Tammy Sons is the CEO of TN Nursery and an expert plant advisor who studied horticulture. She enjoys her family, the outdoors and nature.
As a business owner in the nursery industry, I’ve witnessed firsthand how consumer demand, environmental concerns and digital transformation reshape how we sell plants. The landscape is changing rapidly from a backyard operation to a multi-faceted online business. The nursery industry, once reliant on seasonal foot traffic and word-of-mouth marketing, is now at the forefront of an e-commerce boom with direct-to-consumer sales and social media playing a critical role.
Meeting The Growing Demand For Green Spaces
The nursery industry isn’t just about selling plants—it’s about connecting people to nature. And consumers have recently embraced plants for their aesthetic and wellness benefits. The pandemic fueled a gardening resurgence, with first-time plant buyers flooding nurseries in search of ways to improve their mental well-being and indoor air quality. However, the challenge isn’t just attracting these new customers but retaining them. A key differentiator for nursery businesses is education—helping customers understand plant care, design and sustainability.
Plant Care
Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok have become platforms where consumers discover new plant varieties, get care tips and interact with brands. Here, brand identity matters. I believe nurseries that focus on storytelling, community engagement, and education are the ones that will be best positioned to build long-term customer loyalty.
A strong brand narrative that highlights sustainability, expertise and unique plant selections can help businesses stand out. Create content-rich experiences, such as live Q&A sessions, video tutorials and workshops to foster a loyal customer base that keeps coming back.
Design
Urbanization is driving demand for compact, space-efficient plants. Vertical gardens, balcony-friendly shrubs, and micro-herbs are becoming increasingly popular as city dwellers look for ways to bring nature into small living spaces. For nurseries, offering curated plant bundles tailored to specific customer needs—such as pollinator gardens, pet-safe plants or drought-resistant species—is a smart way to increase sales and provide value.
Sustainability
I believe sustainability is at the heart of the industry’s future. More than ever, clients are asking for native plants, pollinator-friendly species and eco-conscious growing practices. Forward-thinking nurseries are integrating organic soil amendments, reducing plastic use and prioritizing biodiversity.
Buyers are also seeking out plants that serve a specific purpose—whether for edible gardening, wildlife conservation or air purification. The rise of low-maintenance and native plants reflects a shift toward sustainable landscaping. Customers want plants that require fewer resources and are better suited to local climates.
Navigating A New Online Landscape
Selling plants online comes with its challenges—logistics being one of the biggest. Shipping live plants requires careful packaging, weather considerations and real-time inventory management. The nurseries thriving in this digital landscape have adapted to these challenges through technology. I recommend investing in AI-driven inventory tracking, customer relationship management software and optimized fulfillment processes to scale without compromising quality.
Marketing in a digital world also requires constant innovation. Search engine optimization, social media engagement and influencer partnerships have become essential for reaching customers. To remain competitive, implement data-driven marketing strategies, customer personalization and targeted advertising campaigns.
It’s also important to stay up to speed on other types of hurdles facing the industry. For starters, supply chain disruptions have made sourcing plants unpredictable, while climate change has introduced new growing challenges. Extreme weather conditions—floods, droughts and temperature fluctuations—can disrupt production cycles and impact plant availability.
Labor shortages are another pressing issue. The nursery business is labor-intensive, requiring skilled workers who understand plant care, propagation and customer service. To counteract this, many companies are investing in automation, such as irrigation systems and digital inventory tracking, to reduce reliance on manual labor.
Looking Ahead To The Future Of The Nursery Industry
The demand for plants isn’t slowing down—it’s evolving. As a nursery owner, staying ahead means being adaptable, investing in technology and nurturing customer relationships beyond just a single transaction.
My biggest takeaway is this: Plants are more than a product; they’re an experience. Selling them successfully requires not just an understanding of plant science but also consumer psychology, digital marketing and sustainability trends. By embracing change and staying customer-focused, the nursery industry will continue to flourish, rooted in both tradition and innovation.
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