Meet Dan!

With 32 years of experience in the Horticulture Industry, Dan Heims researches, speaks, writes, and stands at the forefront of the horticulture industry as president of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc. Over the past 13 years, Terra Nova Nurseries has grown to become a world leader in plant breeding, introducing over 550 exciting new varieties to the global market, 498 of which include granted and pending patents in the United States, Europe and Japan. Heims has been an integral part of the company’s growth and success from its very beginning.


As an educator, Heims is known as a knowledgeable enthusiast in all things horticulture. He has spent years lecturing all over the world, including the United States, Japan, England, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Australia, and Canada. From breeding to growing, Heims teaches people about his experiences in the industry.


And, now, you may be able to visit Dan at one of his upcoming lectures around the United States. A few talks in 2009 include the following:


• 2009 Great Lakes Trade Exposition on “Containers and Small-space Gardening” on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
• The Summit County Master Gardeners of Ohio on “Containers and Small-space Gardening” on Saturday, Jan. 24, and Sunday, Jan. 25.
• Yard, Garden and Patio Show on “New Perennials from Around the World” on Friday, Feb. 27.
• 2009 American Begonia Society Convention: the West Palm Beach Branch on “California Dreamin’ (Plant Discoveries in California’s Hot Spots) on Thursday, April 30.


More about Terra Nova Nurseries:
Terra Nova Nurseries is a world leader in plant breeding and genetics which has introduced over 460 captivating, robust and innovative varieties of annuals and perennials for the landscape and garden to the marketplace. The Terra Nova Nurseries team produces dozens of hardy new selections each year through expert flower breeding and laboratory research. These varieties are then propagated through tissue culture in state-of-the-art labs to make large quantities of healthy plants available to home gardeners, independent garden centers, growers, and landscape professionals throughout the world.

~Leslie

STEPABLES Selects Independent Garden Center Contest Winners

Drum-roll please…

STEPABLES officially announced the names of three independent garden centers that received first place honors in respective plant display categories as part of the second annual “We’ve Got Sole” contest. The winners include Deneweth’s Garden Center, Heights Flowers and Natorp’s Mason Garden Store.

Deneweth’s Garden Center of Macomb, MI, won the first place prize for “Best Definitive Display.” As a result, a check for $5,000 was presented to the charity of their choice, Komen Detroit Race for the Cure, on Aug. 5, 2008. The display exemplified their imagination, showing eye-catching ways of presenting Good For Your Sole® point-of-purchase materials on traditional tables and other platforms. The winning display also integrated various landscape applications of STEPABLES plants throughout the designated area, including between pavers and on green roofs. In addition, the Deneweth’s Garden Center team was inspired by the contest to raise an extra $1,100 on their own for Komen Detroit Race for the Cure.

Heights Flowers of Peoria, IL, came in first for “Best Use of Space,” maximizing the use of designated floor and shelf space to boost sales. Heights Flowers prioritized information sharing in their design, providing a working computer within the display for customers to visit the STEPABLES Web site to utilize the online tools for selecting the right plants for their specific lawns and gardens.

Natorp’s Mason Garden Store in Mason, OH, triumphed in the category of “Best STEPscapes Display,” which utilized STEPABLES plants in a multi-tiered landscape application to show customers the many ways creeping perennials can be used as solution plants. The design showed customers how to plant between stepping stones, create a lush seating area, use creeping perennials in beds and borders, replace turf with a creative low-growing plant pattern, and build a rock garden featuring STEPABLES.

The “We’ve Got Sole” contest is offered annually to independent garden centers as a fun way to develop plant displays that can boost sales and brand recognition while simultaneously giving back to the communities in which they are located. Each winning store was awarded a STEPPY Award as well as gift cards for a company party. To see photos of these displays, information on the garden centers and chosen charities, and contest details, visit http://www.stepables.com/garden-center-contest.asp.

Congratulations to you all!!

~Leslie