What would you like to see at a Garden Center?

What kind of flowers do you want to see? Do you want more education? Someone to answer questions? Someone to give you gardening tips?

 

I like a big selection of plants and colors as well as some "different" plants. I get turned off if the sales people are pushy or lie to me to get me to buy something (that HAS happened!)
Gardening tips are always nice and it is best when they are knowledgeable about the products they sell.

 

actually, I'd love to see LOTS of edibles, and ready information on growing them, using them, and emloyees who have real experience with them.

 

Employees with both knowledge and practical experience.

 

Knowledge and practical experience would be great. I have to agree with Griphook on this one.
I also know that I will sound selfish - but - I would like a garden centre to also reflect and retail only the type of plants that are endemic to the region where it is located. This will help stampt out the problem that is sometimes caused by people who indiscriminately plant aliens to the detriment of the environment.

 

I agree wholeheartedly! And I'd love to see some plants that are not run-of-the-mill ones. When all nurseries carry the same plants, we have to order special ones from elsewhere.

A better selection of edibles would be very welcome too.

 

I would like to garden centers to hire people that have knowledge of gardens. Most just hire seasonal people that have no idea what they are talking about. The garden centers should educate them about the zone that they are working in so that they can answer our questions better.

 

I would love to see more edibles and also as said so often already, staff that know what they are selling and can advise for the area that you live in and the soil conditions etc, thank goodness for the Stew for helping us sort out these questions. I would also like to see plants that are properly looked after while in their care ( orchids are my pet hate at garden centres they're always over watered!!)Some plants you buy need some TLC to get them back to good health.

 

Well, you know i'm for more edibles! But, i would LOVE to see more Heirloom and O/P types of edibles. I know they sell the hybrids because they are thinking of future sells and hybrids are bred for more disease and so on and so on but, that only limits you to certain types when there are just so many out there.

 

That's right, more heirlooms. Around here the only heirloom you will ever see at a nursery is Bradywine. If its not Bush, they don't sell it.

 

I love having knowledgable customer service people and a nursery with a wide variety of water garden plants, ornamentals and vegetables. The Farmer's Market is also a wonderful resource for garden shopping.

I wonder what happened to the local heirloom varieties that I used to save my own seed or be able to find locally. The local (Pacific Northwest) seed companies no longer carry them, and they are on "back order" from Seeds of Change in the Southwest (the only place I could find to order heirlooms I used to grow).

 

I know we are getting off the topic here, but a great seed company that grows for the PNW region & has heirlooms is the Territorial Seed Company. There's one that sells heirlooms out of Port Townsend too...

 

I'd like to see a better variety of perennial flowers. I don't want the same things everyone in the neighborhood has been growing for years! Catalogs have lots of variety, but i have had so much trouble with shipped plants. Would LOVE to see that kind of variety at a garden center where I could choose the perfect ones and buy a nice healthy start.

 

I agree with everyone here! I hate the fact that the employees haven't a clue and that they mistreat the plants. Also, I think if they would reduce the prices a little bit they would sell more$$$
I'm having a difficult time finding SMALL house plants for a terrarium or dish garden.