#41 TRAILBLAZES * (revised 6/4) "buy local...be local"

We believe that the American consumer is looking for connection, community, familiarity and dependability when they are purchasing plants and plant care products for their gardens. It is important that we express those values in the look and feel or our stores and what we offer our customers.


Connection and Community


The look of the stores, although virtually the same in design, has a distinctive presentation that reflects that community or region of the country. Display areas are set aside for local history and local events of the community. Local employees are hired from the area and their community roots and local involvement in activities are highlighted in our stores. Gardening groups are encouraged to gather in our stores. Local fundraisers are encouraged on the property.

Customers who purchase new plant introductions help fund local causes with donated portions of the sales of those plants. Other plant introductions are named for local people in the community. Staff members of green garden gates are given financial support for volunteering in efforts of the communities. We continually search for connection to the community and region.

Likewise, we search for employees and special events community members you are regarded as “gardening experts". We sponsor their events in the area as well as promote clinics and workshops for them at the store.

We encourage local growers and producers. During the spring planting season, we provide areas for them to display their plants and plant care products. We purchase from local growers and suppliers and label those products as “locally made” or "locally grown". We showcase their history in the community with pictures and comments about their work. We partner with them to donate a portion of the proceeds of the profits to local causes.

Our website and other Internet technologies, such as Facebook and Twitter, include these local growers, suppliers, gardening groups and gardening experts as part of the promotion of green garden gates.


Familiarity and Dependability


Wherever gardeners travel, wherever they are relocated, they are at home at green garden gates. Although the “look” of the store changes slightly from one region to region and our plants and products include regional preferences, the store is familiar to the gardener. National products, flowers, shrubs, trees, and vines are positioned in similar locations.

We want to move a gardener easily through the shopping experience whether he or she lives down the street or a thousand miles away. Hours of operation are similar, employee uniforms are easily identifiable from one store to the next and company policies and daily operational practices are the same. We honor returns and credits and redeem gift certificates and gift cards from any green garden gates.