The psychology of spring is powerful.
Thematically, it’s a season that emotes renewal and revitalization. We welcome warmer weather and the natural beauty that comes to life.
When you think spring, flowers likely come to mind. And when you think about flowers for your home, you just might think of Lowe’s.
“The garden center welcomes every customer to our house,” said Robert Sedlatschek, Lowe’s lawn and garden divisional merchandising manager. “It’s our front yard, our front door.”
Sedlatschek expects to welcome a lot of visitors this year, and for good reason.
Let’s first go back to the start of spring in 2020 – when we all first began to understand the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything suddenly changed. For the Lowe’s lawn and garden team, a year’s worth of planning faced a challenge no one saw coming.
“The rocket was sitting on the launchpad, the steam was coming out – we were getting ready for blast off. Then all the sudden COVID hits,” Sedlatschek said. “It was a frightening time. We started taking tables down so we could social distance in the garden centers. We had to make changes so our associates and customers were safe … And we understood the customers needed us.”
With people spending more time at home than ever before, the popularity of gardening boomed.
It’s very humbling to think of that aspect, to think how we helped customers escape. It gives you chills.
“The demand was unbelievable,” Sedlatschek said.
To meet demand, Lowe’s feverishly worked with family-owned or family-run growers in every region, many of which were facing COVID-related hardships.
“We helped growers survive,” Sedlatschek said. “We were in the ‘yes’ business.”
Harry Barker, senior lawn and garden merchant, said it was a massive undertaking to make so many adjustments on the fly.
“I don’t think people realize that it typically takes almost year – at a minimum – to bring plants to the market. It can take several years if it’s a certain kind of shrub,” Barker explained. “So to see what the team did in 2020 was remarkable.”
As a result of the countless hours coordinating product, customers walked into garden centers across the country and were greeted by the floral offerings they’ve come to expect from Lowe’s.
But really, visiting the garden center is about more than simply purchasing a product. Walking up and down each aisle surrounded by beautiful flowers and greenery at every turn – that’s an experience to look forward to.
That shopping experience and the process of beautifying a home simply makes people happy. And everyone needed a little joy as we adjusted to the new reality brought on by the pandemic.
“It’s very humbling to think of that aspect, to think how we helped customers escape,” said Barker. “It gives you chills when you really start thinking about it.”
Gardening became a newfound passion for many, and it’s safe to assume people will look to build on what they started a year ago. In fact, Forbes recently published a story forecasting 2021 as the “Year of the Yard” with more Americans looking to improve their outdoor spaces.
“We have young customers – a new generation of customers – who experienced gardening for the first time (in 2020). We also saw an influx of customers who gardened to produce food or simply educate their children,” Sedlatschek said. “Seed packets, edibles, vegetables and herbs, raised beds, tomato cages… We put a lot more focus in those areas.”
It was a long winter made longer by the pandemic.
A full year after COVID-19 first entered and disrupted our lives, it’s still here. But spring has the power to lift spirits. There’s an optimism that accompanies its arrival.
Lowe’s hopes you’ll find yourself feeling it in the garden center.
“How can we help people feel good about who they are as individuals and as a family?” Sedlatschek said. “Well, we take a lot of pride in helping customers beautify their home and outdoor living spaces. That’s a big deal for all of us.”
