March 2024 - 4
EDITOR'S LETTER
Calling All Garden
Centers!
The 2024 Lawn & Garden
Retailer Innovator Awards
will once again recognize
garden centers that elevate
the customer experience
in progressive ways. We're
looking for IGCs that excel
in one or more categories,
including: community
involvement, merchandising,
social responsibility,
technology, marketing,
events and more.
Sound like an IGC
you know? If so, we'd
love to hear from you!
Nominations can come
from garden centers
themselves or other
industry professionals, including suppliers and
consultants. Nominations went live on March 1. Find
all the details at lgrmag.com/innovators.
Countdown to CAST
The countdown begins! In just a few days, I will be
attending California Spring Trials, checking out all
the new and improved genetics plant breeders will be
offering for the 2025 season. Keep an eye on our social
media channels for updates from the road, and be sure
to sign up for our newsletters if you haven't already
at lgrmag.com/signup for our daily reports from the
California coast.
Also In This Issue
While we're on the subject of travel, editorial director
Abby McGarry and I just returned from the Mid-Atlantic
Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), The Tropical Plant
International Expo (TPIE) and Winter 2024 Atlanta
Market. If you weren't able to attend, we're sharing our
highlights from the events on page 34.
What events are you looking forward to in 2024?
Share your thoughts with me at tmcpherson@
greatamericanpublish.com.
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
ADVERTISING SALES
GROUP PUBLISHER
INTEGRATED MEDIA CONSULTANT
INTEGRATED MEDIA CONSULTANT
PRODUCTION
SENIOR CLIENT SUCCESS
REPRESENTATIVE
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CIRCULATION
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATE
CFO
COO & CMO
CEO
Becky Stovall, 616-520-2138
bstovall@greatamericanpublish.com
Deb Carnes, 616-520-2169
dcarnes@greatamericanpublish.com
Kim Baker, 616-520- 2135
kbaker@greatamericanpublish.com
Matt McCallum, 616-520-2133
mmccallum@greatamericanpublish.com
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
JD Boone
Melissa Frank
Jessie Jacobson
Jennifer Moss
Tiger Palafox
Stan Pohmer
Danny Summers
Kate Terrell
Dothan Nurseries
Weston Nurseries
Tonkadale Greenhouse
Moss Greenhouses
Mission Hills Nursery
Pohmer Consulting Group
The Garden Center Group
Wallace's Garden Center
The opinions and views expressed by authors, contributors and advertisers in Lawn &
Garden Retailer do not necessarily reflect those of the editors and publisher. Appearance
in Lawn & Garden Retailer does not constitute endorsement by Great American Media
Services or Lawn & Garden Retailer of the advertiser, its products, or services. Great
American Media Services and Lawn & Garden Retailer accept no responsibility of liability
for the validity or accuracy of information supplied by contributors, vendors, advertisers,
or advertising agencies. Great American Media Services and Lawn & Garden Retailer do
not make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of information supplied
by contributors, vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies.
@LGRmag
Teresa McPherson, MANAGING EDITOR
616-520-2163 | tmcpherson@greatamericanpublish.com
@lgrmag
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
L&GR (Lawn & Garden Retailer) magazine (ISSN 1540-9023) is published ten times a
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Allison McKenzie, 616-520-2142
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EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR
Teresa McPherson, 616-520-2163
tmcpherson@greatamericanpublish.com
Carly McFadden, 616-520-2164
cmcfadden@greatamericanpublish.com
Abby McGarry, 616-520-2161
amcgarry@greatamericanpublish.com
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jmccallum@greatamericanpublish.com
Diane Hart, 616-520-2155
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Kim Sammartino, 616-520-2173
ksammartino@greatamericanpublish.com
Winner of 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2018 EDDIE awards for Best Full Issue
4 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | MARCH 2024
http://www.lgrmag.com/innovators
http://www.lgrmag.com/signup
March 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2024
Editor's Letter
Table of Contents
AmericanHort: Unearth Your Potential
Headlines/Calendar
Innovative Ideas: Expanding Your Product Mix: A Personal Narrative
Merchandising: Making Beautiful Simple
Merchandising: Revamp Your Retail Series: Signage
Special Advertising Section: Pots & Planters
Showcase: Outdoor Living
Green Goods: A Need for Natives
Showcase: Garden Pharmacy
Trade Shows: Strong Start for 2024
Management: How to Attract Employees with a Marketing Mindset
Showcase: Garden Center Tech
Marketplace
Ad Index
5 Minutes With: Derek Ellis
March 2024 - 1
March 2024 - 2
March 2024 - 3
March 2024 - Editor's Letter
March 2024 - 5
March 2024 - Table of Contents
March 2024 - 7
March 2024 - AmericanHort: Unearth Your Potential
March 2024 - 9
March 2024 - Headlines/Calendar
March 2024 - 11
March 2024 - Innovative Ideas: Expanding Your Product Mix: A Personal Narrative
March 2024 - 13
March 2024 - Merchandising: Making Beautiful Simple
March 2024 - 15
March 2024 - 16
March 2024 - 17
March 2024 - Merchandising: Revamp Your Retail Series: Signage
March 2024 - 19
March 2024 - 20
March 2024 - 21
March 2024 - Special Advertising Section: Pots & Planters
March 2024 - 23
March 2024 - 24
March 2024 - 25
March 2024 - Showcase: Outdoor Living
March 2024 - 27
March 2024 - Green Goods: A Need for Natives
March 2024 - 29
March 2024 - 30
March 2024 - 31
March 2024 - Showcase: Garden Pharmacy
March 2024 - 33
March 2024 - Trade Shows: Strong Start for 2024
March 2024 - 35
March 2024 - 36
March 2024 - 37
March 2024 - 38
March 2024 - 39
March 2024 - Management: How to Attract Employees with a Marketing Mindset
March 2024 - 41
March 2024 - 42
March 2024 - Showcase: Garden Center Tech
March 2024 - Marketplace
March 2024 - 45
March 2024 - 46
March 2024 - 47
March 2024 - 48
March 2024 - Ad Index
March 2024 - 5 Minutes With: Derek Ellis
March 2024 - 51
March 2024 - 52
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