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

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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

OFA Re-cap

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Well, what can I say? It was a GREAT show. I had hoped to update/ post happenings and news each day while there, but as you can see (now two weeks past post-show), that didn’t happen. But, because I waited, I’ve got some great photos to share! Let’s do a visual re-cap of OFA 2007. Go!


Novalis Recognized for Show Booth and Marketing Efforts at 2007 OFA

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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

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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

I'm Thinking of Fall.

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Even though it’s July and 90 degrees outside, I’m thinking of fall. I’m already dreaming of crisp mornings and cool autumn breezes. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (As the hysterical Kathy Griffin says, “Food is my thing. I don’t smoke or drink, so food is my vice.”). Watching fall tones appear and the changing colors of leaves and foliage is my favorite seasonal transition. The current sweltering heat and humidity, along with the dehydration and wilting of every living green thing around me caused by the drought, has given me a constant internal heat wave I’m far too young to experience.

I was recently surprised to learn, from my favorite source, Wikipedia, that Heat waves are more lethal than I thought: “Heat waves are the most lethal type of weather phenomenon, overall. Between 1992 and 2001, deaths from excessive heat in the United States numbered 2,190, compared with 880 deaths from floods and 150 from hurricanes. The average annual number of fatalities directly attributed to heat in the United States is about 400.”

I think the part I like the best is: “In addition to physical stress, excessive heat causes psychological stress, to a degree which affects employee performance, and is also associated with an increase in violent crime.” Who knew?!

But, as I said above, we humans are not the only living things struggling with the enduring summer heat. I was visiting with my mother a few weeks ago when she showed me the hostas her landscaper installed in some bare beds around the front of the house. One group of about 6-8 plants sits nicely under a young Dogwood and near a few foundational shrubs (rhododendrons). They are adequately shaded by the Dogwood and have done well with the mediocre waterings they’re getting this summer. But, two of the hostas that the landscaper installed near the front entryway, in the same bed as the others, have been zapped! They only receive an hour or two of more morning sun than those under the cool shade of the dogwood. But, it just goes to show you that even an hour or two of summer sun can be deadly. I recommended to my mom that she dispose of the two deceased/ scorched hostas and wait it out a few months, when she could install something with great color for fall that has more direct sun tolerance.

On a lighter note, it wouldn’t summer without OFA (an Association of Floriculture Professionals – the association’s annual trade show event in Columbus, Ohio) which is where I’ll be tomorrow through Tuesday (7-14 to 7-17). I hope to keep you updated with OFA/ industry happenings, news, and events via this blog each day so check back soon!

Sally

Mulch: A Definition and Debate

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I like The Blogging Nurseryman’s recent post about defining mulch (and his definition for his northern California customers), which came in response to a post at Garden Wise Guy on soil amendments and was then followed-up with a discussion at Garden Rant.

Obviously, the definition and discussion on amendments, mulches, composts, etc. is an important one that is often overlooked. Many times, it seems easier to throw all of these “applications” into one basket. But, the devil is in the details. And, as Susan Harris (a “ranter” at Garden Rant) asks in her post, “is there an Organic Matter Debate, or is this just a regional difference?”

So, as the loyal reader and lover of Wikipedia that I am, I wanted to check out Wikipedia’s definition of mulch, which reads: in agriculture and gardening, mulch is a protective cover placed over the soil, primarily to modify the effects of the local climate. A wide variety of natural and synthetic materials are used.

Hmmm, vague. But, I can live with that. It about sums up the general definition of mulch… one that gardeners in any zone of the U.S. can start with. To me it says: “Protect the soil. Modify it from the local climate as needed. Use an array of materials to do so.” Thus, it would seem to me that we ARE in the midst of a great “Organic Matter Debate” over the details, for what is best and how to decide…. but one with answers and opinions that we’ll find to be regional in nature.

Sally

The Future of Gardening – Washington Post Column by Adrian Higgins

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Today’s Washington Post features garden editor Adrian Higgins’ column entitled, “Dear Adrian, Where Do I Start When I Know Nothing at All?” 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.”

The Future of Gardening – Don Eberly Quoted in Washington Post

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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.”

A Few Good Links…

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Hey Everyone. I wanted to list a few good links, articles, tips, etc. that have caught my eye recently. I hope you enjoy reading them. Leave feedback or recommend any others. Thanks!

Gardening Basics from HGTV
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_nobanner
/text/0,,HGTV_10680_21995,FF.html

Interesting article entitled “Website Offers Plan to Plant Trees to Help Reduce Global Warming” http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-09-25-voa44.cfm

All About Lawns
http://www.allaboutlawns.com/

An Excellent Guide to Latin Pronounciation. Thanks Taunton!
http://www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/spg017.asp

Fashion In Bloom 2006 – formerly Eastern Performance Trials

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If you’re attending FIB in the flesh, do enjoy yourself. There’s oodles of plant material to take a look at, and I’m told there are friendly faces to answer any questions you may have. Also, if you’re from below the Mason-Dixon you may want to bring a jacket. (Apparently there’s a cold front.) I know two guys who left Atlanta in short-sleeved shirts, but woke up in Jennersville, Pa., needing parkas! Don’t worry you two. I won’t tell anyone you bought jackets at Wal-Mart this morning!