Stew Leonard's Gardening Centers to Hold Free Saturday Seminars
NORWALK, Conn. - Hoping to grow sales and deepen its roots with shoppers, Stew Leonard's Garden Centers will offer free Saturday morning gardening workshops during the spring and summer, the retailer, based here, said yesterday.
This is the first year that all three of the grocer's stores, located in Norwalk and Danbury, Conn.; and Yonkers, N.Y., will be holding the seminars. The garden centers, which officially opened the first of this month, feature a full line of annuals, mulches, soils, tools, shrubs, and an expanded selection of patio furniture.
Company spokeswoman Jill Greenwood told Progressive Grocer that the workshops will be conducted by Stew Leonard's team members with horticultural backgrounds, including gardening expert Jeannie Mortensen, who will teach the Norwalk seminars. Mortensen has worked at the Norwalk Garden Center for six years and was recently promoted to Team Leader. Her specialty is perennials.
Running from April 14 through August 25, the workshops begin at 9 a.m. and last about an hour. Scheduled topics include controlling wildlife without landscape barriers, gardening with fewer chemicals, selecting shrubs for specific gardens, choosing bird feeders and houses, protecting plants from the sun, and xeriscaping for a maintenance-free garden.
No workshops will be held on the holiday weekends of Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July.
Stew Leonard's is scheduled to open a new store this month in Newington, Conn.
This is the first year that all three of the grocer's stores, located in Norwalk and Danbury, Conn.; and Yonkers, N.Y., will be holding the seminars. The garden centers, which officially opened the first of this month, feature a full line of annuals, mulches, soils, tools, shrubs, and an expanded selection of patio furniture.
Company spokeswoman Jill Greenwood told Progressive Grocer that the workshops will be conducted by Stew Leonard's team members with horticultural backgrounds, including gardening expert Jeannie Mortensen, who will teach the Norwalk seminars. Mortensen has worked at the Norwalk Garden Center for six years and was recently promoted to Team Leader. Her specialty is perennials.
Running from April 14 through August 25, the workshops begin at 9 a.m. and last about an hour. Scheduled topics include controlling wildlife without landscape barriers, gardening with fewer chemicals, selecting shrubs for specific gardens, choosing bird feeders and houses, protecting plants from the sun, and xeriscaping for a maintenance-free garden.
No workshops will be held on the holiday weekends of Mother's Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July.
Stew Leonard's is scheduled to open a new store this month in Newington, Conn.