PDSI launches retail support program for garden centers

Plant Development Services Inc. (PDSI) is launching a series of resources and retail initiatives intended to help garden center partners drive sales, build brand affinity, and support consumers in making purchasing decisions. The initiative combines nation-spanning marketing efforts with store-level solutions, focusing attention on PDSI’s plant collections while aiming to help garden centers increase sell-through.

To help independent garden centers convert consumer interest into purchases, PDSI’s expanded partner program includes a set of retail tools and activation opportunities. These include complimentary retail point-of-purchase materials, such as signage and bench cards for the PDSI family of brands; product knowledge resources, including plant fact sheets, care guides, and consumer-facing educational materials; support for inspiration gardens, including plant sponsorship and branded signage for qualifying display gardens; inclusion in a retailer locator tool intended to direct consumers to retail partner shelves; employee training planned for winter 2026, intended to give garden center staff product knowledge to support customer recommendations; and support for in-store events and local marketing, including partnerships for consumer, media, and influencer events along with social tagging and cross-promotion.

This support was piloted this summer at PDSI’s 2026 Southern Living® Plant Collection Traveling Front Yard Tour. Designed as a pop-up “show yard” experience, the multi-city tour turned PDSI’s partner garden centers across the Southeast into day-of destinations, featuring a summer gardening showcase with hands-on activities, access to experts and content creators, and refreshments.

With stops at Pike Nurseries Toco Hills in Atlanta, Bates Nursery & Garden Center in Nashville, and Creekside Nursery in the Charlotte area, the tour drew hundreds of consumer attendees along with 30 content creators and press. Rather than restricting access to an exclusive group, the events were open to local shoppers, content creators, and press together for a shared day of plant-related activities.

The resulting coverage generated over 100 pieces of media and social content, reaching an audience of more than 800,000. The events also had a commercial impact during a period that is typically slower for sales, with one participating garden center reporting a fourfold increase in day-of sales compared to the prior year.

“Seeing shoppers eagerly gather during the hottest time of year and helping our partners connect with local media, influencers, and customers was incredibly rewarding,” said Corrina Stellitano Andrews, Director of Marketing for Southern Living Plant Collection. “The Traveling Front Yard Tour was a fantastic first look at the kinds of events and initiatives our expanded partnership with independent garden centers will encompass moving forward.”

Independent garden centers interested in utilizing PDSI’s retail support tools, POP materials, or enrolling in upcoming webinar trainings and special initiatives can request resources by visiting the link here.