'^- 



-J*- 



mums from heavy frost." 



The market is 92% retail. People 

 are more mobile today, but — as 

 Stockman analyzes his mailing list, 

 he finds that, of the 2600 customers 

 on it, 506 are in-town and most live 

 within a 25-mile radius. They have al- 

 ways been — even when his grandfa- 

 ther first started — the people who 

 summer by the lake. 



The material they ask for is still 

 traditional, but its packaging is not. 

 Today, people want quick, bright 

 spots of color: jumbo annuals, pre- 

 designed containers, and instant gar- 

 dens sell well. Customers are often 

 retired; they come to relax — they don't 

 want to start a garden from scratch. 



ONE SENSES that the traditional as- 

 pects of a garden center — using soil, 

 growing your own crops — are still im- 

 portant. And Bill's customers tend to 

 value these traditions. In 1990, the 

 two original sash houses were taken 

 down. This caused some comment — 

 but, as Bill points out, the original 

 shop still stands (it's used for selling 

 birdseed and pesticides) "and," he 

 says half-jokingly, "we still have the 

 oldest poly house in the state." 



But "a healthy business is always 

 growing." In 1990, Bill thought that 

 creating a second retail outlet might 

 be a way to expand and he leased 

 one in Brookfield, fifteen miles to 

 the south. But sales weren't as high 

 as expected and there were logistical 

 problems in keeping the site sup- 

 plied. When no long-term rent agree- 

 ment could be reached. Bill left and 

 decided that any investment should 

 be in property he already owned. 



Now, major changes are being 



planned in Tuftonboro. Two acres of 

 land — all white pine — directly behind 

 the houses was cut. Six truckloads of 

 lumber — 40,000 board feet — and four 

 truckloads of pulp were removed. 

 (Even here, the history of the place 

 revealed itself. From 1899 until 1905, 

 the land was used as a golf course — 

 the Bonnydune; then the owners left 

 and started the Kingswood Country 

 Club in Wolfeboro — but Bonnydune's 

 clubhouse was on the hill and the 

 pines at the very top — you couldn't 

 notice from the road — were in a per- 

 fect square. These were the founda- 

 tion plantings — another piece of his- 

 tory obliterated.) 



The hill will be leveled to pro- 

 duce the first large flat production 

 space on the entire 200 acres. Some 

 of it may be greenhouse; some: nurs- 

 ery, perennials, and cut flowers. 



Another need is more parking Bill 

 keeps records of the number of cus- 

 tomer visits each day. In late January, 

 there may be fewer than a dozen, 

 but between May and September, 

 there are at least ten days with three 

 hundred or more. These few days are 

 crucial to the year's overall success 

 and cars for this number of people 

 must be accommodated. The area in 

 front of the present complex seems 

 large, but it can only accommodate 

 one row of about a dozen cars. (In 

 summer, display islands of plant ma- 

 terial are set up on the excess clos- 

 est to the road.) Asphalt is not an 

 answer. A mowed area that can be 

 used for parking on days of heavy 

 traffic and be part of the landscape 

 on others seems the most logical so- 

 lution. But its placement is crucial. 



Bill has noted that in Europe, in 



larger garden centers there, the 

 amount of plant material sold has re- 

 mained static while sales of hard 

 goods has grown steadily. He's noted 

 the same pattern at Spider Web and 

 feels he needs a larger shop. 



He's also noted that the barn be- 

 hind the office — although not heated 

 — is solid and has spectacular inte- 

 rior space. It's now (along with two 

 other buildings — one at Bill's home, 

 another rented nearby) used for stor- 

 age. Perhaps it could be converted 

 to hard goods sales and the material 

 stored there moved to a less visible 

 site. 



Or should the 30'x30' shop be ex- 

 panded? It's so small that displays 

 change completely with each season. 

 (In the fall, for example, it's filled 

 with bulbs.) Or would a larger build- 

 ing be too impersonal? 



Another idea being discussed is 

 that of building a third structure — 

 perhaps behind the present green- 

 houses, at the edge of a new parking 

 area. Its construction would be less 

 disruptive, but would another small 

 building create a lack of focus? Logi- 

 cal traffic patterns, simple access, 

 and clear signage suddenly become 

 important. 



These questions will be resolved 

 over the next few years. Some as- 

 pects will evolve naturally — the pas- 

 sage of time answers a lot of 

 things — but some conscious deci- 

 sions will be made. A balance can be 

 found and it will be instructive to 

 follow this major program of expan- 

 sion. (BP) 



(Spider "Web Gardens in on Route 109A 

 in Center Tuftonboro. The phone number 

 is 603-569-5056.) 



V 





^y 



"WHOLES 



Price List Available 



Route loi 

 PO Box z66, Dublin, NH 



603-563-8180 



Perennials ♦ Herbs ♦ Wildflowers 



no Varieties in 6-cell Packs 



UPS shipping Available 



Annual Bedding Plants (6-cell packs) 



Zonal Geraniums (4 1/2" pot) 



Hardy Mums in Season 



Perennials (available in z, 3, 4 and 6 qt. pots) 



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