It's one of the defining words for The Fall Event 2026 and a perfect reflection of what The Garden Center Group is all about today.
At The Fall Event 2026, Connections will begin with our Keynote presentation featuring Chris Bashinelli...
Reporting period: July 16 – July 22, 2026
| Posts analyzed 322 | |
| Retailers 47 | |
| Promotions 39 | |
| Events 44 | |
| Product mentions 170 |
Independent garden retailers are currently navigating the peak summer heat by emphasizing deep-watering techniques and irrigation tools while simultaneously clearing space via 'Christmas in July' and tropical inventory sales. To sustain foot traffic during the sultry mid-season, stores are leaning heavily into experience-based events, ranging from kid-friendly art festivals to sophisticated 'Sip and Shop' sessions. This period marks a critical transition where retailers are balancing the immediate needs of heat-stressed landscapes with the first strategic moves toward fall vegetable gardening and bulb pre-orders.
Reporting period: July 9 – July 15, 2026
| Posts analyzed 298 | |
| Retailers 46 | |
| Promotions. 34 | |
| Events 42 | |
| Product mentions 189 |
Independent garden retailers are currently navigating the 'dog days' of summer by blending high-heat maintenance education with sunset-driven social events. While perennial sales dominate the promotional landscape to clear inventory, savvy retailers are shifting from purely functional gardening to lifestyle-oriented experiences like 'Sangria and Succulents' to maintain foot traffic during peak temperatures.
Are you aware of our July GROUPtalk LIVE Session scheduled for tomorrow? Group Owner, Michael Fiore, Smith's Gardentown, will share how they are attracting large numbers of people to the content they post across social media. The session title is:
The magic formula for attracting attention (or some might say... GOING VIRAL) could easily be considered a complex and often moving target.
Columbus, OH, July 13, 2026: Retailers’ Choice Awards™ were presented to 13 exhibiting firms for 15 products at Cultivate’26 in Columbus, OH on July 13, 2026.
The Garden Center Group’s Danny Summers and Tim Quebedeaux led the search as Garden Retailers selected the best new products to bring excitement and noteworthy interest to their stores in the coming season. Following is a list of firms (presented A-Z) and the products receiving recognition. You may download a full recap below.
As a follow-up to last week's message, there is growing evidence in the media today that large companies that cut their workforce and replaced workers with AI-based systems are starting to put things in REVERSE. Here's just one news report I have seen over the last few weeks...
It's an Inc Magazine article. The author notes that most businesses today say they use some form of AI in their operations. It then mentions firms that simultaneously downsize their workforce.
Reporting period: June 25 – July 1, 2026
| Posts analyzed 316 | |
| Retailers 47 | |
| Promotions 35 | |
| Events 51 | |
| Product mentions 135 |
Retailers are currently navigating a dual challenge of extreme summer heat and a major patriotic milestone, shifting operations toward early-morning hours and high-durability plant varieties. Beyond traditional gardening, stores are leaning into experiential retail—ranging from food truck clusters to gem mining—to maintain foot traffic during the temperature spikes that typically deter outdoor shopping. This week signals a transition from spring planting to high-summer 'survival' and celebratory hosting aesthetics.
You may not know this, but I love clocks.
If you asked me how it all started, I'd tell you about sitting on my Grandpa Chet's lap listening to his Hamilton pocket watch. It hung from a belt-loop chain, and he would pull it from his right pocket and let me hold it to my ear. I loved hearing that distinct, crisp, steady tick.
| Posts analyzed 327 | |
| Retailers. 47 | |
| Promotions 45 | |
| Events 52 | |
| Product mentions. 143 |
Independent garden retailers are pivoting from the spring planting rush toward high-engagement events and heat-resistant inventory. By leveraging Pollinator Week and the Summer Solstice, stores are transforming into community destinations through workshops and local flavor fests, moves that successfully bridge the gap between peak spring sales and the slower mid-summer heat.
Expect a sharp pivot toward 'Patriotic Planting' as retailers restock red, white, and blue annuals for Fourth of July displays. Maintenance will become the primary content theme, focusing on drought survival and mid-summer pruning to address the common 'leggy' plant issues seen on social media. Watch for an increase in tropical houseplant sales as consumers move their gardening activity indoors to escape the peak July heat.
We all know the answer to this question...
It can be VERY important!
Reporting period: June 18 – June 24, 2026
| Posts analyzed 327 | |
| Retailers 47 | |
| Promotions 45 | |
| Events 52 | |
| Product mentions 143 |
Independent garden retailers are pivoting from the spring planting rush toward high-engagement events and heat-resistant inventory. By leveraging Pollinator Week and the Summer Solstice, stores are transforming into community destinations through workshops and local flavor fests, moves that successfully bridge the gap between peak spring sales and the slower mid-summer heat.
The term Collective Wisdom could easily be considered a synonym for The Garden Center Group. The very reason The Group was created in 2000 was to take the very best ideas and practices and help every Group Center.
As the Weekly Department Review (WDR) launched in 2000 and the Annual P&L Study in 2004, the Collective Wisdom concept began to build.
Reporting period: June 11 – June 17, 2026
| Posts analyzed 306 | |
| Retailers 47 | |
| Promotions 43 | |
| Events 41 | |
| Product mentions 69 |
Independent garden retailers are currently navigating the transition from peak spring planting to summer maintenance and holiday-driven foot traffic. We are seeing a synchronized push for heat-tolerant perennials and organic pest solutions alongside high-engagement experiential events like Father's Day workshops and summer solstice celebrations. This shift highlights a strategic move toward 'lifestyle' retailing, where plants are bundled with local produce, artisan goods, and family-oriented activities.
As Group Centers report their numbers each week through the WDR, Tim Quebedeaux compiles the weekly summaries that give us a clear view of where each Center, each Region, and The Group as a whole stand—both for the week and year-to-date. Every week, we dig into the numbers looking for new trends, patterns, and insights that can help us better understand what's happening in our businesses.
One area I pay particular attention to is a group of categories I call our Standard Greengoods Group. I started tracking these categories years ago and, while there are certainly a few inconsistencies, they provide a valuable way to identify long-term seasonal patterns and shifts in consumer buying behavior.
Reporting period: June 4 – June 10, 2026
| Posts analyzed - 310 | |
| Retailers - 46 | |
| Promotions - 35 | |
| Events - 42 | |
| Product mentions | 35 |
As summer temperatures climb, independent garden retailers are shifting focus from spring planting to high-heat maintenance and long-term landscape resilience. This week reveals a heavy emphasis on thermal-tolerant annuals, specialized irrigation education, and early promotional pushes for the upcoming U.S. Semiquincentennial. By blending expert advice on drought-resistant species with high-engagement social events, retailers are positioning themselves as essential lifestyle partners rather than just seasonal product suppliers.
As spring winds down and Group Centers begin to promote summer activities and events, we also have major trade shows in our sights. The Group will focus on both Cultivate'26 and Farwest'26. Both of these are listed below in our Retailers' Choice Awards signups. Be sure to participate if you will be at either.
New Plant Varieties and Products Galore
Both events feature large numbers of new plant varieties and new product showcases highlighting what can be found throughout the show floor. It's a great place to begin your search for great new items. Here are a couple of things we already know to expect to find...
Reporting period: May 28 – June 3, 2026
| Posts analyzed | 295 |
| Retailers | 47 |
| Promotions | 30 |
| Events | 29 |
| Product mentions | 41 |
Independent garden retailers are transitioning from the spring planting rush into a season of experiential retail, focusing heavily on pollinator education and lifestyle-oriented events. As temperatures rise, the industry is shifting its product mix toward heat-tolerant varieties and high-end outdoor living essentials to maintain foot traffic and average transaction value.
Registration is Now Open! We're excited to share all the exciting details for The Fall Event 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio–and we hope you can join us
They shape how we engage with our audiences. They help connect customers to the experiences of nature, gardening, and plants. And they create opportunities for growth through meaningful relationships with fellow members of The Garden Center Group.
Reporting period: May 21 – May 27, 2026
| Posts analyzed | 355 |
| Retailers | 50 |
| Promotions | 73 |
| Events | 35 |
| Product mentions | 33 |
Independent garden retailers are currently bridging the gap between spring planting and summer maintenance, using the Memorial Day holiday to clear annual inventory while introducing heat-hardy perennials. We see a significant shift toward 'solution-oriented' retailing, where shops are bundling plants with expert advice on pest prevention, climate resilience, and water-wise gardening. This strategy aims to keep foot traffic consistent as shoppers move from the initial planting rush into a season focused on outdoor living and home-grown harvests.
This overall subject is not new to The Group. It has become a pillar of who our Garden Centers are since 2020 or even prior. From Florence Williams' The Nature Fix story in 2021 to numerous blog messages and Group conversations, the benefits of gardening and plants continue to gain acceptance.
But, over the recent months, we have began to see the focus on how nature can benefit our lives intensify. It is now becoming even at a prescription level!
