Proven Winners Offers New 2026 Certified Garden Center Training Program
To support independent garden centers (IGCs) with employee education and spring sales, Proven Winners is once again offering its popular Certified Garden Center training program. Each year, the program provides on-demand education to empower retail staff to better serve their customers.
“Consumers choose independent garden centers for their quality plants, great selection, and knowledgeable staff, but finding the time and resources to train employees is difficult,” says Jessica DeGraaf, Proven Winners Director of Retail Accounts. “We started the Certified program more than 20 years ago to give IGCs all of the information they need about Proven Winners plants, programs, and more to set their employees up for success.”
To get certified, garden center employees can simply watch the 50-minute training video and complete a short survey. In the video, they’ll find information about:
- Consumer trends
- Free resources
- Top new annuals, perennials, shrubs, and houseplants
- Promotional programs
- Merchandising support
- Sustainability efforts
- Answers to customers’ most frequently asked questions
The educational video (also included below) includes closed captions in English, Spanish, and French for increased accessibility.
“We have all of our employees get certified in the spring,” says Deborah Pomroy, Educational and Floral Director at Seasons Garden Center in Washington Crossing, PA. “They’re told before they start work in March that they have to complete their certification with Proven Winners, so that they’re excited about the plants, they know a little bit about the plants, and they’re excited to start the spring season. It’s less work that we have to do as managers to train them because Proven Winners is able to train my employees for me, which makes my job so much easier.”
Along with vital education and inspiration, certified garden centers receive:
- Priority listing on provenwinners.com through our Find a Retailer tool.
- Free inventory listing.
- A choice of a hat or a T-shirt for each certified employee.
- A pizza party courtesy of Proven Winners.
Retailers can learn more and get certified at provenwinners.com/Staff_Training.
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