Plant plans

Four Star Greenhouse/Proven winners

Property owners used to enjoy the process of creating a stunning landscape. Weekend warriors would flock to garden centers, nurseries and landscape supply businesses for the necessary materials to complete outdoor projects. But a growing “do-it-for-me” consumer mindset plays directly into the hands of the landscape industry.

Homeowners are using their free time for other activities and are seeking landscape professionals to create and maintain their outdoor living spaces for them. And property owners are savvier than ever about the options available to them, particularly when it comes to seasonal color. It is therefore more important for landscape professionals to develop a solid working relationship with their local greenhouse growers.

Greenhouse growers are on the front line when it comes to new plant introductions and what will be promoted to the general public. They see the newest plant varieties each spring, a full year before those new plants will be available to consumers and the landscape trade. Growers have access to sample plants at this early stage and will trial these new plants in their greenhouses and display gardens for use in their own operations.

They are more than willing to share the cultural and performance information they gather with landscaper contractors. As the plant breeders and propagators begin marketing their new plant varieties to consumers, you have the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge from your grower so that you are prepared with the latest and greatest options for seasonal color sales and marketing efforts the next season.

If you were to ask your grower what you, as a landscape contractor, could do to develop a better relationship with them, the answer would unequivocally be “plan for next season now.”

Most contractors who install seasonal color don’t give themselves a lot of time to seek out plant material for seasonal color plantings, and end up with whatever plants the grower has in a large enough quantity to complete the job.

This can cause design issues when a particular color scheme needs to be followed or when meeting cultural requirements. And, because growers speculate their flower crop production based on the previous year’s sales, new introductions are usually unavailable because they are grown in limited quantities – usually earmarked for retail sales rather than for the wholesale trade.

Preordering plant material at the end of the previous season is the best way to insure that you will have both the quantities and varieties of plant material that you will need for your seasonal color projects. Greenhouse growers have a wealth of plant knowledge and can offer many useful suggestions for appropriate plant material. For your good customers who renew on a yearly basis, you already have the information necessary for preordering – color scheme, height restrictions, water and light requirements, etc.

Sit down with your grower at the end of the season and work out an order for the next season. Even if you only book a percentage of what you will need, you’ll have a leg up on next season: You’ll spend less time spent running around trying to secure the necessary plants for your plantings because your grower will have what you need ready when you need it – no overgrown or root-bound plants, no supply issues, no last minute design problems.
Remember to also discuss container sizes, delivery dates and what stage the plants need to be in when delivered – full bloom, cracking color or green.

As our industry becomes more competitive, it is crucial that landscapers work hard to streamline their business processes and differentiate themselves in the market.

Developing a partnership with local growers is a great way to build both your business and your reputation as a quality landscaper. Show clients that you are on the cutting edge of the industry with new and different plants and save time in the already hard-pressed spring – it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

The author is a certified landscape professional, master certified nurseryman and landscape account manager for Four Star Greenhouse/Proven Winners in Carleton, Mich.