GCA Summer Tour: Day 1

Day 1 proved to be action packed. We started out at Bachman's Cedar Acres location. The 14-acre site is home to a 396,000-square-foot retail area and an extensive growing range.

The store is three years old and still has that brand new, squeaky clean feel. Lots of good ideas to be had at this place. Here are a few gems:

Looking for a cheap, easy way to get people to keep shopping on rainy days? How about something simple? Like, say, an umbrella? Bachman's keeps them on hand for customers willing to brave a little drizzle.

Cedar Acres has great curb appeal, thanks to its demonstration gardens right up front. But plants aren't the only thing on display. As you meander along the paths, shapes and colors of the pavers underfoot change. Signs along the path inform customers exactly what they're walking on and what pattern they're laid out in.

The next stop was Sargent's Gardens Rochester. The first of three Sargent's locations we visited.

   

Like many other garden centers, Sargent's offers complimentary beverages. But what I loved was the vase displayed at this simple coffee bar, which featured cuttings from plants available in the sales yard.

Our bus convoy's next stop was Sargent's on 2nd. The total retail area is 53,000 square feet, and they put every bit to good use. The place was crammed with goodies, but didn't seem crowded.

 

Check out this fantastic, high-impact display as seen from the cash wrap. The monitor is hooked up to a computer running a Power Point presentation touting the company's landscape services.

One more Sargent's location rounded out our day. Sargent's Red Wing is known for its hanging baskets. These showy displays adorn lampposts in the historic downtown area.

As a grand finale, tour-goers were treated to a sumptuous meal at the historic St. James Hotel. An award presentation followed, where we learned that Pasquesi Home and Garden cinched the title of 2007 GCA Garden Center of the Year. Monrovia Growers received the 2007 Supplier of the Year honors.

Check back tomorrow for details on day 2 of GCA's Summer Tour.

-- Sarah