Lawn and garden sales up 3% in 2007
Sales of lawn and garden products totaled $35.102 billion last year, according to the 2007 Nat'l. Gardening Survey. Sales increased 3%, or $1.025 billion more than the $34.077 billion consumers spent in 2006. "That's good news because it's the first year we have seen overall retail lawn and garden sales increase since 2002," said Mike Metallo, Nat'l. Gardening Assoc. pres. Do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities that saw the biggest increase in spending in 2007 included lawn care, vegetable gardening, ornamental gardening and herb gardening.

Urban Outfitters' garden store opens
Terrain at Styer's, Urban Outfitters' first garden retail venue, opened for business in late April, taking over the former J. Franklin Styer Nursery in Concordville, Pa. The store has 3,000 sq. ft. of plants under glass, 8,000 sq. ft. devoted to home decor, 3 acres of gardens and a 1,000-sq.-ft. greenhouse cafe. Urban Outfitters is the company behind the hip clothing stores Free People and Anthropologie.

Warming trend shifts hardiness zones
Dueling maps have gardeners questioning plant hardiness zones, USA Today reported. A growing number of experts said that because of the warming climate, the 1990 USDA map doesn't reflect a gradual shift northward of growing zones for many plants. A map published in 2006 by the Arbor Day Foundation shows marked movement of zones.

Home Depot quits selling pesticides in Canada
Home Depot announced last month that it will stop selling traditional pesticides and herbicides in its Canadian stores by the end of 2008 and will increase its selection of environmentally friendly alternatives. Quebec has already banned the use of "cosmetic" pesticides, The Cape Breton Post reported, and Ontario plans to ban 300 pesticides by 2009.

ANLA announces Retail Roadshow sites
Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, will host ANLA's 2008 Retail Roadshow, June 16-19. This year's stops include Delhi Flower and Garden Center, Siebenthaler Co. and Natorp's Garden Center. Early-bird registration ends May 16.

Survey shows consumers have cut spending
A second study by market research company NPD Group confirms results from a previous poll showing consumers are increasingly concerned about the economy. In two months, respondents who said the U.S. is in or heading toward a recession or economic slowdown grew from 79% to 84%. "Consumers generally are the last to react to economic downturns; they don't want to halt or cut back on spending, but it is clear they're beginning to throttle back," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst. "That's not necessarily bad news. Since the consumer lags, we should start seeing signs of recovery in the early indicators." There are some bright spots in the survey's results. Consumers told NPD that they are least likely to pull back their spending on toys, video games and home improvement.

Napa develops in-store boutique
Garden accessories company Napa Home & Garden is offering a new program to help retailers merchandise products. The company worked with Greenbrier Nurseries, a retailer with locations in Virginia and West Virginia, to create an in-store boutique that can be reproduced at other garden centers. Retailers can select which products they want to carry, and Napa will supply display pieces and signage at no cost. Jim Monroe, owner of Greenbrier Nurseries, said the in-store boutique has already boosted interest in the product line.

Specialty gift stores losing their edge
As the way people shop for gifts has changed, specialty gift stores have declined in importance. In 2007, gift specialty stores accounted for 7 percent of the overall giftware market. Unity Marketing's "Gifts and Decorative Accents Report 2008" reports that the number of specialty gift shops declined 21% in the past 5 years, from 75,102 stores in 2002 to 59,032 today. The stores that remain have found success by expanding the product lines they carry, particularly moving into personal care, jewelry, fashion accessories, music and related items popular with boutique shoppers.

Petitti Garden Center named Innovator finalist
Petitti Garden Center in Avon, Ohio, is among 4 garden centers have made the cut to be finalists for Garden Center Magazine's 2008 Innovator Award, sponsored by Garden Market Expo. Petitti's new store in Avon, Ohio, has a lot of design concepts packed into one location. With the Cleveland area's infamous weather, Petitti knew it needed covered shopping, but didn't want to break the bank. Its solution was to have a lower-cost greenhouse covering for the interior, with a higher-priced outer building to create the wow factor.

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