Garden Centre Management

Learn how to manage a successful Garden Centre!

Garden centres can be large or small, and the range of plants which they sell can be broad or narrow. A garden centre may also sell other products that are relevant to a garden, and complement the plants which they stock.

Designed in conjunction with the state garden department manager of a major retail chain store, this course has been very successful in training both staff and managers of retail nurseries and garden centres worldwide.

This course provides students with a thorough insight into how to set up and display garden centre products and plants, through to maximising sales and staff productivity. Whilst it is primarily aimed at garden centre staff it is also relevant to nursery staff, especially retail nurseries, and also garden shops associated with commercial and tourist garden or park locations. The course will appeal to people working in, or planning to work in, the following areas: 

• Garden centre
• Retail nursery
• Garden shop
• Parks & gardens
• Wholesale nursery

“Here we have an incredibly informative course for anyone seeking to improve their ability to run or manage a garden centre. All aspects of indoor and outdoor plant care are discussed as well as stock selection and optimal plant display techniques. Graduates will also enhance their knowledge of typical garden centre products, marketing strategies, and how to get the most out of their staff.” - Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA, ACS Tutor.

Lesson Structure

There are 12 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction: Plant classification, plant cultural requirements, soil and nutrition, watering requirements, drainage, temperature, light, humidity.
2. Plant Health: How to diagnose a problem, pests, diseases, nutrient deficiencies, frost, sunburn, chemical damage, insufficient light, overwatering.
3. Stock Maintenance: Quality standards, buying new stock, inspecting stock, extending stock life, disposing of below-standard stock, watering techniques, fertilising, pest and disease control.
4. Display and Display Techniques: Display units, product location, sales area layout.
5. Garden Product Knowledge I: Plant containers, tags, soil mixes, equipment, tools.
6. Garden Product Knowledge II: Chemicals, fertilisers, baskets, terrariums, cut flowers.
7. Indoor Plants: Major groups, common problems, plants for specific situations, customer attitudes.
8. Container Stock: Trees and Shrubs.
9. Seedlings, Bulbs, Herbs and Perennials.
10. A: Deciduous Trees, Fruit, Nuts, Berries. B. Seed.
11. Marketing: Pricing strategy, advertising, promotions.
12. Management: Staff control, staff productivity, work scheduling.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Classify and identify a range of different plants, according to their botanical characteristics.
• Describe a range of plant health problems and their treatments.
• Understand the importance of maintaining healthy stock and its relationship to maintaining a profitable business.
• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of garden products sold through garden centres.
• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of plants, including indoor plants, container-grown plants, deciduous plants, bulbs, herbs and perennials.
• Describe effective marketing techniques.
• Demonstrate knowledge of management procedures.

What You Will Do

• Undertake simple and relevant practical tasks.
• Submit written assignments at the completion of each lesson.
• Learn to identify and advise customers about 72 different plant cultivars.
• Research and analyse the operation of garden centres and nurseries.
• Lots more

Learn about MERCHANDISING

How Does It Work?

Firstly, every brand has a price or value understood by customers. A promotion offers extra value or a lower price to the customer.

Secondly, a promotion demands urgency from your customer because of its short availability time ("whilst stocks last").

An attractive product display with a message is often an effective way of increasing sales, but it is NOT a promotion. It should really be called a "display feature: because it does not have the vital ingredient of Added Value.

There are several different levels of promotional strategies: 

1. Full Promotion: all sections at full margin plus a planned and sustained program of promotions. 
2. Lightweight Promotions: all sections at full margin plus occasional loss leader promotions. 
3. Partial Discount plus "Highlights": certain sections at cut price plus occasional loss leader promotion. 
4. Partial Discount: certain sections at low price, other items at full price.

Your strategy will depend on:

• Location: are your customers local, or do you need to attract them from a wider area? 
• Competitors: what can you offer compared with them? 
• Your shop: in particular, its layout and capacity for extra promotional sales. 
• Limitation: If normal marketing and advertising have failed to establish the true value of a product, a promotion will not be successful because there is no comparative standard. Within a store, promotions can only work well if the basic merchandising job has been done properly. They are not substitutes for product range, siting and space allocation with well controlled displays.

The Basic Rules of Promotions

• Your reason for promoting is to sell more products to your customers as quickly as possible. Specials should be regularly changed. To do this, the offer should appeal to their immediate or secondary needs. 
• The choice of promotion depends on what you want to achieve ie. if you want more people in your garden centre, special locally advertised offers or personality backed promotions could be very useful. 
• Your promotion should be unique to attract maximum attention.
• The promotion should be simple to understand and operate. 
• The promotion must represent value for money and be credible and honest. 
• The promotion should be consistent with your own image.

How To Decide on a Promotion

 Consider the following:

1. Who are the main users of the product or brand? 
2. How, when and why do they use the product? 
3. How frequently is it purchased? 
4. What are its main competitors? 
5. How does the customer see the brand versus the competition?

Use the facts to decide how to run the promotion:

1. Determine, in order of priority, the key problem. 
2. Identify the money available. 
3. List and cost all the possible alternative options that are open (e.g. more advertising, customer promotions, pricing strategy). 
4. Having estimated the cost, ask yourself what will the benefit be to you.
   
   
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Credentials

Principal of ACS Distance Education, John Mason, is fellow of the CIH.

Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.

ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.

Member Nursery and Garden Industry Association.

Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.