Consider taking a few moments to read a past article about controlled release fertilizer written by Don Eberly. Given today’s continuing legislation regarding run-off regulation, the use of controlled release fertilizers continues to be a relevant topic. CRFs are a means to reduce and mitigate the possible harmful effects of run-off. Please visit Greenhouse Grower.
~Adam
Even after a few years of belonging to the STEPABLES team, we still find ourselves amazed at just how useful, resilient, low-maintenance, eco-friendly and quite beautiful creeping perennials can be.
Country Living recently featured STEPABLES in a syndicated article online and in its magazine, written by Melissa Ozawa, about these unique plants that allow for foot traffic. Check it out HERE.
~Leslie
The Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association’s (PLNA) annual 2009 Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (PANTS) just ended last week, and we’ve heard several stories already about the show’s success once again this year.
While we were unable to attend, a client of ours, Garden Splendor®, was kind enough to pass over a few thoughts and photos from their company’s exhibit booth we thought everyone might enjoy.
This year’s Garden Splendor® 20’ by 20’ booth encompassed an outdoor room with deck and decorative wooden patio, a plethora of colorful and creative containers, and large backdrop of a memorable landscape with garden and pool. Garden Splendor® was also excited to enhance the space with a custom-designed Pent Arbor from Vixen Hill outdoor wood products.
However, the primary focus of the booth centered on the brands exciting line of fully sustainable decorative patio plants called Footprints™ an innovative line introduced last year. Because of its popularity and success over the past 12 months, Garden Splendor® wanted to provide visitors a glimpse into the expanded line with new plant offerings. Footprints™ plants are grown using sustainable practices such as compost made from renewable soil ingredients and recycled irrigation water. In addition, the plants are potted in natural-component containers and labeled with tags that are biodegradable.
Some visitor “favorites” from the display included Pentas ‘Pompom Rose’, Heuchera ‘Plum Royale’, Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureloa’, Pennisetum ‘Fireworks’, Deschampsia c. ‘Northern Lights’, and Caladium ‘Candyland’.
While PANTS opted to not award prizes this year for notable booths, Garden Splendor® was pleased to hear very positive feedback all three days of the show from visitors. Judging by the photos, they were indeed correct!
If you were able to attend the PANTS show this year, what was your favorite Garden Splendor® plant? Any other notable trends you would like to share? We’d love to hear from you!
~ Leslie
Congratulations to GPN Magazine for earning its second Tabbie Award! Selected from approximately 500 submissions around the world, Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) awarded the September 2008 issue of GPN with a 2009 Tabbie Award for Best Single Issue.
The award is given to a publication for superior overall editorial content and design quality, and how well a publication fulfills its editorial charter. We think it’s well deserved!!
~ Leslie
We thoroughly enjoyed attending the Super Floral Show this year. So, we wanted to share Diversified Business Communications’ recent announcement that a new name has been selected for the show to reflect the expansion and broadened focus of the exposition. The new show, the International Floriculture Expo, will be the only industry-wide event that brings buyers and sellers together from North and South America to serve all segments of the floriculture process.
Now with a permanent event location in Miami Beach, The International Floriculture Expo addresses each stage of the floral and foliage production cycle by showcasing live products as well as the equipment, technology and education necessary for cultivating and retailing. The show will have a larger exhibit hall to display products for the retailer as well as greenhouse technology products for the commercial grower. Educational components will deliver quality keynote presentations, informative sessions and panels, and technology solutions for retailers, commercial growers and suppliers.
Bob Callahan, Show Director of The International Floriculture Expo, had this to say about the change and growth, “Uniting the floriculture supply chain together under one roof creates an abundance of new business opportunities and expands synergies and efficiencies bringing product to market.”
The 2010 International Floriculture Expo will take place June 23 to 25, 2010, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. For more details, visit the organization’s Web site at www.floriexpo.com.
~ Leslie
Personally, my absolute favorite aspect about OFA Short Course is the energetic buzz that emanates from every person walking the show hall – exhibitors, buyers, marketers, media, brokers, everyone. It is a refreshing energy unlike anything I’ve felt at another tradeshow.
Everyone is excited to introduce his or her new products and services, and start the new product year with a fresh start. It is an optimistic and positive attitude that, in my opinion, keeps this industry moving forward with innovative ideas and products. 
When I was a child, my father used to wake us up for school with the token line, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” And, this is the underlying mind-set I so enjoy at OFA.
With that said, OFA is always one of the best outlets for seeking out new trends in horticulture. The most innovative companies have had enough time to observe grower, retailer and consumer wants and needs, and are inspired to develop inventive ways to meet them directly. One example of this could be seen at Kurtz Farms’ booth with the Urban Gardener program.
To quote directly from the Kurtz Farms’ brochure, “Urban Gardener products and programs allow anyone to be a gardener regardless of time, space, agility or ‘know-how.’” Specifically, Urban Gardener products target small-space gardeners, busy homeowners, patio entertainers, outdoor decorators, children and first-time gardeners. I think this is fantastic. 
The newest market of gardeners has less time to spend on gardening.
Developed by Jen Kurtz, the folks at Kurtz Farms have launched a product line that directly mirrors popular urban product and décor trends. From the trendiest Pantone color selections to the latest veggie / organic craze, Kurtz Farms has created a niche for the average Gen X and Y person…one who, perhaps, lives in a condo or small home, works 11 hours a day, and grew up in the suburbs or city without a garden. Each product is designed to be decorative and practical, and often sold in ready-made containers for a stress-free, low-maintenance purchase. Each product is tagged with a number internet-savvy buyers can easily use by logging onto the Urban Gardener Web site, for details on their exact purchases.
The product line includes annuals, perennials, tropical foliage, and edibles. The edibles encompass products such as eggplant, 
tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, and herbs. There are also decorative options such as faux pumpkins planted with colorful mums and climbing clematis in urban-use cages perfect for indoors or out, and much more.
I look forward to seeing how Urban Gardener continues to develop new product trends in the coming months…while the Gen Y shopper in me truly hopes my local garden center brings in a few of those tomato cages.
P.S. Check out the Urban Gardener Recipes section of the Web site! I LOVE it.
~ Leslie
Each year Novalis® Plants that Work® builds a destination display at OFA. In some inspired way, the network’s growers always feature their new product lines creatively with a mix of beauty and retail-ready ideas.
Novalis® did not disappoint again this year as they broke up the display into a village of Plants that Work® growers. Guests were able to oogle at all the new plant
selections such as the very popular evergreen shrub, Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’, very prominently displayed in the Carolina Nurseries area; and the striking arrangement of Nooks & Crannies in the Imperial Nurseries alcove. My personal favorite was a large, compact gathering of Phlox Confetti Candy Store™ ‘Bubblegum Pink’ displayed in the Willoway area of the overall booth. It was the perfect set-up to show the kind of wow-factor this bright bloomer can have en masse.
The best part about the village set-up? Customers were excited to visit the booths that were most applicable to their specific regions. They were each able to see the best new selections that would thrive in their climate as well as speak to the contact most knowledgeable about their particular needs. It was simple, easy to understand… and quite perfect.
Another Novalis® crowd favorite this year was the announcement (and attractive displays in several of the growers’ booths) of Plants that Work® In the Kitchen™, a brand new program for early spring 2010. The existing herb program will be expanded to include products such as blueberries, raspberries, figs, and others. Veggies will also be added to the line to include popular varieties and heirloom plants like eggplant, beans, peppers, and tomatoes. A few of the displays even showed-off the retail packaging options for the new line, including convenient 6-pack trays for garden herbs, and larger containers for fruits and veggies.
*Novalis® perennial and woody ornamental growers include Armstrong Growers, Bailey Nurseries, Carolina Nurseries, Fisher Farms, Greenleaf Nursery Company, Hackney Nursery Company, Imperial Nurseries, The Conard-Pyle Company, Willoway Nurseries, and Windmill Nursery of LA. Novalis® color growers include Armstrong Growers, Beds & Borders, Carolina Nurseries, Peace Tree Farms, Sunbelt Greenhouses, and Wenke Greenhouses.
~ Leslie
The ECPR team just arrived home after three days attending the prestigious OFA Short Course, where our minds were filled to capacity with new trends, new friends and new products. Because there is simply too much information to disclose at once, I’ll just start from the beginning by sharing a few important announcements from trusted breeder and grower, Terra Nova Nurseries.
With 54 brand new plant introductions, five new breeding breakthrough collections, a brand new catalog, and an entirely new grower / IGC support system, I’ll surely be posting more Terra Nova Nurseries information and photos in the coming weeks. But, for now, I’ll just give you a quick overview regarding the latest growth changes to the company.
Terra Nova Nurseries is listening to what growers, landscapers and independent garden centers want and need to set themselves apart. In a lagging market, companies want to bring in profit as much of the year as possible – not just during those epic weeks of spring. They need alternatives to mums and poinsettias; they need plants that will not fail during unpredictable weather; and they need additional marketing and educational support.
Terra Nova Nurseries deemed this a “personal” challenge, and spent months (and in many cases, years) breeding, trialing and brainstorming to solve problems for these folks. This company is unique in that it has the breeding technology, staffing and resources to actually accomplish a feat this large.
This year at OFA Short Course, Terra Nova Nurseries announced its brand new Web site with a plethora of information for growers, retailers AND consumers. The company also has a brand new catalog that easily spells out where plants will thrive and how they compare to previous breeds. 
The staff at Terra Nova Nurseries has introduced dozens of new plants that have been specifically bred to solve problems wholesale growers encounter throughout the cultivation season. An example of this would be the brand new line of Winter Jewels™ Hellebores and the novel selection of Cyclamen forced to bloom in winter – all excellent, unique options that contribute to year-round retail. Terra Nova Nurseries is also now offering grower-customers free tags on shipments. Can you imagine how helpful these extra savings might help a grower looking for an edge?
So, it seems there is a lot more available here than just incredible new plants. In these times, Terra Nova Nurseries is a positive and supportive partner to its customers. It’s an invaluable trait to have in an industry where working together is imperative.
~ Leslie
We are thrilled to announce we have officially started a new era here at Eberly & Collard Public Relations (formerly Eberly Public Relations). We have a new name, new brand, new online presence, and a new outlook on communication to the masses!
First off, let me just say that an overarching component of the new brand is the company’s name. We have added Jeff Collard’s last name as an obvious and necessary change. Even though Don Eberly, president and CEO, founded the firm nearly eight years ago, Jeff Collard, vice president and CFO, joined the firm only six months after its original inception. Jeff’s work background and education in horticulture and design always have been, and continue to be, the perfect match to complement ECPR’s service structure. Combine that with Don’s career history and degree in public relations, journalism and education, and we’ve got a well-suited mix of expertise and readiness to meet the needs of our clients and friends in the media. And, we are proud of the fact we have a staff of writers and marketers that understands the industry…and the many products and services of industry companies.
With the introduction of our new name, we are expanding to include a range of online and Social Media devises to enhance communicative activities for the firm and our clients. Please feel free to friend, follow, reply, tweet, and comment on all our new online aspects via the following channels:
Web site: www.eberlycollardpr.com
Blog: www.eberlycollardpr.blogspot.com
Twitter: @eberlycollardpr
Fan Page: Facebook
We’re excited about all the new conversations to come!
~Leslie
The Epsten Group, an architecture and building consulting firm, partnered with Live Roof to install a pre-vegetated invisible-modular green roof system on the company’s office roof. Live Roof is an integrated system designed by growers in conjunction with experts in the fields of architecture, roofing, logistics, and ergonomics. The Live Roof system is designed to grow green roof plants, such as sedums and succulents, to address the particular design and climate needs. Live Roof systems, because they are pre-vegetated at the nursery, require minimal maintenance. If there is ever a need to make changes to the roof, Live Roof modules are easily moved aside and replaced after the work is done.
To learn more, visit http://www.theepstengroup.com/ & http://liveroof.net/
