fun to see if you can do it. Gardening and eating local can be fun? Who would have guessed.
Here is why I think this stuff will lead to a growth in vegetable and fruit gardening. We’re talking about it! People are talking and sharing. Its so much easier to comment at a garden/food blog than at HGTV. Sure they accept e-mail but do you really think Emeril is going to write back? Community is built by a back and forth between community members. That back and forth is easily facilitated by blogging. This acts as a magnet for other people who feel the same way. Its starting to happen. Like Top Veg said “It is interesting to see how everything is coming together - to bring the increased interest in gardening. It is certainly happening in the UK.” It’s happening here, too.
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, Controversy, The Big Boys on 2008-01-18, 11:38:26
It would seem that we are starting to see more heads of larger concerns starting blogs. One notable example is Greg Wittstock owner of Aquascapes, the number one supplier of pond equipment. We talked about it here. Unfortunately Greg had to start, or started his blog because his company got into some financial problems. Doesn’t matter, because at least now he is out their trying to explain his reasoning for doing what he has done. Greg had to lay off some employees recently, and I bet there are times when Greg wishes he had turned off the comment function at his blog. Some of the ex-employees visit the blog and give Greg a piece of their mind. It makes for great reading for those of us interested in how business works.
Another new blog, at least for me, is also from the world of horticulture. Its Heronswood Voice, written by George Ball. I ended up there after George said some nice things about my blog. George Ball, if you didn’t know owns Burpee Seed as well as Heronswood, the much discussed nursery founded by plantsman Dan Hinkley and architect Robert Jones in 1987. There are passionate feeling about the subject and no mincing of words when it comes to some peoples feeling about Burpee and George. I never really got into the situation at Heronswood since until just a couple of years ago I hadn’t even heard of it. Yes its true, I had little knowledge of Dan Hinkley or Heronswood until the fuss over the sale. Most of my knowledge of the place was gathered at Garden Rant where there have been numerous discussions of the subject and the comments have been generally negative of George and Burpee.
Whatever you think of the Heronswood situation, it’s good to see George out there talking. After all, I have been harping about how important a blog is to a business, especially a large one where people often feel a disconnect with the ownership of the business. Scotts CEO Jim Hagedorn would be well advised to start one about now. I think the disconnect that a lot of people are feeling with Scotts could be discussed through a blog, but back to George and his blog. I wanted to leave a comment, but there is no comment feature. I like having the comment feature turned “on” because thats what starts a “conversation”. Of course I don’t run a multi-million dollar enterprise, despite what Stuart thinks. If I did it might just be too much to deal with all the comments. The solution is to allow trackbacks at the end of each post. One of the most popular bloggers around, Seth Godin, does not allow comments at his blog but does have the trackback feature. That way if you want to comment on something he has said you can, on your own blog, and it will show up as a trackback. This is another way to have a “conversation” without having to answer the comments, yet allowing people to have their say.
Welcome to the blogroll George. Come on over anytime, and feel free to participate.
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging on 2008-01-17, 09:16:55
Word comes from Stuart of the passing of Andee at Gardener in Chacala . Andee visited my blog now and then, usually leaving a comment. I loved the pictures she would post from Mexico. During the winter these pictures would make me jealous, as she lived in a most beautiful place.
It is nice know that the garden blogging community really is a community. I never met Andee “in person” but she was a friend none the less, and I will miss her visits. Thanks go to her son who took the time to let us know about her passing. Per his wishes I will be extra nice to the cats today and next time I have a Coke I’ll toast her memory.
Adios, Andee
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, Small is Cool, independent, nursery, nurseryman, retail on 2008-01-12, 09:00:31
My blog, which started as just a way for me to talk to my potential customers as blossomed into something more. I realized this after someone ended up at my site after Googgling “we want to start a nursery”. Low and behold it is, as of this writing the first site to show up. I have been getting more and more interest from people who want to know what it means to start and run a small nursery or garden center. Of course I am still trying to figure that out, but I do realize that some of the stuff I take for granted is of great interest to someone just starting out.
This year I am going to try and give you a feel for what some of the day to day issues that come up in a small garden center are. Maybe it will help you decide if this business is right for you. I don’t have all the answers. No nursery person does. Its through sharing that we will all be more successful in our efforts. I have received invaluable advice from this blog. Fellow nuserypeople as well as enthusiastic gardeners have given me advice as well as inspiration which we have acted on. Being open this spring seven days a week was one such result of reader feedback.
I invite everyone to participate. If you are a gardener but don’t feel your ideas would be appreciated by a professional, you are wrong! Its your advice that I need to help design a better garden center experience. I also appreciate professional advice from people who have been where I find myself now in my garden center career. Realize that while I appreciate your advice there are others who are visiting this blog who are also listening and learning. By helping me you will be helping lots of people who still find this profession interesting and worth while. The challenges are many but through our “connection” we will be able to meet those challenges and enthusiastically work together to create the “garden scene” of the future. I see a gardening revolution taking place as we speak! Revolutions are generally messy and uncertain, but at the other end I see a stronger “garden scene” that we will all remember because we we’re there at the Renaissance.
All right, enough of that. Monica is giving me that look that says “get off that computer and let’s get to work”. It’s off to the first working day of the new year. Cheers!
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Via The Blogging Nurseryman - The Art of Running a Small Garden Center or Nursery)
Posted by admin to Blogging, retail on 2008-01-10, 09:13:36
Over at Garden Rant Amy has posted a survey asking “who are Garden Rant Readers?” Head on over and take the survey.
Amy, one of the writers for Garden Rant was nice enough to mention my blog in her latest post. Needless to say I am excited and proud that she actually reads my blog. Nothing strokes a bloggers ego more than being mentioned by another blogger, especially one who I have always looked to as an example of a great writer. Amy has her own blog and it was there where she caught wind of my blog a couple of years ago, and posted on it. That was where I found out about the larger world of garden blogging, which I wasn’t aware of then and I thank Amy for that.
I am passionate about business blogs. If you have a business and are not blogging I think you are missing out. Small business especially can benefit from the conversation that blogging brings. Its a way to let your customers and potential customers know about who you are and what your business is all about. It gives the small business a equal footing with the big players, as they hardly ever will be able to blog in a really honest and open way. Corporate culture just won’t allow the honesty necessary to produce an interesting blog. There are to many “secrets” that can’t be reveled.
The future of business, especially small business is in not having any secrets. The customer we are trying to attract wants to know more about the business they shop at. They want to make sure that the money they spend not only buys the “stuff” they want but also supports the type of business they like. Blogs are a way to let the customer know what the business stands for. Its also a way for the customer to respond, as long as you allow comments.
The future of small business is to reduce the feeling of “us” (business) and “them” (customers), and increase the felling of “we”. Small business needs customers who will spread the word about the great new business they have discovered. One way to help spread that word is through a business blog. When I Google a business I am interested in I look to see if there is a blog and check that out. Its generally less buttoned down than the company web site, and a more honest look at who runs the company.
Now that I have been blogging for a few years I am starting to see a lot more horticultural professionals visiting my blog. This is cool as our industry tends to be a bit slow when it comes to change. Never the less I have built this blog on my relationship with non-professional gardeners. They are the customers that give me the vital feedback to build our business. They may not actually ever visit my “physical” location, but I consider them my customers never the less.
P.S. The above picture was one of the last of our vacation. We really enjoyed our coastal adventure from L.A. to S.F. It has rejuvenated us and now we are actually looking forward to getting back to work.
