STEPABLES® Launches New Media Marketing Campaign

Under A Foot Plant Company™ and its national plant brand of creeping perennials, STEPABLES®, announced today the launch of an innovative marketing campaign designed to utilize new media, such as an interactive Web site design, instructional videos and informative blogs, to build brand recognition among its growers, garden centers and consumers.

As an award-winning marketing leader in the horticulture industry, STEPABLES® has designed the Web site to serve as the core of the new media campaign. The site now includes:

• Hundreds of new images to show consumers and landscapers the most creative ways to use STEPABLES
• Multiple forums for open discussion about anything the site visitors would like to discuss
• Several instructional, how-to videos
• A new blog written by Frances Hopkins, founder and president of Under A Foot Plant Company™
• “Meet Fran” section that personalized the brand with a family behind the name
• New media center with all current press releases
• A help desk available to consumers, garden centers and landscapers
• Design center with printable garden layouts
• A STEPABLES® Fun Club to receive discounts on plants and merchandise

“I wanted to create a marketing campaign that reflected my enthusiasm for gardening and hopefully inspire those visiting the STEPABLES® site to try something new,” said Frances Hopkins, founder and president of Under A Foot Plant Company™. “I look forward to interacting more personally with anyone who visits www.stepables.com.”

Hopkins will be updating her blog regularly as a new medium for communicating upcoming STEPABLES® news and responding to commonly asked questions from homeowners and landscapers. The site also has a new guest blog where horticulturalists and experts are invited to offer advice and knowledge about their experiences with STEPABLES® plants.

Brief instructional videos are featured on the new STEPABLES® site for a quick look at how STEPABLES® can spruce up any landscape. In less than five minutes apiece, these four videos show imaginative possibilities with the STEPABLES® line such as learning the basics of container gardening, planting combination sensations with flower bulbs, creating accents with steps and benches, and replacing a lawn with these low-maintenance plants. Hopkins produced and starred in each of the videos to further personify the brand and educate her audience with these how-to STEPABLES® tips. Take a look at one of the videos, posted below, to see how you can plant STEPABLES® around benches or between steps.

Click on the links and video to see how this plant brand plans to remain at the forefront of marketing with the newest technologies in communication!

~Leslie

All Great Things Come in Threes

Exciting News from Ball Horticultural Company!

1. Ball Horticultural Company announces the launch of its completely redesigned Web site!

The new site is organized and easy to navigate with one convenient location for growers, retailers, landscapers and home gardeners to find out about plants, products and programs available from Ball.

Highlights of the new ballhort.com include a database where growers and retailers can list their businesses, a commonly asked questions page for all audience types, and a section for sustainable solutions from Ball. Also, site visitors can enjoy all the best features of the previous site including downloadable PDFs with plant culture information and lists of Ball Exclusives. Take a look!

2. Ball Horticultural Company and French firm Alliance 47 announce a joint venture to develop and commercialize new bio-packaging products for the horticulture industry.

Under a long-term agreement, Ball Horticultural Company has exclusive worldwide rights to technology that will apply to an extensive range of packaging products including pots, tags, point-of-purchase materials and more.

Ball Innovations will oversee the research and product development work related to the partnership. “Our goal is for Ball to continue to lead the industry in providing practical, sustainable solutions for greenhouse growers,” says Bill Doeckel, General Manager of Ball Innovations. “By working with Alliance 47 to greatly expand the range of sustainable packaging products, we hope to dramatically improve the sustainable options for our industry.”

Packaging products made from the new substrates will be commercially available to horticulture industry professionals in Europe and North America beginning in 2008.

3. In 2008, Wave® petunias will celebrate their 10th year on television with a national advertising campaign that is bigger, bolder and better than ever before!

A new commercial promoting Wave petunias in Pink Packaging will air more than 700 times on 25 national cable channels including HGTV and DIY as well as other lifestyle-oriented networks like E!, Lifetime, A&E, Food Network and more. The comprehensive marketing experience for Wave petunias will also include elements of print advertising, direct mail, events, online communications, viral marketing and public relations.

“This commercial is designed to get attention and appeal to newer, younger gardeners with an edgy, fun style,” says Diane Hund, Director of Marketing at Ball. “This year’s entire Wave marketing campaign is unlike anything our industry has ever seen. We’re fully committed to helping growers and retailers by marketing Wave petunias to consumers in fresh and creative ways, and the unique approach and broader reach of this year’s television advertising plan does just that.”

The theme of the commercial is “Accept the Gardener in You,” and will air March 31 through June 11 in the U.S. and Canada.For a behind-the-scenes look at the integrated Wave marketing plan, check out the Wave video posted on YouTube.

~Leslie

Dan Heims, president of Terra Nova Nurseries, to speak at Powell's Books in Portland, Ore. as part of "Get Gardening" series

Dan Heims, president of Terra Nova Nurseries in Canby, Ore., will be speaking at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing in Portland on March 18, 2008 as part of the "Get Gardening" series. Heims will speak about and present information on varieties of Heuchera and Heucherella featured in his recently published book, Heuchera and Heucherella, Coral Bells and Foamy Bells. In the book, published by Timber Press, Heims and co-author Grahame Ware provide background on wild species of Heuchera as well as details about how these plants have developed into the garden stars they are today. The book also features extensive plant listings of the choice selections and hybrids available commercially. It also includes practical chapters on garden care, propagation and design uses, all recommended by Heims and Ware.

"Get Gardening" is a joint effort by three local Portland businesses, Timber Press, Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, and Al's Garden Center, which have joined forces to bring garden enthusiasts an exciting program of monthly talks by some of the country's top garden writers. Each presentation is followed by discussion and snacks. There are various door prizes and giveaways as well as an opportunity to talk to the authors, like Heims, meet other gardeners, and swap gardening stories and photos. There is no cost to participate in "Get Gardening".

For more information on Dan Heims and the "Get Gardening" event at Powell's in Portland.

Information about purchasing Dan's Book, Heucheras and Heucherellas - Coral Bells and Foamy Bells

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.

- Sally

Novalis® Expands Network to Include New Growers of Annual Color, Perennials, Shrubs

Novalis® adds seven growers to consortium for production of Plants that Work® by Color™ line, while Bailey Nurseries joins the network for production of perennial and woody ornamental programs.

Moncks Corner, S.C., Feb. 10, 2008 – Novalis®, a professional horticulture trade consortium made up of significant annual, perennial and woody ornamental growers spanning the United States, officially announced today that it has added a number of new growers to its network, significantly increasing the reach and scope of its Plants that Work® plant brand.

In a broad expansion of the alliance-based network, seven growers have committed to production of bedding plant varieties as part of Novalis®’ Plants that Work® by Color™; in addition, one new grower will join nine existing ones in the production of perennials and woody ornamentals under the inclusive Plants that Work® brand.

The seven growers who recently signed-on with the consortium to grow varieties for Novalis®’ Plants that Work® by Color™ program include:

o Armstrong Growers

o Beds & Borders, Inc.

o Carolina Nurseries, Inc.

o Peace Tree Farms

o Sunbelt Greenhouses

o Tanasacre Nursery

o Wenke Greenhouses

Carolina Nurseries, one of the four founding members of the Novalis® consortium, and Armstrong Growers, an existing Novalis® network member, will continue to grow plant material for the Plants that Work® perennial and shrub-based programs but will now, additionally, grow color bedding plant varieties for the brand.

The Plants that Work® by Color™ program was brought into existence to provide independent retailers and professional landscapers with a fully comprehensive package of plant material and regional sourcing from a collective premium product supplier. The addition of the growers will lead to more abundant and diverse plant selections for creating and maintaining a range of landscapes in all parts of the country.

Furthermore, the Novalis® consortium has added Bailey Nurseries, one of the most preeminent growers in the country, to its network whereas the nursery will grow perennial and shrub selections that are part of Plants that Work®. This new addition extends the consortium’s promise of horticultural excellence and regional product availability for independent retailers, professional landscapers, municipalities, and others.

“This is an exciting time for the Novalis® network of growers and the independent garden centers that sell Plants that Work®,” said J. Guy, manager of Novalis®. “We wholeheartedly welcome the new growers who have joined the consortium and are honored to have them in the network. With the latest addition of Bailey Nurseries and the new Plants that Work® by Color™ program growers, Novalis® is moving into a new era of providing a truly all-encompassing brand of varieties for virtually anyone in need of premium plant material.”

More about Plants that Work® by Color™

The Plants that Work® by Color™ program is the most impressive expansion to date of the overall Plants that Work® line, bringing world-class genetics to gardeners in a rainbow of color and form. In spring of 2008, retailers and homeowners will have new and unique options for year-round color, with more than 150 varieties that make spectacular beds, borders and containers.

A major goal of the Plants that Work® by Color™ program is to provide independent garden centers with a new and unique manner of merchandising with plants organized and displayed by basic groups of color, presented with custom-designed packaging, signage and retail benching. The program is backed with a strategic, in- and out-of-store brand-marketing agenda.

“We knew that by growing and distributing Plants that Work® by Color™ regionally, we could ensure retail-ready delivery and optimum garden performance in particular areas,” said Tom Kegley, marketing director of Novalis®.

The Plants that Work® by Color™ offerings, along with hundreds of other robust and branded plants from the Novalis® network, are cultivated to accentuate outdoor living, provide solutions for novice and expert gardeners, and address consumer high-demand for new collections of unparalleled variety and quality in every region of the country.

- Sally

Horticultural Identification Products Hires West Coast Sales Representative

Thomasville, NC – February 1, 2008 – Horticultural Identification Products (HIP), a customized tag and labeling products company for the horticulture industry, announced today that it has hired Bob Nichols as the company’s West Coast sales representative.

With an extensive background in horticulture, green-goods sales and marketing, Nichols comes to HIP from Weeks Roses, where he served as a national sales manager and led a sales team of seven for the wholesale grower located in Upland, Calif.

In his new role, Nichols will bring 20 years of experience to managing all West Coast sales efforts for HIP. His responsibilities will include developing sales strategy, representing the company and its products at industry events and trade shows as well as interacting with major growers along the West Coast, from British Columbia to the Mexican border.

“I am thrilled to join the successful team at HIP and represent the company as well its superior horticulture marketing-solution products on the West Coast,” said Nichols. “The region is one that has always been and continues to be green-sensitive, and which has drawn considerable excitement and great interest in HIP’s products, particularly those created from environmentally sound materials.”

The hire is in keeping with HIP’s practice of employing horticultural specialists with innovative marketing and green-goods expertise. HIP utilizes these experts, who are versed in all aspects of horticultural marketing, production and independent retail needs and strategies, to service the company’s clientele and develop customized, top-quality merchandising solutions.

Nichols is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he received a Master of Business Administration degree in marketing. Bob currently lives in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., one hour east of Los Angeles.

To learn more about HIP products please visit www.hiplables.com.

HIP Develops New “Green” Plant Identification Tags

HIP Develops New “Green” Plant Identification Tags

Horticultural Identification Products expands offerings with newly developed, eco-friendly plant tag products.

Nov. 1, 2007 – Thomasville, NC – Horticultural Identification Products (HIP), a customized tag and labeling products company for the horticulture industry, announced today that it has developed two sustainable plant tag products, EcoTag and BioTag.

EcoTag is a degradable alternative to traditional plastic plant tags. Manufactured using wind power as one energy source, EcoTag is environmentally-friendly from beginning to end with added consumer appeal during its functional life. These rigid tags retain their integrity until buried in compost or disposed of in a landfill. The buried tags disintegrate in one to five years.

BioTag is a first-of-its-kind tag made of biodegradable plastic. The BioTag material is produced using a state-of-the-art polymer technology that relies on bio-based products, such as corn and soybeans, rather than fossil fuel-based resins. The end-product has a natural composition that is totally biodegradable. The degradation process takes approximately one year.

HIP is at the forefront of the “green” revolution in the horticulture industry as a marketing innovator. Bob Lovejoy, president / CEO of HIP, has identified a need for environmentally-friendly packaging options and developed alternative materials for custom-designed labels.

“These environmentally-conscious horticultural tags contribute to the brand image of a horticulture company, not only enhancing the look of plant products, but also conveying a corporate commitment to environmental awareness and the conservation of natural resources,” says Lovejoy.

HIP believes its “earth-friendly” products, when combined with the innovative “green” product offerings produced by container manufacturers, provide both growers and retailers with an opportunity to satisfy consumer demands with a profitable, premium product combination.

For more information about sustainable labeling products from HIP please visit www.hiplabels.com.

New Plants Set Outdoor Living and Gardening Lifestyle Trends

New Plants Set Outdoor Living and Gardening Lifestyle Trends

Novalis® Showcases 2008 Plants that Work® Introductions and 2007 Trend Plants at Fashion In Bloom, Sept. 19-22, 2007.

September 10, 2007 – Moncks Corner, S.C. – Novalis®, a national consortium made up of regional nursery and greenhouse growers, will present its new 2008 plant introductions and existing core plant programs at this year’s Fashion In Bloom event, Sept. 19-22, 2007. The Conard-Pyle Company, a leading member of the Novalis® network of growers, will serve as site host. The display will feature Novalis®’ Plants that Work®, a national brand of trialed perennials and annual “color,” in an outdoor living setting that includes open-air living rooms and alfresco kitchens through alliances with Summer Classics and Viking.

The varieties will include selections from specialized programs encompassing a series of exclusive plants only available through Novalis® and landscape solution-based plant collections.

The concept of the overall design exhibit is based upon the growing trend of homeowners juxtaposing easy-to-grow plant material and active outdoor lifestyles. While showcasing the latest artistic trends pertaining to lavish, yet practical, outdoor living spaces, Novalis® will, in tandem, present creative approaches for retail-ready plant displays to the attending independent garden center (IGC) owners and personnel.

Novalis® representatives will be present to share information about all of the 2008 plant programs and a new expansion initiative to add superior “color” growers to the network in conjunction with the latest plant program, Plants that Work® by Color™. As part of the most notable advancement of the Plants that Work® brand to date, Novalis® will bring more than 150 varieties of world-class “color” genetics to IGCs for spring 2008.

Currently, Novalis® leaders are incorporating select “color” growers with a common goal of providing proprietary breeding, diverse product selections, and controlled liner production and distribution, all of which will be available exclusively to IGCs.

Individual interviews with Novalis® representatives are welcome, and may be pre-scheduled by contacting Eberly Public Relations at 866-574-2906 or seeing Don Eberly or Jeff Collard at the event. Post-event media kits and interviews will also be available by calling the aforesaid number.

The Novalis® 2008 product and program line-up, all part of Plants that Work® with full marketing and merchandising support for IGCs, will include the following:

Plants that Work® – Exclusives:

• NEW: ‘Pink Double Knock Out’® Rose
• NEW: The Garden Sensation™ Series – a new line of ornamental shrubs, including: Philadelphus ‘Snow White Sensation’™ and Weigela ‘Shining Sensation’™
• NEW: Gaillardia Commotion™ Series – two new vibrant Gaillardia varieties, including: Gaillardia Commotion^TM ‘Frenzy’ and Gaillardia Commotion^TM ‘Tizzy’
• NEW: Mystical^TM Series – a new line of five lovely, rust-resistant Hypericum varieties, including: Hypericum ‘Mystical Red Star’^TM, Hypericum ‘Mystical Orange’^TM, Hypericum ‘Mystical Beauty’^TM, Hypericum ‘Mystical Black’ ^TM and Hypericum ‘Mystical Sweetheart’^TM
• Hydrangea ‘Lemon Daddy’™
• Hydrangea ‘Big Daddy’
• Hydrangea ‘Bits of Lace’™
• Lonicera ‘Edmee Gold’
• Hydrangea ‘Color Fantasy’®
• ‘Empress of China’^TM Dogwood
• Acer ‘Shirazz’^TM

NEW: Plants that Work® in Nooks & Crannies™ – A program with a mix of small-stature varieties for compact spaces and special applications with over 200 selections presented in convenient 8-pack carrying trays.

Plants that Work® – Bring on the Heat™ – This reliable, striking collection of perennials and shrubs from Plants that Work® is back for 2008. Performance-rated for thriving in the hot areas of gardens and patios, Bring on the Heat™ now encompasses 40 plants.

Plants that Work® – In the Shade™ – This robust and dependable collection of plants has returned with best-of-breeding offerings that have beautiful mixtures of texture and color for shade areas. The program consists of nearly 40 cutting-edge shade-lovers.

Bamboo – A favorite program from Novalis® Plants that Work®, seven clumping and running varieties are offered as part of this stunning collection.

Twice as Nice™ Daylily Collection – Novalis®’ award-winning collection of repeat-blooming Hemerocallis still remains a strong selling choice of gardeners and landscape professionals for outdoor rooms. It has been expanded to include two dozen daylilies in a vivid color spectrum.

Oriental x Trumpet Hybrid Lilies – This collection continues to represent a breakthrough in great garden lilies. With new colors and enhanced garden performance, Oriental x Trumpet lilies have thick latex-like petals and a soft fragrance.

Evison ^TM / Poulsen® Garden Series Clematis – The series of clematis returns with free-flowering habits and large, open flowers. Working in various garden locations and offering USDA Zone 4 hardiness, these clematis varieties grow well in conjunction with shrubs and other climbers, or as container plants on the patio.

NEW: Plants that Work® by Color™ – The most impressive expansion to date of the Plants that Work® line, brings world-class genetics to gardeners in a rainbow of color and form. In spring of 2008, retailers and homeowners will have new and unique options for year-round “color,” with more than 150 varieties that make spectacular beds, borders and containers.

These offerings, along with hundreds of other robust and branded plants from the Novalis® network, are cultivated to accentuate outdoor living, provide solutions for novice and expert gardeners, and address consumer high-demand for new collections of unparalleled variety and quality in every region of the country.

In an effort to maintain its mission of offering consumers a complete outdoor “lifestyle,” Novalis® is continuing to form alliances with outdoor product companies like Summer Classics, creator of high-end outdoor furniture, and Viking, producer of premium outdoor kitchen appliances. Products manufactured by Summer Classics and Viking have been incorporated into the Novalis® trade show and event design, which has been awarded “Best of Show” honors at two recent industry events, the Ohio Floriculture Association and Southern Nursery Association trade shows, and will be featured at this year’s Fashion In Bloom event.

- Sally

Garden Splendor® Announces New Showcase Plants for 2008

Garden Splendor® Announces New Showcase Plants for 2008

Garden Splendor® by Overdevest Nurseries Introduces 2008 Showcase Plants at Fashion In Bloom, Sept. 19-22, 2007.

BRIDGETON, N.J. – Sept. 1, 2007 – The Garden Splendor® brand by Overdevest Nurseries will present its new 2008 Showcase Plants at this year’s Fashion In Bloom event, held Sept.19-22, 2007. The Garden Splendor® plant selections will be on display at the Homestead Growers site in Davidsonville, MD.

Overdevest Nurseries / Garden Splendor® management will be present and on-site to share information about the brand and new additions to the product line in person and in the form of a take-home meia kit. The kit will include an Associate Press-ready Frequently Asked Questions page regarding the Garden Splendor® brand, a sample Remember Me® plant identification marker, detailed plant profiles, and high-resolution close-up and landscape application images.

“We look forward to sharing the new 2008 Garden Splendor® Showcase selections with the independent garden center community at this year’s Fashion In Bloom event,” said Ed Overdevest, president of Overdevest Nurseries / Garden Splendor®. “The plant material on display has been chosen and incorporated into the product line for its quality, innovation and reliability, which represent the Garden Splendor® concept of outstanding genetic qualities with a proven record of performance under various garden conditions.”

Individual interviews with Overdevest and David Wilson, director of marketing for Garden Splendor®, are welcome, and may be pre-scheduled by contacting Eberly Public Relations at 866-574-2906 or seeing Sally Credille at the event.

Post-event media kits and interviews will also be available by calling the aforesaid number.

The new Garden Splendor® 2008 Showcase Plants will include the following:

• Clematis ‘Daniel Deronda’
• Coreopsis ‘Pinwheel’
• Echinacea ‘Pink Double Delight’
• Geum ‘Mango Lassi’
• Hakonechloa ‘All Gold’
• Heuchera ‘Peach Flambe’
• Mukdenia ‘Crimson Fans’
• Silene ‘Rolley’s Favourite’
• Veronica prostrate ‘Goldwell’

Garden Splendor® will be incorporating components of its award-winning PANTS trade show booth design at the Homestead site to display its new 2008 Showcase Plants.

Wilson developed the display to showcase the high level of quality and consistency that the Garden Splendor® plant products possess. By displaying them individually and elevating them on “tree shelves,” the plants are raised to eye-level and above, allowing visitors to view the products at a glance. The display also reserves floor space, which is valuable in smaller garden centers where square footage is at a premium. By adding inventive and low-cost display methods like these to showcase plant material, the retailer can achieve premium prices and higher profit margins.

Ultimately, the display is indicative of Overdevest Nurseries’ innovative and resourceful approach to marketing, and demonstrates how the Garden Splendor® program is based on creative yet realistic and practical objectives for retailers.

Independent garden center managers / owners, landscapers, and growers may contact Overdevest Nurseries / Garden Splendor® for additional information by calling 1-888-842-6567or logging onto the web at www.gardensplendor.com. Members of the media and garden writers may seek supplemental information and interviews by contacting Eberly Public Relations at 1-866-574-2906.

- Sally

Today’s Garden Center Magazine Launches TGC’s Revolutionary 100 Garden Centers for 2008

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (Aug. 6, 2007) – Today’s Garden Center® Magazine today announced the launch of TGC’s Revolutionary 100 Garden Centers for 2008. Those interested in being considered for the list can take the online survey at www.todaysgardencenter.com.

The program, now in its third year, surveys garden center owners and managers and culminates in a listing of the 100 most revolutionary garden centers – 20 in each of five national regions. It is open to all garden centers, large and small, and is based on leadership and innovation, not on size or revenue.

“In the garden center industry, there is a ranking focused on dollars that also includes big-box retailers,” says Richard Jones, Group Editor of Today’s Garden Center. “We decided we would create a definitive report focused solely on independent garden centers that would give single-location retailers equal weight with larger independent chains. In our first two years, the response has been tremendous.”

Garden center owner and managers across the United States fill out the online questionnaire covering topics such as employee training, industry involvement, profitability, marketing, use of technology, purchasing, and customer and community service. The entrants are ranked according to a point system, and the 100 top entries make the list.

The online survey is posted at www.todaysgardencenter.com. The survey deadline will be October 12 and the top 100 rankings will be listed in the January issue of Today’s Garden Center magazine.

For more information, contact:
Richard Jones
440-942-2000 x 217

Winner Announced for STEPABLES® "Best in Sole" Display Contest

As many may remember, Under a Foot Plant Company™ and its STEPABLES® brand, created a point-of-purchase plant display contest this past spring for nationwide independent garden centers carrying the plants.










We are excited to announce that a winner has been selected in the STEPABLES® "Best in Sole" Display Contest and the donation check has been presented to the winning garden center.

A $2,500 donation was given to the winner's charity of choice, The Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, on July 10, 2007 on behalf of The Andersons Inc. and STEPABLES®.

Congratulations to The Andersons Inc. garden center and nursery in Maumee, Ohio for creating an inventive and winning STEPABLES® "Best in Sole" Display for their customers.

- Sally

Overdevest Nurseries, LP Takes Home PANTS Award

Overdevest Nurseries, LP and Its Garden Splendor® Plant Brand Receive PANTS “Best of Show” Booth Award.

August 6, 2007 – Bridgeton, NJ – Overdevest Nurseries, LP, founder of the Garden Splendor® plant brand, announced today it has been awarded the Pennsylvania Allied Nursery Trade Show’s (PANTS) “Best of Show” booth award.

The Overdevest Nurseries, LP/ Garden Splendor® booth was chosen from over 600 exhibitors occupying 1,100 booths and representing a variety of horticultural products and services geared toward garden centers and professional landscapers.

By developing an innovative, creative and low-cost way to display its plant products, Overdevest Nurseries, LP/ Garden Splendor® built a booth which can be replicated and recreated to merchandise its products at the garden center retail level, both indoors and outdoors.

PANTS was held in Atlantic City, NJ from July 24-26 and organized by the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association (PLNA). PLNA is the leading trade association representing Pennsylvania's $5.6 billion green industry. Founded in 1904, its 750 members include production nurseries, garden centers, landscape designers, landscape maintenance firms, arborists, interiorscape firms, florists and other private sector companies in the northeast.

More on Garden Splendor®

Garden Splendor® Plants Worth Remembering™ is a premium plant collection that includes more than 500 varieties of perennials, ornamental grasses, patio plants, trees, shrubs and vines. The Garden Splendor® concept successfully merges the efforts of some of the most respected independent garden centers in the country with one of the East Coast’s leading nursery growers to bring quality, innovation and reliability to gardeners of the region.

PHOTO: Overdevest Nurseries, LP/ Garden Splendor® receiving its “Best of Show” booth award at PANTS, which is publishable for your readers. From left to right is David Wilson, director of marketing for Overdevest Nurseries, LP/Garden Splendor®; Peter Kyne, chair of the PANTS committee and vice president of Eisler Nurseries, Inc.; Ed Overdevest, president of Overdevest Nurseries, LP/ Garden Splendor® ; Gail Overdevest, vice president of Overdevest Nurseries, LP; and Donna Stemberger, director of sales for Overdevest Nurseries, LP.

- Sally

Eberly PR to be Heard at SNA Media Panel and Ball Publishing/ Green Profit's Retail Experience

This week marks another year with the Southern Nursery Association's annual horticulture industry trade show. Eberly PR will be on hand to support clients and mingle with media and industry representatives this Thursday-Saturday at the Georgia World Congress Center, Building C.

On Thursday, August 9th, I'll be a participating as a panelist for SNA's Forum 2007 Media Day Lunch along with several other industry garden writer experts. I've been asked to speak and discuss new/ social media and blogging as it relates to "Trends in Garden Communications".

Media Day will begin at 9 a.m. in room C105-106 with a coffee welcome session and a GWA business meeting. At 9:30, the media will visit the trade show floor to view all the exhibits, see new products and speak with SNA Forum 2007 attendees and exhibitors. The panel discussion will begin at 11:30 and lunch will be served after the panel discussion at 12:30 p.m., followed by another visit to the trade show floor.

The participating panelists are:

Pam Beck, Freelance Garden Writer and Photographer

Bob Polomski, Clemson University Extension Horticulturist

Felder Rushing, Horticulture Magazine Contributing Editor

Linda Askey, Former Southern Living Garden Editor

Walter Reeves, Radio/TV/Newspaper Host and Gardening Expert

Randy Hunter, Agility Marketing

Sally Credille, Eberly Public Relations

SNA Media Day is produced in cooperation with the Garden Writers Association (GWA) and is sponsored by Carolina Nurseries and McCorkle Nurseries.

In a few short weeks, Don Eberly will be speaking at Ball Publishing/ Green Profit magazine's Retail Experience in Cleveland, OH (September 8th and 9th) and has prepared an excellent presentation for garden center retailers entitled "Marketing & PR: Getting It Right". As a green industry public relations and marketing specialist, Don will show garden center owners, managers and employees how to create successful PR campaigns, draw up an effective advertising budget, and plan and promote the garden center's business in a rapidly changing world of media and consumer relations. Be sure to check it out at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday the 8th if you'll be in town for "the experience".

We look forward to seeing you at both of these industry events!

- Sally

Novalis Recognized for Show Booth and Marketing Efforts at 2007 OFA

Novalis, the national grower consortium responsible for the Plants that Work brand, was recently honored with two awards at this year's OFA trade show in Columbus, OH.

Left: Delilah Onofrey, J. Guy, Novalis, Sara Tambascio, and Jim Frederick, Landmark Plastic. Novalis won the Medal of Excellence Marketer of the Year Award.

First, Novalis was recognized for its marketing efforts by receiving the Meister Media/ Greenhouse Grower Medal of Excellence for Marketing. The wonderful folks over at Meister provided a great evening and awards reception, including video presentations for all award nominees. The Medal of Excellence Awards are being called "the Oscars of the industry". We certainly enjoyed it.

One the last day of the show, Novalis was awarded the "Best Booth" award by Branch-Smith Publishing. They were excited and honored for the recognition and encouragement from many within the industry. At the show, we heard comments like this from attendees and exhibitors alike:
"It's a tree house."
"You can't call that a 'booth'."

"I went to bed in Ohio and woke up in Charleston."




The Novalis booth at OFA.

- Sally

Eberly Public Relations Awarded 2007 GWA Silver Award for Media Kit Development

Eberly Public Relations Honored with Garden Writer’s Association Media Award

June 29, 2007 – Atlanta – Eberly Public Relations, a public relations and advertising firm specializing in the home, garden, horticulture, agribusiness and design industries, was awarded a 2007 Silver Award of Achievement by the Garden Writer’s Association (G.W.A.) for the firm’s development of a hardcopy and electronic media kit. The media kit was created for Novalis®, a national grower consortium specializing in breeding, cultivation, and distribution of perennials, trees, shrubs, and annuals under the brand auspices of Plants that Work®.

The G.W.A. Silver Award for “Best Trade Press Kit” will be presented to Don Eberly, president and chief operating officer of Eberly Public Relations, during G.W.A.’s annual awards banquet on Oct. 1, 2007. Eberly Public Relations utilized the media kit as Novalis®’ primary communicative means for interfacing with garden writers, radio program hosts / producers, and other members of the media during the first half of 2007, an effort that has resulted in hundreds of published articles, online plant profiles and radio interviews.

The winning Novalis® Plants that Work® media kit consists of marketing and Associated Press-ready materials collaborated on by both Novalis® and Eberly Public Relations. Contents include various outdoor living, plant trend and garden solution articles that feature Novalis® and its Plants that Work® brand as well as a press release and biographical story on the history and founding of the grower consortium. Plant profile information coupled with high-resolution and captioned photos were also included for all plant programs.

The award was granted to the firm by a panel of G.W.A. judges based upon the accuracy, content, organization, style and originality of the media kit, which was selected from an assemblage of over 250 others.

The G.W.A. media awards are given annually to recognize excellence in gardening-related communications and have been a tradition in the gardening media community for over two decades.

- Sally

Web 2.0

I recently attended a great seminar conducted by Michael Pranikoff, director of emerging media with PR Newswire, called Public Relations in a Web 2.0 World. Now, for someone who is a novice when it comes to the Web 2.0 revolution, I thought the seminar was not only highly engaging and interesting, but that it provided (I'd be willing to bet) almost all in attendance with some new information and Web 2.0 tools to take back and apply at our respective agencies and to our client accounts. It was well worth it and well put on. Thanks to PR Newswire and staff for a wonderful seminar.

A few things I picked up...

1. A quote that perfect describes the new media landscape:

“If you think what is driving demand —we think of it as four C's. It's Collaboration. It's Content. It's Converged Services—doing multiple things. And it's Community. The opportunity for those who get ahead and develop a set of services that are more personalized, customized, location-based and presence-based in this next generation is going to help define who can win.”--Patricia Russo, CEO, Alcatel-Lucent

Michael likes to add a 5th C: Conversation... I couldn't agree more.

2. The Tools for Web 2.0:

•Personalization of Web Pages
•RSS Feeds/Readers
•Blogs
•Tagging Sites / Social Bookmarking
•Search Engines Optimization (SEO)
•Podcasts/Vodcasts

3. This a powerful video... but, it basically says it all.

The Machine is Us/ing Us

4. Some of the most popular "tools" of Web 2.0:

MySpace
Facebook
Del.icio.us
Digg
PR Newswire
Net Vibes
Technorati
You Tube
iVillage

And many more...

I'm still waiting to hear about a "Part II" to this seminar...

- Sally

The Future of Gardening - Don Eberly Quoted in Washington Post

As many already know, addressing the future of gardening is a widely discussed industry topic. At Eberly Public Relations, we understand the value of having the latest information on industry trends and changes, and we're glad to share it with consumers and other industry leaders/ educators.

Today's Washington Post features garden editor Adrian Higgins' column entitled, "Dear Adrian, Where Do I Start When I Know Nothing at All?" Don Eberly, president / ceo of Eberly Public Relations, was quoted in the column regarding focus groups conducted by the company which show an increase in the number of younger homeowners who are buying and using plants and other gardening/ home products as part of a lifestyle practice.

In the article, Adrian advises a young WP assistant on the trials of novice landscaping and how to begin her first garden with her husband. Adrian also addresses the changes in today's trends regarding DIY and DIFM (Do It For Me) gardening by saying, "...younger homeowners have neither the time nor the interest in the types of domestic pursuits enjoyed by earlier generations, gardening among them. It seems that the current mantra is, pay somebody else to do it. But that is expensive, and not nearly as satisfying or enriching. So the conventional wisdom about the demise of gardening may not be so wise."

Check Out Our Other Blog: Mulch Ado About Nothing!

Hey Everyone,
When you get the chance, check out our other blog - Mulch Ado About Nothing - at http://mulchadoaboutnothing.blogspot.com/. It's a blog for those interested in topics like conservation, environmental protection, gardening, the home & garden industry, the horticulture industry, growers, breeders and wholesalers of plants, the news media: consumer and trade - for these industries, and more!

We'd love any feedback on the blog, and any comments you may have on any of the discussed subject matter.

Thanks!

-Eberly PR Team

Eberly PR Blog, The Beginnings

Wow, we're new at this Blogging thing, but we like it a lot... more to come.