Trends: The business of doing business
Would you like petunias with that?... I recently received an e-mail and a call from someone announcing that Under The Sun Garden Center, a Tulsa, Okla., gardening shop that offers seasonal flowering plants as well as home and holiday décor, is the first in its industry to franchise.

It’s an interesting move, to say the least, given all the factors that affect a garden center’s success — many of which are out of the control of the owner. It might be too wet one year, but too dry the next. Gas prices go up constantly, so you’re constantly scrambling to offset them — or to explain to a customer who paid a certain price for a plant in March why they must pay a dollar more for the same plant two months later. Then there’s the customer, whose whims can blow with the wind. And, remember: the wind in another sector might not be the same wind that blows in Tulsa, Okla.

Obviously, the decision makers at Under The Sun are aware of the day-to-day challenges facing any independent retailer; they’ve endured most of them. In the process, they’ve discovered that by focusing on annuals, perennials, herbs and hanging baskets with huge color and great variety — and not offering hoses, rakes and mass-produced gardening items — they could create a unique garden center business.

They’ve established neighborhood locations in high-traffic areas by crafting large, brilliantly decorated displays street side, thus creating a beautiful presentation in front of the store. This focus on color and creativity is a trademark of Under the Sun.

Now, perhaps, it will be the trademark of a pioneer.

I wish the company the best. I have to admit: When I visited its Web site, www.underthesungardencenter.com, I came away impressed.

Not enough to purchase a franchise, mind you, but impressed, nonetheless.

Puzzling pictures
Complementary parts... One of the pictures below is a puzzle. Choose the correct one, and put the product together again. Accomplishing said feat will earn you kudos of the highest order (assuming we can round up the Highest Order Kudo Giver before sundown).

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Pick 'n Click
Instant info... This list of links to suppliers can help you find the garden/gift items you need — and maybe some you simply want. Please click the company for e-reader service.

Acorn Bird Products Allsop, Inc. Alpine Corporation Amturf Enterprises Anamese Garden & Home Aquascape, Inc. ATLAS Glove Consumer Products, a Div. of LFS, Inc. Bamboo Accents Benchmaster by Structural Plastics Bowling Enterprises Charlie Cook Associates, Inc. Clean Air Gardening Collier Metal Specialties, Inc. Danove Corporation Deer Out Deer Run Greenery Discount Pond Supplies, Inc. D-Lighting Illusions, Inc. DP Foods, LLC (Daniels Plant Food) Dramm Corporation EasyPro Pond Products EbioExpress International Echo, Inc. Fabriscape Fafard Freedom Ponds Garden Patch, The Gardenware Gifts That Bloom

Good Directions, Inc. Hines Pottery Hydrofarm K&H Manufacturing Listo Products Maine Bucket Company, Inc., The Michael Gordon LTD Norcross Safety Products Novelty Manufacturing Co. Ohio Wholesale, Inc. Olds Seed Company Plant Revolution, Inc. Poly-Tex, Inc. Principle Plastics Radius Garden LLC Red Carpet Studios Riverside Enterprises RSR/Echo Valley Ruibal's Topiary Systems & Ironworks Rustic Natural Cedar Furniture Co. SeedBallz Sunlight Supply, Inc. Topiary Art Works & Greenhouses Triumph Plant Company Trunk Mat Company, The Vitamin Institute Wayside Fence Company White Cedar Gazebos Woodstream

 

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Check our *BLOG*

Oh, yeah, the riddle answer...
An umbrella

 
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