- Story by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Lia Crowe

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A lack of retail experience and an absence of any extensive plant knowledge didn91裸聊视频檛 stop Robin Knox from buying a popular Duncan garden centre more than a decade ago.

91裸聊视频淚 was a stay-at-home mom and my son was getting ready to graduate and go off to school, and I thought, 91裸聊视频榳hat the heck am I going to do?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Robin explains.

91裸聊视频淚 was always very involved in school fundraising projects and everything I did seemed to make money and did well, so when a friend said, 91裸聊视频榳hy don91裸聊视频檛 you buy this business?91裸聊视频� I thought it was a great idea. And here I am 13 years later!91裸聊视频� laughs Robin.

She took over the Old Farm Garden Centre in 2006 and she91裸聊视频檚 been growing the business ever since.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e known for our pots 91裸聊视频� people come from all around to look at our pots 91裸聊视频� but once they get inside, they see we have all this other beautiful stuff for the garden,91裸聊视频� the 70-year-old says. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been told by the different reps that we have the largest selection on Vancouver Island, so we even get people from Vancouver coming back year after year.91裸聊视频�

But the Calgary transplant admits the learning curve has been a big one 91裸聊视频� both for running a store and becoming a gardening expert.

91裸聊视频淲hen I bought the business I thought about pots and all the beautiful accessories for the garden, but I never thought about the plants,91裸聊视频� she explains. 91裸聊视频淎ll of a sudden the plants started coming in and I thought, 91裸聊视频榦h geez, I don91裸聊视频檛 know about this one,91裸聊视频� so I started taking things home to plant so I would learn about them. Over the years, it91裸聊视频檚 been a huge learning curve.91裸聊视频�

Robin does all the buying for the store and likes to hand-pick a lot of the items. She tries to buy as much as she can from Vancouver Island and local artisans.

91裸聊视频淥ne really popular item we carry that carries us through the winter months is Anvil Island,91裸聊视频� Robin says. 91裸聊视频淭he First Nations pieces are designed by Noel Brown, a Coast Salish carver whose work is on display at the Smithsonian. Anvil Island makes them so we91裸聊视频檙e very fortunate to carry that line.91裸聊视频�

Diversifying the product line and attracting customers in on-peak months has helped the Old Farm Garden Centre mitigate its biggest challenge 91裸聊视频� the seasonal nature of the business.

91裸聊视频淭he seasonal factor is definitely the biggest challenge and weather also plays a big part in sales,91裸聊视频� Robin explains. 91裸聊视频淭his year, with the snow, we didn91裸聊视频檛 even open until February 18.91裸聊视频�

The other big challenge is big-box competition and an overabundance of pop-up garden centres with cheap prices.

91裸聊视频淧eople are constantly looking for deals and it91裸聊视频檚 pretty hard to compete with the Costcos of the world, so we have to be very service-oriented because you don91裸聊视频檛 get that at big-box stores,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淵ou can91裸聊视频檛 ask information about plants and what works in shade and what91裸聊视频檚 deer-proof and all those kinds of things. We tell people to bring in pictures of their garden and we can teach them what they need to know and help them choose plants and pottery.91裸聊视频�

Since lots of people have moved to the island from other provinces 91裸聊视频� as she did 22 years ago 91裸聊视频� Robin says, they91裸聊视频檙e not used to such a long growing season or how quickly things grow here.

91裸聊视频淢y yard is pretty throughout the year, whereas in Calgary, everything dies back and goes brown,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淭he first year we moved here, we gingerly trimmed back the rose bushes and then, whoosh, everything just goes crazy. So I91裸聊视频檝e learned to be more aggressive.91裸聊视频�

She91裸聊视频檚 also learned to be more aggressive when it comes to getting rid of old stock. Robin says her biggest mistake was buying too much when she first started, and her biggest business lesson has been to clear out what91裸聊视频檚 not selling.

91裸聊视频淚f it doesn91裸聊视频檛 move, put it on sale and get it out of there because it91裸聊视频檚 taking up space,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e a little boutique garden centre and I can91裸聊视频檛 afford to have stuff sitting there if it91裸聊视频檚 not selling, so I91裸聊视频檝e learned to try and get your money back, sell it off, and put some new merchandise there.91裸聊视频�

That business lesson also translates into the garden. Robin91裸聊视频檚 best gardening advice?

91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 be afraid to move things,91裸聊视频� she advises. 91裸聊视频淚f they91裸聊视频檙e not working in one place, dig them up and move them somewhere else.91裸聊视频�

Now that she91裸聊视频檚 70, Robin is looking to sell the blossoming business so she has more time to travel and visit friends.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檇 like to retire this year and I91裸聊视频檓 hoping somebody who would like to buy it will come along. But I91裸聊视频檇 still like to be involved,91裸聊视频� she says.

She91裸聊视频檚 also quick to point out that while some plant knowledge would be advantageous, a potential buyer wouldn91裸聊视频檛 need to have it going in, given how knowledgeable her veteran staff, Lindy and Mel, are.

91裸聊视频淚n the early years I was afraid to work alone,91裸聊视频� she quips. 91裸聊视频淭hey taught me so much and are a huge part of our success. It91裸聊视频檚 such a wonderful environment to be in because you91裸聊视频檙e surrounded by beautiful things. It91裸聊视频檚 not like people are here to buy socks and underwear. They91裸聊视频檙e here to buy pretty things to make their homes nicer.91裸聊视频�

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