When Fall is Really Spring - Garden Shop Traveling in Phoenix, Arizona US

Submission by Rhonda Forsyth

A Crash Course on CreativityObservation Lab

Summer hits the garden hard

The garden stops growing

Phoenix Records Hottest Day in Nearly 5 YearsResidents of the Desert Southwest are enduring some of the highest temperatures in years. ... Impressively, Phoenix, Ariz., topped out at 118 degrees….

…..even some of my cactus gave up

In the Fall, temperatures drop* and

I want to garden!!!

What would a traveler observe at Phoenix’s garden

stores?

* High today is 90º F

Enticing entrance – celebrating the season with pumpkins!!

Lots of green here. Do we really live in a desert???????????

ObservationsNatural setting

COLOR!!

Glorious smells

Staff uniforms

Cool & refreshing

Do I hear peacocks?

Master gardeners ready to help

Carts that hold a hundred pounds and are easy to push on gravel

Cute high school kids available to do heavy lifting

5 acres with distinct plant climates

Crafts from the region

Prices for commodity items not much higher than other shops but there are unique ways to spend A LOT more money if inclined

Xeriscape options are abundant, but not highlighted

Plants from around the world

Approachable signs and good wayfinding

Staff act like they know you

Big business that feels like it is part of the neighborhoodike it

Whitfill Opportunities• Develop ways to extend gardening into the summer

o Hold classes on how to prepare the gardeno Teach "how tos" and supply materials for summer greenhouse (should

be a "coolhouse" in phoenix - and I'd buy this in a heartbeat!)o Hold summer classes for kidso Teach about organic gardeningo Teach classes on xeriscape gardening (we use too much water)

• Expand capacity, attract new clients and diversify by using the 5 acres in other collaborative ways. o Community gardeno Coffeehouse and bakeryo Small scale restaurant - pizza ovens or BBQ?

• Other retailo BBQ design and build serviceso Outdoor kitchen equipmento Garden design by landscape architecto Small garden/apartment garden equipment and expertise

Nice for a big box – The Home Depot

Welcoming entrance

Helpful, knowledgeable and friendly staff

Customers seemed happy

Well organized

Not much desert landscaping

Competitive pricing

Great job of having related merchandise – pools, BBQ

Home Depot Opportunities

Garden department is relatively undifferentiated.

o Focus more on service and expertiseo Get garden supplies for a desert

environmento Evaluate options for more hardscape design

and installation opportunitieso Teach and educate like you do in other parts

of the store

Only sign at the entrance

I feel so very special

I have the store to myself

Greeter at front door started crying when I asked her how she was doing (not actual employee)

Where is the entrance?

NOT

YET

Smells like chemicals and

fertilizer

Dark and Enclosed

Lowest prices of all the shops not seeming to make a difference.

Flowers need to be dead-headed and are likely root bound.

Walmart Opportunities

Get serious

• Garden department seems like it is going out of business

• Amplify or specialize on a few meaningful areas that fit with overall Walmart themes such as family experiences and low cost.o gardening to augment family food needso gardening as family activity

• Think about focusing on small gardens

• Reduce the "chemical" experience. Don't need half of department filled with a large stock of weed killer.

So Sad

Even better than a normal Target

Another special welcome sign Oh no, the garden shop is closed!!

Target Opportunity

Looks like they can start from scratch• Don't try and be a Whitfall which focuses

on variety and an engaging environment or Walmart which focuses on low cost.

• Differentiate!!!• Engage famous architects or celebrity

gardeners, much like they did with clothing and tea pots.

Dear Tina,

I appreciate the opportunity to have a happy day at the garden shops! I ended it by planting a passion flower vine - 4th vine in this location.

Hope springs eternal in the heart of a gardener!

Rhonda