I have but one request of nursery and garden center personnel. Could we please stop treating all customers as though they’re buying the first plant for the first garden they’ve ever had in their lives?
Sure, many gardeners are just beginning. But probably even more have been gardening for some years. They’ve been through the wars with wrong plant/wrong place, droughts, monsoons, weed infestations and design miscalculations.
They’ve spent a lot of money in the process. Many have also learned the correct names of the plants they’re looking to buy.
Nonetheless, despite having put in about 26 years with my garden, this is a common scene:
Me: “Do you have diascia?”
Sales associate: “You mean dianthus.”
Me: “No, I mean diascia. I’ve bought it here before.” (shows phone picture)
SA: “Oh, do you mean angelonia?”
Me: “No, diascia. I don’t know the common name.”
SA: “Sure it’s not dianthus?”
Eventually, she asked someone else and found out that, in fact, they had it only in hanging baskets this year and those were gone. All this for a fairly common annual that I value for its longevity in planters. It has also expanded into a range of nice colors. Looks great with lobelia. Speaking of which:
Me: “Do you have lobularia?”
SA: “You mean lobelia.”
And so on.
In a perfect world, I would be so happy to meet members of the garden industry workforce halfway. They could accept and maybe even respect my knowledge, but also help me fill in the gaps. I’d even welcome suggestions of plants that would do the job better than the ones I’m trying to find.
And let me just add that I have never returned any plant to a vendor and I never will. I always figure it’s my fault if something dies. We’re very lucky in Western New York – and really, throughout the state, as far as I can tell. There are dozens of independent nurseries and garden centers, though many are open seasonally, which makes sense. I need never set foot in a big box for plants or supplies. I don’t think I’ve been in a Home Depot or Lowes for a couple years.
Just do me this one favor. Be open to the possibility that the customer, though not always right, may have picked up some information about gardening and plants over the decades.
(Shown: Lady of Shalott David Austin rose, just for fun)
Hi Elizabeth, I own a small seasonal garden center in windy, dry SW Kansas and we never talk down to our customers since most of them know more than us! Our motto is “We are gardeners helping gardeners” so hopefully that sets the stage for new and old gardeners alike to always ask and let us know if we get it wrong. By the way, we are all over 70 and think this is the best job ever!
And thank you for buying from your local independent garden centers!
Would it be possible to highlight a link in your “About the Author” to your first post on overuse of American flags in front gardens? Please and thank you.
Wish I could. It did not make it into our archives, probably because the pictures dropped out.
Oh, such a shame. I live in a town that gives awards for best Fourth of July decorated houses and yards. I suspect a large percentage is performative. Thank you for the courtesy of a reply.
If Monty Don or Dan Hinkley came into a IGC, they’d probably be directed to the lawn or bbq section.
Speaking of media/personalities, to me it doesn’t seem like IGCs follow or know of many YouTube channels. It might be helpful in anticipating new trendy plants. For example, I’ve had a chance to go to MANTS, and seen the new encore azaleas like “Autumn Moonstruck” or “Autumn Kiss” (promoted by YT Jim Putnam), and when I ask about these, I’m directed to “Autumn Moonlight” or “Autumn Twist.” “Autumn Moonstruck” has variegated foliage (I’ve been told it doesn’t exist, and dismissed that the web pictures are AI).
In my experience, unfortunately much of the help in garden centers is “seasonal” meaning the person wants to work in a place to learn about plants but actually doesn’t know a lot. Usually, a shopper has to go up the chain to a manager or buyer.
There are several nurseries in my area and I regularly visit them, you never know what you’ll find. I also check out Home depot and sometimes they have things that the nurseries don’t have. A couple of years ago I rescued a heptacodium. It was at death’s door. I had no idea what it was at the time but I felt sorry for it. It’s doing great! i
It flowered last fall and the bees were all over it. I also found 4 amsonias this year and at one time an indian pink which is just lovely. It pays to check the big box stores, you just never know.
Love your rant! So true.
Absolutely sympathetic with your point, although in that case you clearly encountered a less-than-knowledgeable salesperson. I worked in and managed garden centers for a number of years, and believe me, a big part of that problem is that it’s very hard to find people who want to work a seasonal job and also know enough about plants to really be of help to customers. Most really knowledgeable plant enthusiasts will either be running their own business, or overwhelmed by their own too-large gardens (that’s ME, NOW)
I always stressed to my employees that ignorance can be compensated for (reference books, Google, ask a more knowledgeable employee) but rudeness and condescension towards customers is not acceptable.
That being said, you would be shocked by the number of customers who come into nurseries with ridiculously unreasonable requests… “I want a large red rose that will bloom all summer in the shade… and did I mention I have a lot of deer?” …or “I bought this tree a year ago, planted it myself, and it died. I want a refund. Yes, I watered it… at least for the first week.” …or I have this plant that I don’t know what it is, can you tell me? It has large green leaves (no photo).
So have a bit of sympathy for the nursery staff… if you don’t get an answer from the first person you ask, try to find someone else… most garden centers have at least a couple of employees who are very knowledgeable and (I hope) also understand customer service!
Re big box stores…generally they have very common plants so I don’t shop there much either, but last year I bought a delphinium at Lowe’s. I’ve never had a delphinium make it through the winter. This came back and was spectacular!
Hope it didn’t turn you off from a favorite nursery! Frustrating.
Mine was bayberry. Absolutely no one believed I wasn’t looking for barberry, and most hadn’t heard of bayberry at all. I finally found one locally, trying to die late-season at a local garden center. It’s coming along, still not completely committed to staying alive but it did leaf out decently. Honestly, I had given up.