Memorable setting, fun activities ready to welcome fundraisers, special events

This piece is sponsored by Landscape Garden Centers.

Watch donor support take root and guests walk away with a memorable experience when you partner with Landscape Garden Centers for your next fundraiser or special event.

The expansive garden center at 47238 271st St. has revamped its “Give-It, Grow-It” fundraising opportunities for area organizations — and there are more options than ever.

“We’ve always assisted with fundraising, but this year we’ve revamped our program to offer even more ways to work with us and reach donors,” said Clare Klein, event specialist.

Make and Take

Here’s how the newest opportunity works: Invite your supporters to Landscape Garden Centers for a make-and-take workshop where they create a container to take home and your organization receives 30 percent of their purchase.

“We can do this in all seasons,” Klein said. “Spring is always popular for our public workshops, but there are great opportunities to do a fall, winter or holiday container. It’s a really fun activity that friends and colleagues can do together.”

The team at Landscape Garden Centers will help your guests create containers ranging from $25 to $100. Groups of 30 to 40 are an ideal size, but the garden center can accommodate smaller groups as well, Klein said.

“You can do this in an hour, or you can book a longer time period that allows people to drop in when it works for them,” she said.

“You’re welcome to shop the greenhouse and pick out plants, annuals, pumpkins or gourds for the fall containers, and our team can help assemble and guide you through the process. If you’d rather do a cleaner workshop without digging in the dirt, we can do that, or we can do a propagation station where guests can take a clipping of a plant home as a parting gift.”

Events are held outside of regular business hours as well, and sponsoring organizations also receive 10 percent of anything guests buy at Landscape Garden Centers during the event.

“You can bring snacks and beverages and make it more of a social event too,” Klein said.

“We can accommodate you many weeknights in the months ahead, and it’s a great fit for nonprofits, sports teams, kids clubs and young adult clubs. We have a very flexible fundraising program that can be tailored to your organization.”

Other fundraising options

If you’d rather not host a make-and-take, Landscape Garden Centers offers several other ways to help with fundraising.

“We also do seasonal plant orders,” Klein said. “Some of our most popular are tulips in the spring, mums in the fall and winter containers, wreaths and poinsettias during the Christmas season. You sell the product ahead of time, we have them ready for pickup, and you get 30 percent of those sales.”

Here’s what to keep in mind for planning:

• Tulips: Sell in January-February for pickup in April-May.
• Mums: Sell May-July to pick up in September.
• Wreaths: Sell July-August for pickup by mid-October.
• Winter containers and poinsettias: Sell August-September for pickup in November.

“Right now is a great time to sign up for winter containers and poinsettias,” Klein said. “Just reach out to me for information. Also, these are just recommendations for plants we can order. If you have a favorite plant or color, we can tailor orders depending on the time of year and quantity.”

Gift card fundraising

Gift cards offer another popular and easy option for fundraising at Landscape Garden Centers.

“You sell gift cards and receive 15 percent of those sales,” Klein said. “It’s a very quick turnaround, and we can do that any time of the year and have it ready in 48 hours.”

You also can combine that offer with other fundraising efforts for even more value.

“People find that it’s a great option for gifting,” Klein said. “We offer things that can go on anyone’s desk or sit on a counter at home and liven up a space. People look forward to using their gift cards and are excited about purchasing.”

Special event options

The same memorable environment Landscape Garden Centers offers for fundraising also extends to corporate and social events.

Businesses can host a make-and-take as a fun option for a holiday party or for employee or customer appreciation, for example. The option also is there if a group of friends wants to get together and catch up over a creative project.

And the venue itself makes a beautiful setting.

The Gardens offers four unique spaces for private events: The Greenhouse, The Courtyard, The Greenroom and The Cafe.

“The spaces can accommodate groups from half a dozen people up to 500 in a mix-and-mingle format, so there are many options that make a great fit for everything from corporate events to weddings,” Klein said.

The Greenhouse and The Courtyard each can host up to 300 guests seated or 500 mix-and-mingle format and can be rented anytime outside of April through June.

The Greenroom can host up to 25 guests, while The Cafe inside the Design Studio can accommodate up to 40 people.

“These are ideal for smaller gatherings like baby showers, graduation parties, business meetings, team trainings and private events,” Klein said.

“And all our events have access to our plants for decorating, so you can use anything in-house, which is really fun.”

There’s space to set up a tent outside, room for food trucks and plenty of space to bring your creativity.

“One of my most memorable events was a 5-year-old birthday party we hosted with a fairy garden theme,” Klein said. “We made fairy gardens, and they had cake in the greenhouse and opened presents. Another group just came in for a 50th birthday and potted succulent gardens. So it can be a fun way to get together and do something unique.”

The space also is open through the winter — “and we’re booking out events now, including holiday parties into January, so it’s a perfect place to warm up and uplift the winter blues,” Klein said.

For details on the venues, visit here.

To learn more 

If your organization or event would like to learn more about working with Landscape Garden Centers, email [email protected], stop in, or begin online here.

And, stop by for Flowers After Hours from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, for a preview of how the space can host a party.

Enjoy 20 percent off everything in the garden center and nursery while you sip, shop and soak in the summer vibes.

The first 30 guests will receive a free spider plant, terra-cotta pot, soil and twine to create a macrame plant hanger at the craft table. After that, the craft is just $10. Plus, enjoy a mimosa bar and snacks, mystery plant bags and door prizes.