Tip Jar: There’s value in the hobbyist

There are many reasons to embrace the hobby of home gardening; exercise, fresh air, creativity, beauty and produce. For the nursery industry, this pastime just may be the key to long-term success. Hobby growers are return customers, and with knowledge and experience they can spread the message to their peers that plants are a valuable asset.

Providing expert advice with a high level of professionalism is my goal for 2015 as I represent the green industry as a home gardening professional. This career transition has led me to do some serious soul searching as I ponder the role horticulture will play in the not-so-distant future and where my enthusiasm for all things plants fits in.

How do I encourage more people to buy plants? What is the missing link between Americans and the hobby of gardening? How can we influence a larger, diverse demographic? What makes our product unique and worthwhile? How can we teach the public to value horticulture? Times like these I reach out to the more than 1,600 members of the Facebook group Emergent: A Group for Growing Professionals. “What would you like to achieve in 2015 representing the modern green industry?” 102 comments later it was clear my horticultural peers are ready to seize opportunities for professional collaboration and educational outreach to take the hobby of gardening to new heights.

Accessing garden know-how is a grassroots campaign according to the Garden Writers Association October 2014 trends report. The majority of consumers (51 percent) reported obtaining plant and gardening information from friends and neighbors. Garden centers, nurseries and classes followed as a resource at 44 percent. This is the perfect place for modern horticulturists to start cultivating strategies that promote the much needed education and follow-up advice which can ultimately lead to a garden-savvy shopper.

The nursery industry has done an excellent job of growing high-quality plants and garden centers across America offer beautiful specimens at reasonable prices. The understanding of what to do with those plants once you get them home is where the disconnect occurs. The opportunity to promote and sell the knowledge of growing plants isn’t being fully realized. Instead of endorsing a no-questions guarantee, nurseries could offer their customers a post-purchase educational service to equip them for success. “Discussions in Emergent have identified a troubling lack of knowledge in the general public about horticulture, gardening, plants and landscapes,” says landscape architect Caleb Melchior. “Many of us are looking for ways that we can individually and collectively boost the level of awareness in the general public.”

Mark Highland, president of The Organic Mechanic Soil Co. emphasizes the value to “share consistent messages on the joy, ease and benefits of gardening to get more people excited to try. Share the gardening lifestyle, gardening without fear, gardening for the greater good and gardening selfishly at the same time.”

Focusing on the end consumer is the most effective strategy to increase sales and encourage return customers. “Ultimately the retail consumer is supporting all of us in our roles within the industry,” explains Shawna Coronado, author and green lifestyle consultant. “To improve sales – soil, seeds, plants, tools, and books – we need to remarket appealing education to the masses. Younger markets demand that we build relationships on social media, provide better online/website education and target our products for their specific needs.”

Technology provides opportunities to engage with customers on a meaningful level with equipment they use on a daily basis. Smart phone apps that provide regional advice and photo shares are becoming very popular and effective. “We are at a big turning point with what the (green) industry has become and where our future lies,” explains Mason Day, cofounder of GrowIt!, an interactive gardening app. “Our goal with GrowIt! is to lure in unsuspecting people and get them hooked on plants.”

With the spring season right around the corner, now is the time to consider how you can help promote the hobby of home gardening.

Brie Arthur is a professional plant propagator and landscape designer in Raleigh, N.C. Her passion is foodscaping and educating consumers on the many reasons why the craft of gardening is meaningful in their daily lives.