What is a Garden Center?

“A garden center is a retail firm that sells plants and products related to gardens as its primary business” or so says your average dictionary. This definition is merely functional however. It fails to find the heart of the matter. A good garden center, or even a great one, is a community resource to anyone with an interest in plants. All garden centers should sell the tools you need to create and maintain your personal garden -- from the plants themselves, to the fertilizers and irrigation systems necessary to support them. The difference between an average center and a great one is lies in their service and their knowledge base.

The staff at your garden center should be polite, attentive and knowledgeable. They should be willing to help you design your property when provided with the proper specifics of size and expectations. Their advice on plants and landscaping should be free to all customers. A landscape architect should be available to help you with plans for landscape design, if you need or want it. Your garden center should be willing to help you choose the plants that are best for your local environment. The staff should be willing and able to tell you when a plant is not appropriate, even if it is the plant that you have set your heart on. Their advice should be honest. A good selection of native plants, which should be a gardener’s first choice, should be available and the staff should be willing to special order materials that are not in stock. They should be willing to answer questions about your garden and their stock either over the phone or in person. Finally, a good garden center is one that is involved in their community and willing to go the extra mile for its members. Be sure to check out the programs and activities offered by your garden center so that you, too, can get involved. It’s about being local and rooted as well as selling plants and watering cans. The keys to a good garden center are its love of the plants and service to their customers.