Retail Garden Center Success Playbook
Your Roadmap to Higher Sales, Stronger Customer Loyalty & Bigger Margins
�� Henry B. González Convention Center | San Antonio | August 11–12, 2026
If you're not at EXPO this August...
Your competitors will be. While others are learning what customers will buy, how to save stressed inventory, improve customer loyalty, and turn education into revenue—you'll either be leading the market… or watching someone else do it.
This is your profit plan.
Retail is changing fast. What sold three years ago won't guarantee success next season. These sessions are built to help you increase sales, improve margins, strengthen your team, and create customers who keep coming back. Because in 2026, the best retailers won't just sell plants. They'll sell trust, expertise, and experience.
Sell What Customers Actually Want
Must-Attend Aug. 12, Wednesday Education Demonstration Sessions located on the Tradeshow Floor:
1
Native Plants for the Retail Garden Center
George Cates and Weston
Neiman, Native American
Seed
2 Bulbs That Sell: Proven Varieties & Design Strategies
Chris Wiesinger, Southern Bulb Company
Why This Matters
Customers are smarter. They want proven performers, drought-tolerant options, native plants, lower-maintenance landscapes, and plants that survive Texas heat. These sessions help you stock smarter and sell faster.
• Proven performers
• Drought-tolerant options
• Native plants
• Lower-maintenance landscapes
• Plants that survive Texas heat
ROI
3 Plant Performance from the 2025 Texas Superstar® Trial
Paul Winski, Texas A&M University
Better inventory decisions =
• Faster turns
• Fewer losses
• Stronger customer satisfaction
Learn what retail success looks like in at EXPO.
What sells now isn’t what sold three years ago.
• Proven performers. Customer loyalty. Heat-stressed inventory recovery.
• Learn what retail success looks like in 2026 and beyond during EXPO's Full Day Education on August 11, 2026.(These Sessions include CEUS from TNLA and the Texas Department of Agriculture)
Bring your team to get a leg up on your competition:
• Beware: The Two Spotted Cotton Leaf Hopper, with Dr Rafia Khan and Dr. Andrew King, Texas AgriLife Extension Service
• Vigilance and Surveillance for New, Emerging and Re-emerging Plant Disease Issues, Dr. Kevin Ong, Texas AgriLife Extension Service
• Principles of Systems Approach to Plant Disease Management in a Plant Production (Nursery & Greenhouse) System, Dr. Kevin Ong, Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Stop Losing Money to Heat-Stressed Inventory
Water Saving Plants
Dr. Andrew King, Texas AgriLife
ExtensionWednesday, Aug. 11 Education
Beat the Heat: Game Plan for Saving Stressed Plants
Sean Markovic, Green Lake NurseryThursday, Aug. 12 Demo
Why This Matters
Dead plants destroy margins. Inventory loss quietly drains profit. These sessions help you reduce shrink, improve plant performance, make smarter watering decisions, and protect inventory investments.
Your Plants Are Talking, Are You Listening?
Matt Bonavita, Green LanielThursday, Aug. 12 Demo
ROI
Healthier plants =
Applied Research
Results from Texas Nursery Industry Trials
Paul Winski, ExtensionThursday, Aug. 12 Demo
• Stronger margins
• Fewer markdowns
• Higher repeat business
Turn Customer Service Into Sales
Must-Attend Sessions on the Tradeshow Floor, Thursday, Aug. 12th:
From Hello to Sold
How Customer Service Turns Teams Into Sales Machines
Nessa Spence, San Jacinto Environmental Supplies
TNLA Best of Texas Landscape Guide Plant Chat
Panel Discussion
Located at the Meet Up Garden
Why This Matters
People don't just buy plants. They buy confidence. They buy trust. They buy trust in your team. These sessions help you improve customer experience, increase close rates, strengthen loyalty, and create repeat buyers.
Growing Community, Growing Business
Nessa Spence, San Jacinto Environmental Supplies
Growers Meet Retailers Meet Up
Located at the Meet Up Garden
ROI
Better service =
• Higher tickets
• Stronger retention
• More word-of-mouth referrals
Build a Stronger Team That Sells More
Must-Attend Sessions:
Strong Roots. Even Stronger Future
Amy Johannesen, Hye Standards, LLC
Growing Great Employees Part 1 + Part 2
Justin Dorsey, Texas HR Team
Tips on How to Write Emails Like a Boss
Located at the Career Center Tailgate
The Winning Team with Winning Health
Nessa Spence, San Jacinto Supply Company
ROI: Better teams = better customer experiences + stronger sales + lower turnover costs
Why This Matters: Your team is your sales engine. Weak staff = weak sales. Strong leadership creates stronger teams and better customer experiences. These sessions help you improve leadership, strengthen employee retention, create better managers, and increase staff confidence.
Find New Revenue Opportunities
Must-Attend Sessions:
Start & Grow a Christmas Installation
Company Scott Young, Certified LightsWednesday, Aug. 11, Education
Why This Matters
Growth doesn't always come from more customers. Sometimes it comes from selling more to the customers you already have. These sessions help you expand seasonal revenue, add premium services, create design-driven upsells, and build year-round customer value.
Designing for Health, Wellness and Biophilia
Joe Raboine, Oldcastle APG a CRH
CompanyThursday, Aug. 12, Demo
• Diversified income • Stronger seasonal cash flow • Higher annual revenue
AUGUST 12 BONUS
The Show Floor Is Your Retail Advantage
Seeing innovation live helps you make better buying decisions. EXPO's Education Demonstrations offer TNLA CEUs and are located on the Tradeshow Floor.
Next-Gen Greenhouse Solutions
Transforming Growing Spaces
Dave Bishop, Next G3N Greenhouses
Portable Generator Power Solutions
From Greenhouse to Jobsite
Michael Brawner, Ed.S., Holt
Weathermatic Proven Irrigation Science
Ben Mason, Weathermatic
AI/IoT, Edge Computing & Smart Irrigation
Daniel Beck, Plantwatch LLC
ROI: Smarter purchasing decisions = faster growth + stronger margins + competitive advantage.
You'll discover new products customers will ask for next, technology that improves efficiency, and tools that help your team sell smarter.
The Final Truth
Your competitors are coming. The only question is — Will you?
They'll leave EXPO with:
• Better inventory strategies
• Stronger sales systems
• Smarter plant selections
• Better customer retention
• Stronger teams
• Bigger margins
Don't Miss Out
One session could change your spring sales season. And missing EXPO could cost far more than attending ever will. The Nursery/Landscape EXPO is produced by the Texas Nursery & Landscape Association.
Invest in your team's success—secure your EXPO Education registration now:
