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Archives for 2008

The Time Warp with Terra Nova Nurseries!

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So, for those of you who passed by the Terra Nova Nurseries booth, you may have noticed a couple of themes – the past and the future!

Revealing a unique marketing spin with cleverly-edited, 70’s album covers on their catalog and bright shag carpets throughout their booth, Terra Nova Nurseries showed off their newest plant introductions for 2009.

Some of the plants to look forward to in the upcoming year from Terra Nova and their grower- and garden center customers:

  • Agastache ‘Cotton Candy’
  • Begonia ‘Curly Fireflush’
  • Echinacea ‘Tomato Soup’
  • Echinacea ‘Mac ‘n’ Cheese’
  • Echinacea ‘Pink Poodle’
  • Heuchera ‘Plum Royale’
  • Heucherella ‘Tapestry’
  • Tiarella ‘Mystic Mist’

Just goes to show you – Without fun, inspirational pasts, we have nothing to build the industry innovations of the future!

What inspires you?

~Leslie

Top Attention-grabbers…

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At OFA this year, Novalis announced two new and very cool 2009 exclusive plants that were supplied by network grower Bailey Nurseries.

Officially, the names of the plants are: Hydrangea paniculata ‘HYPMADI’ (PPAF) White Diamonds™ and Diervilla sessilifolia ‘LPDC Podaras’ (PPAF) Cool Splash™ Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle. – I call them, Gorgeous!

Bailey Nurseries joined the Novalis grower network in 2007. Since then, Linda Guy, director of new product development for Novalis and Jonathan Pedersen, brand and business development manager for Bailey Nurseries, have worked closely to facilitate the introduction of White Diamonds™ and Cool Splash™.

The plants will serve as two of the top exclusives for Novalis® Plants that Work® growers nationwide and will be available to local independent garden centers and professional landscape companies beginning spring 2009.

Developed by the Landscape Plant Development Center, Cool Splash is the first variegated bush honeysuckle and is a colonizing shrub ideal for mass plantings.

White Diamonds™ is a new hydrangea with glistening-white panicles showcasing in summer and fall. Smaller and more manageable than most hydrangea paniculatas, it boasts dark-green, leathery foliage that provides increased heat and drought tolerance.



The image is of Cool Splash…and I am sure it’ll make for a BIG Splash with IGCs and homeowners this spring.

Learn more about what’s coming in 2009 from Novalis Plants that Work and Plants that Work by Color at www.novalis.com / www.plantsthatwork.com.

~ Don

Ever so Striking – Ball Horticultural Company at OFA

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Ball Horticultural Company highlighted their newest varieties from Ball and PanAmerican Seed at the OFA Short Course with a striking display of beds in realistic garden displays.

Using a faux walkway and large, wooden product islands, people were able to visualize various combination concepts they could utilize in their own gardens – or, more importantly, sell to their customers.

Just a few of their newest, must-see varieties include:


  • A wide range of new Coleus – ‘Dark Chocolate’, ‘Henna’, ‘Indian Summer’, and the Kong Series.
  • The intense Landmark™ Lantana ‘Pink Glow’
  • New Pansy varieties introduced in the Matrix® series – ‘Raspberry Sundae Mix’, ‘Rose’, and ‘Rose Wing’.
  • Ornamental peppers – ‘Calico’ and ‘Purple Flash’

For more on their newest varieties, visit www.ballhort.com.

~Leslie

Novalis Announces NEW Plants that Work …at OFA 2008!

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And, wow, did they ever!

Novalis leaders, interns, sales staff members, marketing / admin managers, and network growers outdid themselves with one of the most beautiful exhibits at OFA Short Course this year! – Good job, Novalis.

It never ceases to amaze me how talented and passionate are the members of the grower consortium. They continue to cultivate gorgeous perennials, woody ornamentals, grasses, bamboos and annuals that are easy to love!


The plant palette they showcased in their booth at the show was diverse, colorful and insightful. The display maximized a winning expression of outdoor living at its best – from premium plant material in a variety of programs and selections to outdoor furniture and kitchen appliances.


Just some of the new exclusive Plants that Work highlights include the following:

  • Hydrangea paniculata ‘HYPMADI’ (PPAF) White Diamonds™
  • Diervilla sessilifolia ‘LPDC Podaras’ (PPAF) Cool Splash™ Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle.
  • Bletilla Ochracea ‘Chinese Butterfly’
  • Agave ‘Kissho Kan’
  • Thuja occidentalis ‘Fire Chief’™
  • Myrica cerifera ‘Arista’
  • Hydrangea ‘Mystical™ Opal’
  • Aloe Humilis ‘Hedgehog’
  • Phlox Candy Store™ Series

A few color beauties from Plants that Work by Color include:

  • Diascia Breezee™ ‘Appleblossom’
  • Diascia Breezee™ ‘Apricot’
  • Nemesia Bedazzle™ ‘Rose Quartz’
  • Nemesia Bedazzle™ ‘Topaz’
  • Nemesia Bedazzle™ ‘Citrine’
  • Nemesia Bedazzle™ ‘Sunstone’












Check out their site for information about these and many other programs and varieties: www.novalis.com / www.plantsthatwork.com

~ Don

Going Container Crazy

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Dan Heims, Terra Nova Nurseries president and co-owner, treated OFA attendees to an early morning, information-packed presentation titled Container Crazy (and Plants for Small-Space Gardens) on July 13. There were a lot of workshop participants (including myself) taking plenty of notes as Dan breezed through a selection of photos that showed how cool and creative container plants can be when you add a healthy dose of imagination to the plan. A few highlights from his presentation:

  • The new trend: there might not be a set trend; if it looks good to you, do it.
  • Container plants don’t have to reside in traditional-looking ceramic pots; think outside the norm and consider troughs, cupcake pans (yes!), picture frames and funky metal sculptures.
  • Dan reminded us there are still three key ingredients in the recipe for a good container planting: the thriller, the spiller and the filler.
  • Euro-style containers often offer a smooth, architectural presentation.
  • When selecting plants for a container, remember to pick plants that play well with others.

While Dan took us through a good number of plants during his slide show, there were several plants that I absolutely loved including the Begonia ‘Madam Queen’ (Pictured), Corydalis ‘Berry Exciting’, Eucomis ‘Oakhurst’, and Tricyrtis ‘Gilty Pleasure’. You can check out each of these plants on the Terra Nova Nurseries Web site at www.terranovanurseries.com.

We thought we’d share a photo of some of us from EPR with Dan following the session – from R to L: Dan, Leslie, Don, Jeff, and me.

Do you have a favorite container plant or a unique container idea? Feel free to post your comments below and let us know!

~ Audrey

STEPABLES® Leads the Way

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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

HIP Meets Global Standard Specification for BioTag

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First thing is first…. the basics.

HIP is at the forefront of the “green” revolution in the Horticulture industry and was among the first to produce earth-friendly labeling solutions. See who they are by visiting their Web site and looking around. Talk about innovative plant tags!

BioTag is a horticultural labeling product that is made of 100% biodegradable plastic. The tag material is produced using a state-of-the-art polymer technology that relies on bio-based products such as corn, soybeans, starches, wheat, and sugarcane, rather than fossil fuel-based resins. The end-product has a natural composition that is totally biodegradable. The commercial compost process takes less than 180 days, and the full degradation process takes approximately one year.

NOW… onto the newest development!

Horticultural Identification Products (HIP) announced today that it has met the standard specification set by ASTM International for its sustainable BioTag labeling products.

The ASTM specification establishes if products made from plastics will compost satisfactorily, including biodegrading at a rate comparable to known compostable materials. Meeting this specification is a sustainability breakthrough for HIP because it means BioTag can be officially considered fully “compostable” based upon the composition of the product.

“Meeting ASTM’s standard specification criteria further emphasizes HIP’s commitment to conservation and environmental awareness,” says Bob Lovejoy, president / CEO of HIP. “We understand the critical need for businesses to have a positive environmental impact and offering BioTag is a way for us to support growers in their sustainability efforts.”

Very cool! Just goes to show you that companies of ANY type can help contribute to a healthier environment.

~Leslie

A Man Who Needs No Introduction… But We Are Doing it Anyway.

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With 32 years of experience in the horticulture industry and a bachelor’s degree in communications and botany from the University of Oregon, Dan Heims researches, speaks, writes, and stands at the forefront of the horticulture industry as president of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., a company praised for innovative, new plant introductions. Over the past 13 years, Terra Nova Nurseries has grown to become a world leader in plant breeding introducing over 460 exciting new varieties to the global market. Heims has been an integral part of the company’s growth and success from the 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.

Dan Heims will be leading several speaking engagements throughout the remainder of June and into July – come by and join in!

  • Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society “WHPS Meeting” on June 17, 2008. The lecture will be at the Janesville, WI, Monoria Community Center at 7 p.m.

  • My Garden Nursery “Heuchera and their Allies” on June 28, 2008. Heims will speak on “Heuchera Happening” in Mill Creek, WA from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

  • OFA “Plants for Containers (and Small Space Gardens)” on July 12, 2008. Heims will give two lectures at the Columbus, OH, tradeshow, including a panel discussion on “What it takes to make it in horticulture.”

  • Perennial Plant Association “New Plant Introductions” on July 24, 2008. This annual presentation is given at the convention in Columbus, OH, announcing nine of the newest Terra Nova Nurseries varieties.

~ Leslie

Stop Slackin’… Go Green!

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Oh, “Going Green.” A term we hear so often, and yet, many of us still don’t know how to make our lives more environmentally friendly.

A book was recently published called The Everything Green Living Book…with, you guessed it… hundreds of simple tips to going green. Our favorite tip? The author, Diane Gow McDilda, recommends www.Stepables.com as a great resource for finding plants to replace your chemical- and water-hungry lawn.

Three, top reasons replacing your turf can do worlds for the environment:

1) Remove the need for a lawn mower – Creeping perennials from STEPABLES® never grow higher than a couple of inches, so get rid of those nasty fuel emissions!

2) Lower water usage – Choose the right plant for the right area, and many of these groundcovers can survive drought, humidity or your two-week-long vacation.

3) Lower (and sometimes remove completely) the need to spray dangerous chemicals in your landscape – STEPABLES® plants weave closely together, naturally blocking the growth of weeds!


For more information on how to select the right low-growing groundcovers for your lawn, visit the STEPABLES® Web site. For a sneak-peek at how to replace your own lawn, watch this instructional video.


*This message is Mother Nature approved.

Best,

Leslie

STEPABLES® Launches New Media Marketing Campaign

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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. 

~Leslie