Cleaning up some old email today, I ran across a teaser news release from the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) announcing the release of their 2007 Summer Gardening Trends Research Report. I see these from time to time and find some of their questions of the ‘duh’ variety or just not of interest. But this one caught my eye:
In early spring, the GWAF asked consumers where they planned to buy most of their spring plants. In a surprising response, more households indicated they planned to shop at garden centers and local stores (47%) as compared to DIY and mass merchants (44%). This change in planned shopping patterns represented a significant shift from prior years.
In a June survey, The GWAF asked consumers where they actually purchased most of their spring plants. Consumers confirmed that garden centers or local gardening stores got most (43%) of their business while mass merchants and DIY stores came in second (39%).
Maybe gardeners are starting to understand that everyday low prices aren’t necessarily a bargain. The survey also reminded me of this infographic from The Onion:
I am just one person, but I admit that I didn’t go to big-box stores for plants last year at all. I did make a couple of purchases (ornamental grasses @ $6.99 per gallon pot… it was like a shot to the heart) at Home Depot, but only because I was there to buy hardware that I couldn’t find at my local store. This year, I haven’t been there at all.
While I go the the big stores less and less, I still check them out for annuals and late season impulse buys. But over the last few years, they get my business LAST-after I check all the local mom and pop places for the healthier plants/better selection. Then I try the “marts'” for whatever I couldn’t find, or a couple filler items. I just can’t stand the rude little gum-snapping, hair-twirling twits that work these places, and the way they let everything dry and wither. (Heh…don’t get me started, eh?)
Lisa: I use the same strategy. I figure anything that can survive at a big box store until mid or late summer is a survivor. I have to admit that one of our big box stores actually has pretty healthy (if unimaginative) plants and a decent staff.