Garden Center's top 10 posts of December 2015

With December - and the year - coming to a close, we're presenting a collection of the most popular content on our site from the past month. We compiled this Top 10 list by reviewing page views and ranking posts by the highest amount of clicks. Follow the links below to revisit the content that engaged our readers the most this month:

1. 'What we do matters' 

Julie Kouhia worked for American Express, Starbucks and Amazon before becoming COO of Molbak’s Garden + Home a decade ago. Now as CEO, she talks about why they stopped growing plants to focus on retail and other “growing” opportunities.

2. The Top 100 IGCs of 2015

A list of the 100 most successful North American Independent Garden Centers of 2015.

3. Catering to a maturing market

Aging gardeners aren’t ready to give up gardening, but their transition to new life stages may call for adjustments — for them and for you.

4. (Video) A gangbusters Girl's Night Out

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville, Wash., draws more than 1,000 women for its Girls' Night Out holiday shopping and socializing events in November.

5. Pantone breaks mold, announces two colors for 2016

Rose Quartz and Serenity are the new trending hues, and part of the inspiration for the selection was found in a garden.

6. Deciding to deliver

With online shopping becoming a standard across retail, garden centers are weighing options for e-commerce and shipping.

7. (Video) How Swansons Nursery celebrates the holidays

The garden center in Seattle, Wash., focuses on attractions and activities for kids and families, including a live camel and a model train scene.

8. From gloves to garments: Garden garb’s ongoing evolution

For fashion and foliage lovers, the past two decades have seen big changes in garden apparel.

9. Then & Now: State of the Industry Report 2015

The 2015 State of the Industry Report reveals that the garden center retail industry is continuing to grow and recover since the recent recession. We compared the data and findings to what was happening two — and 20 — years ago.

10. (Video) Rebuilding a business

Sky Nursery managers on why they decided to rebuild their greenhouse and store in Shoreline, Wash., and the benefits of an updated facility.

Photo credit: CEO of Molbak’s Garden Center Julie Kouhia poses at the store on Nov. 20, 2015. Photo by Meryl Schenker.