Observation Lab Assignment from Crash Course in Creativity, Stanford University, November 2012. A review of 4 Garden Shops, Whitfill Nursery, Home Depot, Walmart and Target.

1. When Fall is Really Spring - Garden Shop Traveling
in Phoenix, Arizona US
Submission by Rhonda Forsyth
A Crash Course on Creativity
Observation Lab

2. Summer hits the garden hard
Phoenix Records Hottest Day in Nearly 5 Years
Residents of the Desert Southwest are enduring some of the highest
temperatures in years. ... Impressively, Phoenix, Ariz., topped out at 118
degrees….
The garden stops growing
…..even some of my cactus gave up

3. In the Fall, temperatures drop* and
I want to garden!!!
What would a
traveler observe at
Phoenix’s garden
stores?
* High today is 90º F

4. Enticing entrance – celebrating the season with pumpkins!!
Lots of green here. Do we really live in a desert???????????

5. Observations
Natural setting
COLOR!!
Glorious smells
Staff uniforms
Cool & refreshing
Do I hear peacocks?
Master gardeners ready to help
Carts that hold a hundred pounds and are easy to push on gravel
Cute high school kids available to do heavy lifting
5 acres with distinct plant climates
Crafts from the region
Prices for commodity items not much higher than other shops but there
are unique ways to spend A LOT more money if inclined
Xeriscape options are abundant, but not highlighted
Plants from around the world
Approachable signs and good wayfinding
Staff act like they know you
Big business that feels like it is part of the neighborhood
ike it

6. Whitfill Opportunities
• Develop ways to extend gardening into the summer
o Hold classes on how to prepare the garden
o Teach "how tos" and supply materials for summer greenhouse (should
be a "coolhouse" in phoenix - and I'd buy this in a heartbeat!)
o Hold summer classes for kids
o Teach about organic gardening
o Teach classes on xeriscape gardening (we use too much water)
• Expand capacity, attract new clients and diversify by using the 5 acres in
other collaborative ways.
o Community garden
o Coffeehouse and bakery
o Small scale restaurant - pizza ovens or BBQ?
• Other retail
o BBQ design and build services
o Outdoor kitchen equipment
o Garden design by landscape architect

7. Nice for a big box – The Home Depot
Welcoming entrance
Helpful, knowledgeable and friendly staff
Customers seemed happy
Well organized
Not much desert landscaping
Competitive pricing
Great job of having related merchandise – pools, BBQ

8. Home Depot Opportunities
Garden department is relatively
undifferentiated.
o Focus more on service and expertise
o Get garden supplies for a desert
environment
o Evaluate options for more hardscape design
and installation opportunities
o Teach and educate like you do in other parts
of the store

9. Where is the entrance?
Only sign
at the
entrance Greeter at front
door started
I feel so
crying when I
very
asked her how
special
she was doing
(not actual employee)
N
O
I have
T
the
store
to Y
myself E
T

10. Lowest prices of all the shops not
Smells like seeming to make a difference.
chemicals and Dark and Enclosed
Flowers need to be dead-headed
fertilizer and are likely root bound.

11. Walmart Opportunities
Get serious
• Garden department seems like it is going out of
business
• Amplify or specialize on a few meaningful areas that
fit with overall Walmart themes such as family
experiences and low cost.
o gardening to augment family food needs
o gardening as family activity
• Think about focusing on small gardens
• Reduce the "chemical" experience. Don't need half
of department filled with a large stock of weed killer.

12. So Sad
Even better than a normal Target
Another special welcome sign Oh no, the garden shop is closed!!

13. Target Opportunity
Looks like they can start from scratch
• Don't try and be a Whitfall which focuses
on variety and an engaging environment
or Walmart which focuses on low cost.
• Differentiate!!!
• Engage famous architects or celebrity
gardeners, much like they did with
clothing and tea pots.

14. Dear Tina,
I appreciate the opportunity to have a happy
day at the garden shops! I ended it by planting
a passion flower vine - 4th vine in this location.
Hope springs eternal in the heart of a gardener!
Rhonda