Does Gardening Make Consumers Buzz?

There was a lot of interesting insight that came out of this year’s Consumer Buzz. The panel this year was made up of consumer magazine editors instead of consumers, and I was surprised to see the puzzled looks on their faces when asked if gardening is dead. Of course it’s not dead, they said.

A few other interesting comments … Scott Meyer of Organic Gardening magazine commented that people are interested in varieites that tell a story, and that’s why so many heirloom tomato varieties are so popular. Panelist Gayla Trail of You Grow Girl agreed, saying the first branded product that jumps to mind is the Stepables brand, because the name of the product also tells the consumer how to use it, which is a story in itself.

As far as how these editors view gardening and the Web, Meyer says the strongest part of Organic Gardening’s Web site is it’s online community. “People want to talk about what’s worked and what hasn’t,” he says. User ratings and user feedback are big capabilities. He also says he doesn’t think shopping for plants online has quite caught on yet, as the tactile experience of shopping for plants is still important. Seeds, however, are ripe for online sales.