Business software for garden and outdoor living

Garden retail has one of the sharpest seasons in any category. A very large share of the year happens between March and July, and the rest of the year is spent either preparing for it or recovering from it. That means the cash has to stretch across a long quiet stretch.

Weather makes it worse. A wet spring can take a serious bite out of the only months that matter, and there is no way to make it up later in the year. Very few businesses have so much riding on something so completely outside their control.

Live plants add a dimension most retail does not have. Stock that is alive can die, needs watering and looking after, and cannot simply be stored until next season. Bulky hard goods have their own problem, which is that shipping a garden bench costs a great deal.