In the “out” door

In days of yore, during my talks at various industry confabs, I would begin the proceedings by passing out Morton’s packages. My message was simple: No matter who it is telling you “everything you need to know to succeed,” the message is best-seasoned with a grain of salt.

Face it: If there were a crystal ball, we all would have consulted it -- several times, probably. In turn, we all would be retired by now. Or, at least, we all would be doing “wee hour” infomercials aboard our luxury watercraft, replete with bikini-clad friends who help show just how smart and wealthy we have become because of our newfound knowledge.

That said, I do think the recent, heavily touted “outdoor living room” concept not only has legs, but that those legs will be in full-sprint mode this selling season. Practically every trend report I read or every “hot topic” television show I watch references the notion that the home extends, quite literally, to the great outdoors. Susan McCoy of the Garden Media Group has put together a compelling projection on the subject, along with a comprehensive look at all things “in” and “out” for 2007. I read it. I enjoyed it. And, for once, I didn’t feel the need to add much salt.

Now, whether you add salt to that last sentence is entirely up to you.

-- Yale

Comments

[Trey]

I actually copied this article and took it to a talk a couple of weeks ago that I give every year on “What’s new and exciting in the garden center.” I like “Multi-tasking Gardens Are In, Time Consuming Gardens are out.” Eh, gads. Time consuming? Of course now it has a cool name “multi-tasking”. The whole thought of people gardening while wearing ear-buds and trying to get their gardens to “work for them” turns me off.

Lot’s of this stuff is semantics. If trend forecasters can call organic gardening “eco-chic” it’s just sound so much hipper than mom and dads “organic gardening.”

Oh well these things are fun to read and it’s always exciting to “think” we are on to “The Something New” we can all grab hold of and take to the bank.