The numbers are in, and they’re not all that bad. Of course, they’re not necessarily good, either. In fact, if the nearly 200 respondents to Garden Center magazine’s annual State of the Industry survey told us anything, it’s that their status is still in “quo” mode. Well, that and the reiteration of a notion with which we’re all familiar: Ma Nature still carries a big stick—and speaks rather loudly on occasion.

The survey focused on the spring 2010 season, and we asked garden center operators around the country to gauge how their stores did with regard to sales, general and category-specific, compared to the year prior. The statistical breakdown is surely worth a look. But the story here seems to focus on the prevailing thought that, with few exceptions, the 2010 “Big Picture” looked a lot like its predecessor.

So, given no significant exclamation point for the here and now, is there something to punctuate what’s to come? Please read on to see how several industry pros addressed that question.

Read the full story here.