Re: todays experience

I agree 110%, Kitty. But it's the vision thing. And most of them don't have it. I've always suspected that if the normally inept local merchants would quit whining about Wal-Mart and start offering value [instead of same-old, same-old], they could very well whup the Arkansas titan. If you read the NYTimes or the WSJ, you know that Wal-Mart's plan in invade real cities [as opposed to jerk-water towns like my neighborhood] has stalled again. They are frightened of competition from quality merchandise. There are lessons there. Mom and pop need to wake up.

On Friday, May 7, 2004, at 05:42 PM, Kitty wrote:

Jim, you're right. But a smart nursery buyer could spend a little time
looking for more options. The min order qty can be overcome. Green Mtn
Transplants offers the ordinary and a few extraordinaries that you can mix
and match all you want at no additional cost. I'm sure there are others out
there. Doesn't Barry Glick - Sunshine Farms - do this?

Also, I'm aware of a couple of small nursery owners who split orders. They
are on opposite sides of town, so generally aren't competing for customers.

I think sometimes it can be the buyers' fault. No imagination. But there's
a caveat to sticking with the tried and true. Small nurseries can't compete
with the big box stores on the same merchandise. Why pay $15 for a
Rudbeckia that you can pick up for $3.99 at K-Mart? Specializing in the
right area, creating your niche, is what will keep the little guy in
business. Your specialty might be the kind of plants, or the service or
even the ambience. But it can't be the price.

Kitty


----- Original Message -----
From: "james singer" <jsinger@igc.org>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 3:52 PM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] todays experience


I think Lynda's got it right. Tried and true is safe and predictable.
In addition, plants are perishable and there's the minimum quantity
thing that make's it iffy to buy on speculation.

This tendency on the part of the marketplace to standardize is what
makes underground markets--plant society sales, farmers' markets,
garage sales--interesting.

On Friday, May 7, 2004, at 09:19 AM, Lynda Young wrote:

The owners I've spoken to in this area says it's better business to
stick with the well-known, comfortable plants that everyone recognizes.
Not enough space or money to invest a lot in plants that most people
are
not familiar with.

But, isn't that part of the fun of gardening?  Stretching the limits
and
trying something new in the hope of finding a great addition to your
plantings.  Unfortunately, it seems you can only do that through
mail-order in most cases.  Certainly not everything you get will
thrive,
but when an experiment works it is a real thrill.

Lynda
Zone 7 - West Tn

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf Of Donna
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 9:31 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: RE: [CHAT] todays experience


Yeah I am kinda worried about that.... There are so many more choices
via mail order, but I always wondered about that.. like if they are
really hardy and grow able here, why isn't any of the nurseries
carrying
them? I understand the big box stores only do the main plants, but what
about the specialty ones?

Anyone care to explain it to me?

Donna


Uh-oh, Donna.  Careful - you might get hooked with this mail order
thing!  And, believe me, I know whereof I speak ;o)

Lynda
Zone 7 - West TN


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Island Jim
Southwest Florida
Zone 10
27.0 N, 82.4 W

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Island Jim
Southwest Florida
Zone 10
27.0 N, 82.4 W

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