2011 National Gardening Survey with Ian Baldwin's commentary now available from National Gardening Association

For the first time in the 33-year history of the National Gardening Survey, the National Gardening Association turned to an external analyst, Ian Baldwin, to add commentary and recommendations.

Baldwin,a contributing editor for Garden Center magazine, digs deep into the wealth of survey data and reaches out to growers, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers with his unique inside-the-industry perspective. His core message? There is a growing disconnect between the way most suppliers and retailers operate and the way the consumer increasingly wants to be catered to.

“Business as usual” will not be a winning strategy in the future, Baldwin said, and unless all parties in all channels quickly adapt their way of creating, marketing and selling garden products and services, the industry is in for a challenging decade. "Given the demographics in the USA, the opportunities are huge," he said. "but only for companies that listen, respond and stay focused on the needs of the emerging consumer."