Beyond the Garden: Navigating Trust, Trends, and Timing in Landscape Supply

Blizzard & Bloom: Insights from the Ice and the Green Scene

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The relationship between landscapers and plant suppliers forms the backbone of successful outdoor projects—yet few understand the complex forecasting, growing processes, and industry knowledge required to bring the right plants to the right place at the right time.
Donnie Piccarello from Pearson Nurseries brings decades of horticultural wisdom to this enlightening conversation about what's happening in the nursery business today. With candid insights about post-pandemic plant availability challenges and thoughtful perspective on sustainability trends, Donnie articulates how the five-to-eight year growing cycle for many landscape specimens means today's planting decisions impact availability far into the future.
The discussion explores the delicate balance between trending native plant enthusiasm and practical applications, with Donnie offering nuanced thoughts on when and where sustainability practices make the most sense. "You can't take and flip the switch quickly," he explains when discussing landscape transitions, emphasizing that contextual plant selection trumps rigid adherence to any single approach. His passion for stewartia as an underutilized landscape tree reveals both his deep plant knowledge and eye for design potential.
Perhaps most valuable for landscape professionals is Donnie's advice on securing plant material in an increasingly competitive market. His recommendation to communicate needs early—even during winter months—could save countless headaches during busy seasons. "It's all level of trust," he emphasizes, describing the collaborative relationship between nurseries, designers, and installers that leads to successful projects.
Whether you're planning a major landscape installation, curious about plant trends for 2025, or interested in the behind-the-scenes reality of plant production, this conversation offers essential insights from someone whose family business continues to shape Northeast landscapes. Subscribe now and join us next week when Greg from SiteOne brings his industry perspective to the show!

Chapters

1. Introduction to Blizzard and Bloom (00:00:00)

2. Meet Donnie Piccarello from Pearson Nurseries (00:01:04)

3. Industry Outlook for 2025 (00:02:45)

4. Post-COVID Plant Availability Challenges (00:04:45)

5. Sustainability Trends and Native Plants (00:06:11)

6. New Plant Varieties and Cultivars (00:09:14)

7. Education in the Nursery Industry (00:15:00)

8. Forecasting Inventory and Plant Selection (00:19:37)

9. Final Advice and Wrap-Up (00:22:35)