Rules for the Discerning IGCC Delegate
50 rules for attending an IGC Congress well. No exceptions.
It’s that time of year again when the Garden Centre Congress is back…
These are the commandments, for God’s sake.
Never wear shorts for an evening event. (Exception: Your shorts are just as extraordinary as Simon E Quinton Smith’s.)
Smile at the bus leaders. They hold your fate in their hands.
A beer in the Bus is fair game—no matter what the time.
Your name badge is your most important accessory. Wear it proudly, especially at breakfast when absolutely nobody remembers who they were drinking with at the lobby bar at 2 AM.
The conference thrives on the commitment of its sponsors. Take the first step and embrace them.
Take a photo of the front sign of each garden centre before you go in: it will help you remember where you are.
Don’t wander off when the introductions and appreciations for the host sites are being done. You’ll have plenty of time.
A handwritten thank-you note is always a good idea.
Express your gratitude early and often to the incredible host country volunteer organizers: they work tirelessly for many years to create this showcase of their country, often calling in special favors from friends and local officials to create an authentic and inspiring experience for visitors from around the world.
Everyone is interested in everyone. That guy with 15 garden centres in another country? He’s as curious about your small plant store as the other way around. Dare to ask!
Learn the language basics for the congress destination. It’s meaningful. (After "please" and "thank you" - start with how the locals say "cheers" when they raise a glass to toast. Learn to ask really good question, and you’ll not only receive great answers but mentorship.
Wi-Fi on the bus is overrated. You don’t always need to be connected. Trading doom-scrolling with daydreaming. These are not wasted moments, they’re where creativity develops, emotions settle and the brain consolidates learning.
Bus mascots are childish. That’s why you should protect them with your life.
To make instant friends, bring a bottle (or two) and some cups for the late-night bus-ride home. It’s even more fun if there’s a story about how you escaped with said bottle(s).
Meeting a stranger on a congress is a fine art—practice it with charm and tact.
Be curious! Make an effort to mix and mingle beyond your country group or native language. (Google translate is your friend.)
Remember that a country group is not a monolith: there's wide diversity of thought and retail approach in even the smallest countries.
Meals are often delayed or “leisurely” to begin, and they run on the customary time schedule of the host country. (In Spain, you may still be eating at midnight.) Embrace the novelty of a different pace, and carry a granola bar in your bag.
The Gala evening may require a dinner jacket, but the dance floor is completely lawless territory. Leave your dignity at the table and show off your moves.
Pointing your iPhone at everything isn’t learning. Pick your spots.
An itinerary is a guide—not gospel. Leave room for spontaneity. (Without causing too much trouble to the bus leaders.)
Writing things down is a good habit. You’ll be glad that you did.
Free coffee is better than no coffee, albeit barely.
Late night lobby drinks & chats are an art form. Learn them well.
A postcard says more than a selfie ever could. Send a postcard to at least one garden center back at home that you hope will join the congress next year!
Always splurge on the experience—not the souvenir. “Kiss the joy as it flies” (William Blake)
Sunglasses at the morning breakfast buffet are a sign of a highly successful "networking" session. Acknowledge these brave souls with a nod of silent solidarity.
The best time to book the next congress is before the current one is over.
A Negroni solves more travel problems than medicine ever will.
You’ll never regret packing less. Always leave ample space in your luggage for the congress goodies. If you need to sit on your suitcase to close it, you’ve already failed.
A personal recommendation will outperform any AI help. Genuine insider knowledge is the ultimate luxury. Cultivate wisdom in a world of knowledge.
Mingle with participants from other countries, change buses every now and then, sit at a table with strangers at mealtimes – but be careful with the British if you can’t hold your drink.
No hotel pool is too good for a early morning cannonball.
Be amazed, since you will see many different stores, but they are different, not better or worse. Leave your opinion at home.
The second espresso matters more than the first.
Trade contact information freely - add that person into your contacts with a note: “IGCA - met in Munich 2026”. Decades later you’ll look back and not quite be able to recall how/when you met your newest best friend.
Singing along on the late-night bus ride back to the hotel isn’t embarrassing – it’s empowering. Bring along your songbook from your Scout days.
You don’t need to see everything—just a few things properly.
Interactive buses are to interact, not to sleep. Sleep at night, talk during the day.
You can always leave early. Staying is the real decision.
There are no bad ideas or experiences. Dare to share. Glorious failures and follies are the most inspiring things you can share, rather than everything being perfect all the time, which can be a bit demoralising.
If you’re doing the math on extending the trip, you already know the answer. Sign up for a pre-tour and/or post-tour trip. Some of the best memories come from smaller, intimate moments with IGCC delegates.
Using jet lag as an excuse is a weak man’s game.
Congress is for meeting new people. Garden-Centre staff included.
Don't reserve your seat. You're not on a Ryanair plane, but on a bus, so change seats every time you go back onto the bus.
Every great road trip has one wrong turn. Consider your Walter Mitty momentum.
Taking fifty photos of a brilliant shelving fixture and absolutely zero photos of the actual plants is the mark of a true professional. Beautiful foliage is temporary; good spatial planning is forever.
Embrace the newcomers warmly and firmly—they are nervous, and veterans can be a bit cliquish. Welcome them with open arms and make them a part of this wonderful, albeit dysfunctional family.
Spread the voice. When IGCC are struggeling, we are all in trouble. Declining perticipation of this venerable institution is not just a matter of regret for hard-drinking Garden-Centre enthusiasts living out their Evelyn Waugh fantasies, but also an indicator of the overall health of the international Garden-Centre industry.
Never forget how fortunate you are to be part of this wonderful business. We make the world beautiful, we make people smile, we make celebrations colorful.
How does this guidance hold up?
What needs to be tweaked?
What might be missing from the list? (You tell me in the comments…).
These rules aren’t built in-step with the trends. They’re meant to be enduring. Even timeless. So, this process typically ends up with more new arrivals than revisions on past doctrine. That’s what brings us here.
Thank you, Kellee, Chris, Edwin, Luca and Simon for your inputs.
“You get the most out of the congress if you ask questions. My best takeaways came from people whom I really respected, but I simply asked questions like “How did you grow a garden centre that big?” and a waterfall started from youth till today from them. Extremely interesting and I learned a lot!”
Edwin Meijer, Founder www.openplantdata.com
“Be wary of a Swiss man who encourages you to stay for “just one more glass”. It’s never just one more.”
Kellee O’Reilly, CXO, www.monkeybarmanagement.com