Jeff Collard, Author at Eberly & Collard Public Relations

RockWood Casual Furniture

November 3, 2009 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

Totem poles may recount familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable events. Some poles are erected to celebrate cultural beliefs, but others are intended mostly as artistic presentations. Speaking of artistic presentations, the new Totem Collection of outdoor woven furniture from RockWood Casual (Outdoor) Furniture is definitely a work of art. It offers the best of contemporary design with a traditional flair. The collection is smaller and retro in its curves and can be mixed and matched for versatility and function. Our favorite is the interlocking coffee table and seating pieces that double as ottomans for other chairs in the collection.

During the International Casual Furniture & Accessories market in Chicago this September, the company’s showroom team also introduced a new line of outdoor furnishings with true leather coverings and cushions. Called Xtreme Leather and created with a special nanotechnology embedded with silicone, RockWood can supply the leather to customers in just two weeks. The leather is a premium bull hide from Australia in 40 beautiful colors. Our pick is this green leather chair that stands ready in the showroom’s front entryway to yield comfort and durability for future owners.

Multiple product lines are detailed at www.rockwoodfurniture.com.

~Jeff

Color Series: October Green

October 29, 2009 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

As you may remember from the first post in our color series, we will be sharing the hottest colors of the season with you, what they mean, how they can be used in interior and exterior design, and, simply put, why they are great colors.

October is the epitome of autumn, the changing of leaves and the first touch of frost in the air in many places. Because of this, we tend to steer away from bright colors in all things design – from our own wardrobes to the colors of our place settings – to initiate the tranquil months of the season. Not to mention one of the largest associations people make with the month of October, Halloween.

So, based on trend research and our own experiences in design and related publicity work, we have narrowed down our October color to a soothing, khaki green. A similar color was selected as one of the top ten new colors for spring 2010 by Pantone, but we thought we would write about it now because it is greatly relevant.

We continually see new home and garden products every year in the marketplace adopt this color, as it is a classic neutral for design. It matches everything, blends well into the background, or can be combined with other colors to create striking focal points. It is also the perfect complementary color for common rustic fall décor items in orange, burnt-reds, browns, and other color hues.

What does green denote?

Green, especially the soft, soothing olive or flax color, is often associated with nature, nourishment, balance and stability. You’ll often see this color in commercial buildings, offices, spas, and hotels, as it is frequently used to promote physical and emotional well-being. Designers also enjoy using the color when re-designing an outdoor living area for a rejuvenated and natural look. An example: Summer Classics, a manufacturer of high-end casual / outdoor furniture, uses this color in one of its premier garden collections, part of the Skye line:

A few ways to use green:

In the Home: Green remains one of the most commonly used colors in design. This neutral khaki green is incredibly flexible within a space and can easily find a well-suited fit in a large room or small nook. Many designers suggest using this color en masse because it so easily adapts to new accessories and furniture. Furniture fabrics and draperies are an excellent choice, as the color is not too dark to overwhelm the space. However, accent pieces should not be overlooked. Lamp shades, mirror frames, art, throw pillows, linens, and accent chairs are easy ways to supplement and harmonize this shade of green.

In the Landscape: As fall brings in the cooler weather, foliage becomes a focal point more so than blooms. The color of dried herb can be found in dozens of groundcover and perennial varieties for beds and border. However, while plant options are in abundance, we highly suggest accessorizing with this color in the landscape, much like one would with interior design. This color can often have a provincial or sylvan feel, yet add gorgeous ambiance to spaces in the forms of potted containers, accent or vertical garden walls, outdoor furniture, and even painted shutters or doors.

Our favorite shade:

Terrapin Green by Benjamin Moore is a perfect shade of green for flexible, calming design. With just a touch of gray to add neutrality but with enough green to make it pop, this color can be used in hundreds of different ways in interior or exterior design.

We also recommend the color selected by Pantone, called dried herb. A bit more khaki colored and with just a touch of brown, this is a perfect color for relaxed settings or areas designed to convey homey atmospheres.

How have you used or plan to use green in your interior and / or exterior design work this year? Or, if a member of the media, what types of color information, sources and photos would be most applicable for your audience members during 2010?

Watch our blog and follow our tweets for more about our take on color and the ways in which industry designers and manufacturers are coloring our world.

~ Leslie

Domus Ventures America Wows Market Attendees

October 29, 2009 By Jeff Collard 2 Comments

Dave Hill of Domus Ventures America is one of the most knowledgeable and friendly people you can meet on a trade show floor or at one of the casual furniture / home industry markets. Talking with Dave offers fresh insight surrounding the industry’s latest trends and product innovations, especially some of the leading and cutting-edge products at the hands of Domus Ventures America. He was on site at the latest Chicago market and offered us an enlightening view of all things modern and gorgeous for outdoor spaces.

After viewing all or almost all of the participating exhibits and showrooms at this year’s International Casual Furniture & Accessories Show in Chicago, Jeff, the other co-owner of ECPR, and I had a hard time selecting our pick of a dozen or so top innovators. Several companies, like Domus Ventures America, made the task a bit easier, given such evident technological advancements juxtaposed with high design. (We were on site at the show / market for our own writing and article research, to speak on Garden Design magazine’s product / design trends panel, and on assignment for a number of editor contacts of ours).

Since the show / market, many of you have touched base to share your opinions about our related event product picks and trends research. We have enjoyed your emails. Feel free to also post your comments here, on our blog.

Well, back to Domus… The new Isle of Pines Massage Lounge from Domus Ventures America utilizes the latest high-tech features while offing the ultimate in outdoor comfort. Possibly our favorite product pick of the entire market, this spectacular piece has a waterproof remote-controlled Shiatsu massage unit incorporated into a beautiful reclining lounge. When I showed the photo to an editor friend, she said she wanted this piece on her patio…and in her office for breaks on those pressing deadline days. – No kidding! Talk about relaxation, an ion battery with AC charger provides up to 14 hours of continuous use. A solar panel side table is also available to charge the battery, making the entire reclining massage lounge totally self-contained and waterproof. This is a lounge that sets the standards for others to follow.

A breath-taker at the show was the marine-grade vinyl especially designed for Domus Ventures. Jeff and I had a chance to take a seat on the company’s Luxor Collection, and it looked just like leather. The collection offers tight seats and backs with deep seating comfort, without the headaches and inconveniences of dealing with cushions. After stitching, the covers are sealed from the inside, making them totally water proof. The covers are attached to Aluminum frames with a marine adhesive like that which is used for inflatable life rafts.

Being marine grade means the covers are not only highly UV resistant but also UV reflective, reducing the absorbed heat. The Luxor Collection includes dining, deep seating, single and double sun-loungers, and canopied lounges in two sizes. The best-kept secret… Hidden in the back cushions of the larger size piece is a ready-to-use cooler, a good example of function meeting form.

Sure to fit the photo and editorial needs of some magazine editors reading this post, the Santa Cruz Double Massage Lounge with its beautiful and angled canopy from Domus Ventures America utilizes the latest high-tech features and offers the ultimate in outdoor comfort. This piece has two waterproof remote-controlled Shiatsu massage units incorporated into a reclining canopied lounge. The canopy can also be collapsed for tanning while getting a relaxing massage. Then, when sun becomes too much, up it goes. A solar panel side table is also available to charge the battery, making the entire reclining massage lounge totally self-contained and waterproof. In our estimation, this is a must-have, pool-side piece for vacation homes. And, what a benefit for high-end hoteliers and resort managers / owners who have outdoor relaxation or spa areas to furnish.

Last, but not least, Domus Ventures America’s Corentine Collection is made of powder-coated, welded aluminum frames. They are hand-woven with 100% virgin HDPE resin wicker. Elegant and sleek, the sculptured design is true-modern. This dining set is well-matched in design and function for home use as well as alfresco spaces and cafes utilized by hotels and resorts.

Domus Ventures America impresses us by setting, rather than following, the standards for unique and modern design of outdoor furniture. You can learn more on the company’s site at www.domusventures.com. Members of the media, please post your comments and let us know if you have interest in sharing any of this information with your readers, viewers, etc.

~Don

A Winning Team

January 16, 2009 By Jeff Collard 2 Comments

Landscape and Irrigation magazine (in case you don’t know already!) is an excellent trade resource for everything professional landscaping – from industry news to pests to products to irrigation.

Recently, the editor featured the relationship between leading national grower, Novalis, and a professional landscape architecture company, The Hayter Firm. The two worked together in order to maximize budget and project efficiency while planning the landscape for the 2005 U.S. Open in Pinehurst, NC.

After two years of collaboration, an amazing line-up of plants from Novalis Plants that Work, and several creative solutions, it was agreed by event planners and attendees that the landscape was one of the best ever designed / installed for the U.S. Open.

Congrats to J. Guy, founder and manager for Novalis, and Robert Hayter, owner of the Hayter Firm, for their landscape and plant savvy that helped make this event a great success.

To learn more about these two companies, log onto… www.novalis.com / www.plantsthatwork.com and www.thehayterfirm.com.

Read the article HERE!!

~Leslie

December 24, 2008 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

Industry Leader Launches Sustainable Plant Program

One of the exciting new plant programs during 2008 came from Overdevest Nurseries, the founder of the Garden Splendor® brand of plants. The new program includes a line of sustainable plant products under the new Footprints™ brand name.

Footprints™ is considered to be among the first product lines in the industry to be fully sustainable. It is a new line of decorative, eco-friendly patio plants. The program is being made available to independent garden centers in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast for spring 2009.

This program is truly sustainable, not just in part, but fully “green.” We give kudos to Ed Overdevest, founder of Footprints™, because the plant varieties are grown using sustainable practices such as compost made from renewable soil ingredients and recycled irrigation water. Best of all, the plants are potted in natural-component containers and labeled with tags that are biodegradable. Bamboo stakes are even used for the tags, rather than plastic. For online information, log onto www.footprintsplants.com or contact us here at Eberly Public Relations.

https://eberlycollardpr.com/2008/12/748/

Meet Dan!

November 14, 2008 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

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

November 14, 2008 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

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

A Day in the Life…

October 21, 2008 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

The 2008 GWA Symposium in Portland was truly a memorable experience. Great weather, great plants, and great friends is a tough combination to top. I especially enjoyed my visit to Terra Nova Nurseries. What a treat it was to spend the afternoon amidst the horticultural wonders of Terra Nova Nurseries and Dan Heims. The gardens and greenhouses were filled with so many delightful plants; I do not know where to begin.

I was particularly impressed with Terra Nova Nurseries’ vast collection of heuchera. Shade or sun, purple or chartreuse, ‘Southern Comfort’ or ‘Peach Flambé,’ there was certainly a heuchera for every taste. Thanks to the folks at Terra Nova Nurseries, gardeners are no longer limited by zone to enjoy these diverse beauties because many heuchera from Terra Nova are now bred to thrive in the heat and humidity – a very unique quality in these good-looking foliage plants. My favorite heuchera had to be the ‘Amethyst Myst,’ which I can now happily grow in my home city of Atlanta.

Check out the purple metallic tones of the ‘Amethyst Mist’

Heuchera may have stolen the show but another somewhat
“aristocratic” plant stood its ground. The fiery red, green-veined Begonia ‘Madame Queen’ was a marvelous new variety. What’s a queen without a poodle? I am not sure but, the Echinacea ‘Pink Poodle’ was quite stunning with double blooms that make it a first of its kind.

Terra Nova Nurseries is a magical place, and I am looking forward to my next visit.

With all the breakthroughs in tissue culture and breeding; what will Terra Nova Nurseries think of next?

~Adam

Inspirational Color

September 2, 2008 By Jeff Collard Leave a Comment

Delilah Onofrey, an editor with Meister Media Worldwide, and a horticulture lover, was honored recently with “Best Use of Color” in the seventh annual Westlake In Bloom competition. With her family, she planted flower beds with lively color varieties such as petunia Easy Wave ‘Blue,’ gaillardia ‘Arizona Sun,’ Disco marigolds, verbena ‘Aztec Red’ and purple perennial salvia for height.

Westlake, Ohio, was one of the first cities to participate in America In Bloom in 2002 and won its population category that year. The city enjoyed the program so much that it has grown its local program seven fold in seven years from 38 to 300 entries, including 224 raised flower beds.

The value of this vibrant program isn’t lost on anyone in the Westlake community including their mayor, Dennis Clough. “We knew Westlake In Bloom would be a great idea because so many in the community enjoy getting involved,” he said. “It has enhanced the quality of life we all enjoy in the city of Westlake.”

What an inspiring and creative way to brighten a community and garden. Congratulations to Delilah, her family, and Westlake, Ohio!

~Leslie

Greenhouse Grower Sports New Online Look

August 20, 2008 By Jeff Collard 2 Comments

Greenhouse Grower, a much-admired Meister Media publication, recently upgraded its Web site to provide readers a fresh, user-friendly, and interactive news source on all things relevant to horticulturists, greenhouse growers, and members of the industry.

The new Web site contains many helpful features to assist garden centers, growers and other agribusiness professionals access the “Whats?”, “Hows?” and “Whys?” of the Green Industry – quickly and easily. The site includes:

· The latest news and trends in the greenhouse world

· Informative viewpoints from industry professionals, gathered and written by Delilah Onofrey, Sara Tambascio and others at Meister.

· Special reports section on topics like “Top 100 Growers” and sustainability

· “Ask the Experts” section where greenhouse and nursery professionals can interact with OHP experts

· An archive of articles providing the green industry a multitude of resource materials and information on many important and helpful topics of interest…including article contributions from our own Don Eberly and Jeff Collard.