Garden Center web news and social media highlights from November 2018

Multimedia | Video

Goal met

This past summer during two industry events, Spring Meadow Nursery announced it had surpassed its goal to raise $1 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) through The Invincibelle Spirit Campaign for a Cure. The initiative was established about a decade ago, with $1 from every sale of the Proven Winners ColorChoice Invincibelle Spirit and Invincibelle Spirit II hydrangeas going toward the foundation. During the IGC Show in Chicago, Natalie Carmolli, PR specialist for Spring Meadow, thanked retailers for their part in helping to raise money for breast cancer research and shared more details about the campaign.

Watch it here: bit.ly/SpringMeadowVideo

What’s trending on social media

Facebook: When Hurricane Michael smashed the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 10, it was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The storm continued after hitting Florida, barreling up through Georgia and into the Carolinas and Virginia. Garden Center, along with sister publications Greenhouse Management and Nursery Management magazines, reached out to retailers, growers, nurseries and other horticulture industry businesses in the affected areas to find out how recovery efforts were going. Readers responded to this article, which included an interview with Greenbrier Nurseries owner Jim Monroe, whose business in pictured here, on Facebook.

Watch it here: bit.ly/FBHurricaneMichael

Your turn

Each month, we ask readers a different question about their retail operations, inviting them to answer via email or social media. You can send your answers to editor Michelle Simakis at msimakis@gie.net.

This month’s question

“Which houseplant is your best-selling and most popular?”

Answers to this question will be published in a future issue of Garden Center.

5 stories in brief: Top industry news from our website

IGC’s new home

After more than a decade at Navy Pier, IGC Show announced it will be moving to Lakeside | McCormick in 2019. bit.ly/IGC2019

Toss your coupons

Highlights from retail consultant Bob Negen’s keynote at the 2018 IGC Show.
bit.ly/IGCNegen

Exclusively online

Flagstaff Native Plant and Seed closes its retail location, moves all garden center sales online. bit.ly/NativeOnlineOnly

Dale Bachman retires

The CEO officially retired after 46 years at Bachman’s, but will remain chairman of the board.
bit.ly/DaleRetires

Bailey acquisition

Bailey Nurseries announced it was acquiring Oregon-based nursery Carlton Plants.
bit.ly/BaileyCarlton