#95 DESIGNING THE STORE * ( revised 6/2) big tree/show garden display areas

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In this area of green garden gates, we have solved two problems that have always vexed the owners of garden stores. First, is the display of large balled and burlapped trees. The second is displaying plants in a mature state for our customers to view. These areas are located in the parking areas of green garden gates. We are aware that, sometimes, it may be difficult to get access to these areas, but that is really only a minor inconvenience to the staff and customers. Also, there are often governmental landscape requirements in parking areas and with this plan, those requirements can be met that and yet, benefit green garden gates by using these areas for display.

Big Tree Display

B and B Trees are always a hassle to display. Some owners block them all together in a location and cover them with bark or soil. They look great, they are cared for in this method until you have to get one of the damned things out (and it is always the one in the middle of the block!). Some put them in pots throughout the nursery. (The smart ones keep a pallet underneath the heavy pot so they can be moved easily to the customer’s vehicle). Sometimes the B and B trees just sit there leaning into one another with no covering over the root ball to dry and crack, break and die in the sun.

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We found a garden store in Maine that had the best solution. We copied this technique and watched another owner to improve upon it. The owner purchased rolled galvanized steel (to prevent rusting), 16” to 14” high and had the steel cut into about 12 feet sections. He drilled two small holes, and was able to form a circle by screwing the sections together near the top and bottom of the seam. Next, he drilled a hole in the existing soil and positioned the point of the root ball into the soil, allowing it to stand sturdy and straight. Next, he fitted the steel around the root ball at normal soil grade, formed the circle and closed the seam with the two screws. He then filled the cavity between the root ball and the steel circle with a light soil mix or bark. He could then use drip irrigators to water the circle or use a standard shrub head for irrigation. Using this method, both the care of the tree and the display of the tree were excellent.

We noticed, however, that getting the tree out of the circle was messy. He would undo the circle and use a bobcat and forks to get under the root ball and lift the tree. That disrupted the entire bed a great deal and that force tended to damage the root ball. We improved up this by watching another garden store owner move around big trees.

This woman purchased two three foot lengths of heavy chain and two link connectors. She strattled the tree trunk over the the root ball with a bobcat or forklift and forks. She threaded the chains under the heavy wires on each end that supported the root ball, and threaded it again around and near the end of each fork and closed the chains with the link connectors. She gently raised to the forks and lifted the entire root ball and tree out of the bed. Any root mass that had grown outside the ball could be pruned easily before transport. She then drove it to and into the bed of the customer’s vehicle. There would be no disruption of the display bed, no force on the root ball and a clean delivery to the vehicle. The steel rings would be then stored on a pallet ready for the display of another large tree. The bark from the tree ring could be gathered and re-used for the next tree.

We just did not believe that the root ball wires could handle the weight of the lift by the forks. They just look to flimsy and would snap, breaking the root ball as it hit the ground in transport. But it works! She never lost a tree. Sometimes, with a larger root ball, she would gather several wires for more strength.

Show area for mature plants

No matter how many pictures and how much sign description, customers want to see how the plants are going to look in their landscape when they are mature. Garden store owners have fooled around with this problem for years. Some incorporate mature plants into their display areas, taking away valuable room from plants to be sold. Also, those mature plants take constant care to look good. Also, mature trees in display areas mixed with plants for sale are a particular problem as they break during heavy wind and severe storm cycles.

We have incorporated into some of these big tree display areas, between the big trees, permanent mature plant show gardens. There is a backdrop wall behind the plants to showcase each area. The plants are labeled and identified as to where they can be found in the nursery display areas. We can expand or contract each section of the show gardens by simply taking our or adding a big tree and tree ring. We have invited local garden clubs to “adopt” some of these individual show garden sections for their club members to maintain. For example the iris society would have their own section. We also are able to “trial” new plants in the market. Small flowering trees can be moved into the section when they are in full bloom for added effect. All the plants have attractive descriptive labels and most importantly, they identify where in the retail store they are located for purchase.