The Rural Voice, 2002-03, Page 26DAVID E. GREIN
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22 THE RURAL VOICE
Targe cottage community also plays a
role in the Robson's business.
Cottagers have a greater variety of
interests and demands, he says.
Generally these are people who
are quite well to do and they're
looking for quality and service.
They're looking for an entertainment
value in their purchases. "We're in
the entertainment business as much
as anything," he says. "We're
competing against Walt Disney for
discretionary income. If people don't
enjoy it(shopping at the nursery)
they won't come back."
As well as expanding the
market, the cottagers also
extend the season, he says.
Because they know that flowers will
die if they're not there to water them,
many wit to buy until late June or
early July when they'll be at the
cottage more.
Cottagers are also part -of a
growing trend on the part of
customers to container gardening,
Robson says. People often have less
property but still want flowers. The
containers are also easier to look
after, without the
weeds that plague
those with garden
beds.
Containers also
extend the season
with people, in our
mild falls in recent
years, keeping their
container gardens
material grown from seed is being
reduced while that grown from
cuttings is increasing. Brand names
like Proven Winners, provide
cuttings which are propagated and
grown out by the nurseries.
During the summer the Robsons
also sell trees and shrubs and
perennials which they buy from
wholesalers. The perennial business
grew 40 per cent last year on top of a
30 per cern growth the previous year,
he says. When he first took over the
business they grew some trees and
shrubs but some of the top tree, shrub
and perennial nurseries in North
America are here in Ontario and it
makes more sense to take'ldvantage
of their expertise, he says,
Like many farmers, Robson has a
tough-minded attitude toward
farming decisions. "If it doesn't
make me money, it's a hobby and I
don't have time for hobbies," he
says.
Unlike other farmers, however,
Robson knows exactly when harvest
will begin this year. People start to
garden in early May and Victoria
Day weekend
Like field crops, there's
been an explosion of
new varieties in
flowering plants
going into November.
Then there's a sort of "fast-food"
mentality, he .says. People want to
have an instant garden, ready to go.
Often they may bring in containers
and ask that they be planted.
Donna provides a competitive
advantage here. She's a former florist
and so can bring her artistic eye to
designing containers. Rick is more on
the production and landscaping side
of the business, "though everybody
has to do everything", he says.
Like field crops, there has been an
explosion of new varieties in recent
years, and like new crop varieties,
often these are copyrighted and
grown only under licence. "There's
an almost bewildering amount of
varieties every year," Robson says.
Some varieties, for instance, provide
better colour and drought resistance.
In addition, the amount of plant
remains the single
biggest sales period
of the year. By the
end of June 80 per
cent of stock will
be sold, though
cottagers and those
wanting to
replenish
containers will keep the sales going
into July.
Next year's cycle will already
begin in July when a major supplier
in the Niagara area holds a field day
to show off beds of the newest annual
varieties that will be offered for next
season.
August and September are the
time to order seeds and cuttings for
the next season. Planting will begin
then in mid-January. As the plants
grow they're moved from the small
starter greenhouse to the larger,
modern greenhouse where they'll be
on sale come gardening season.
As well as bedding plants.
perennials and trees and shrubs,
Robson does some landscaping,
mostly in fall when things aren't so
busy. They add a little money at
Christmas selling Christmas trees. It
means the down time is really from