May 2011

Lasting Impressions Forever

After 37 years at TNLA, Eddy Edmondson retires this month. TNLA Green talks with Eddy about where he came from, how he got here, and what’s next. by David Fried

Theft in the Garden Center

Garden centers, by their nature, are not optimally arranged for good security. Retailers discuss how to nip garden center theft in the bud.

Texas Green Industry Timeline

A review of the industry during the Edmondson era (1974-2011)at TNLA, highlighting significant events in the Texas Green Industry.

Finding New Customers

Choosing to meet your future, prospective and current customers at the point where they purchase in new categories may be a choice available to you – if you can just figure out a way to do it. by Sid Raisch

Highlights This Month:

Southern Living Plant Collection
In support of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s efforts to educate
the public on horticulture and the environment, the Southern Living
Plant Collection contributed several plant varieties, including new
additions for spring 2011.

Thriving in a Low Bid Market
Getting your phone to ring is just one step in building a successful
business. What you say as you answer the phone, what you don’t say,
and the order in which you say it matter immensely. How you convert
a lead is a science just as predictable as proper soil preparation. By
Tony Bass

Landscaping for the Cure
For the most part, the general public doesn’t recognize the benefits of
plants, and thus far the Green Industry hasn’t done a terribly good
job of telling them, which is all the more reason that philanthropy
efforts can transform a business—and a community. By David Fried

Hill Country Water Gardens Sells Splash
TNLA member, Steve Kainer, shares his strategies for making
fountains, statuary, and garden art a profitable category for garden
retailers. By Richard Jones

Brand Pyramid (November 2010 bonus content)