Keeping things fresh and new
As we wrap up January, we’ve been talking a LOT about goals around here.
Our Team had set our 2025 goals back in October, so we are a few months in on tackling them already. I’ll give you a little glimpse at just a few of the things we’ve been working on—
1. A new and improved staff training program was developed, (aka the Bedner’s Botanizing Brainiacs). We’re always teaching each other around here, and this plan lays out specific, weekly topics with quizzes! A perk of being on our team is not just the plant discounts, but the horticulture knowledge you gain. (hint, hint– If this sounds good to you, our Job Fair is Saturday, March 8).
2. We removed EVERYTHING from the storefront landscape beds and planted 20 hydrangeas, 18 lilacs, 15 viburnum, and 40 perennial switch grasses, plus a ton of spring bulbs. We will be growing over 1,500 annual plants to install around the mid-end of May too!
3. We worked with a local artist to create a mural design for the Wine Garden shed, to be painted this spring. Also, Russ designed a new hardscaping plan for the Nursery and Wine Garden area, to build it this spring.
coming this spring: a wine garden mural
4. We’re busy working behind the scenes making updates to our online plant catalog for perennials, shrubs, and trees. As soon as it’s ready, and even if the plants are not, we will make it live so that you can start making your plant lists and see what will be available this spring.
5. We’re also attending a couple of industry events this winter where we are scoping out the trade shows for the newest, hot items this year, as well as attending classes to keep learning so that we can better serve you. Plus, we’re just really big plant nerds, so we can’t pass up a good plant talk or conference with our fellow plant people.
A new year and a fresh start feel good in this wintertime dreaming. Did you set any specific garden goals this year? Let us know if we can help you, and don’t wait to get started because “gardening begins in January with the dream.”
Happy garden planning,
Melanie has been with the family garden center business since 1999, gaining hands-on experience in nearly every aspect–from cashiering and greenhouse production to bookkeeping, perennial buying, marketing, and store management. Now serving as Finance and Marketing Director, she combines her expertise with a passion for growing the business. She and her husband, Russ, have loved seeing how plants, gardening, and beautiful landscapes bring joy to our community.
