TRENDS IN BULB GARDENING

January, 2003 - Think of National Garden Month 2003 in April as the “Super Bowl” for gardening.

This nationwide “green fair”, sponsored by the National Gardening Association along with major supporter Ball Horticultural, is an industry wide initiative to raise the national level awareness of the benefits of gardening.

The theme is “The Power of Gardening”, which focuses on how gardening transforms lives, neighborhoods and communities. The event encourages everyone to join in planting events, education efforts, ceremonies and additional gardening activities.

The month long celebration is an outgrowth of National Garden Week, which was first created in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan to show appreciation for the efforts and contributions of gardeners. Some 23 co-sponsoring national horticultural organizations, under the direction of the National Garden Bureau, made official what gardeners have known for centuries: gardening connects people to the earth and to other people in ways that can transform lives. That is the power of gardening.

“Now is an especially pertinent time to celebrate the power of gardening,” suggests Jeff Gibson, marketing manager at Ball Horticultural. “In light of current worldwide conflict, gardening today is a way to bring us in closer contact with each other and with Mother Nature.”

But that’s not the only purpose of this national initiative. Its organizers also want to raise awareness of the economic impact of this $50 billion-a-year industry that touches two out of three households in the U.S.

The benefits to garden centers represent an impressive return on a relatively small investment. Traffic, interest and sales are likely to boom for all who have pooled their strengths to bring the entire garden industry together. It is hoped this will create a franchise that is expected to return these same results year after year. Other sponsors include Star® Roses, SoilSoup, Inc, and Wolf-Garten tools.

“The establishment of a coast-to-coast marketing venue drives consumers to official garden center host sites,” he says. “More interest in gardening only help us all, and the pickup we’ll get with the consumer media will directly benefit garden centers.”

NGA unveiled the promotion at the 2003 American Nursery & Landscape Association Management Clinic in Louisville, Kentucky January 31 at a reception sponsored by Ball. Here’s what it entails:

National Advertising & Promotion Benefits Garden Centers

Ball knows from extensive independent garden center research that merchandising utilizing themed promotions coupled with POP materials and direct mail can as much as double sales volume.

NGA’s website -- www.nationalgardenmonth.org -- features downloadable promotional materials, public service announcements and press releases. Events, activities and promotional ideas are also suggested.

Ball’s Simply Beautiful brand and the NGA are scheduled to run upcoming television commercials on The Weather Channel and HGTV. With The Weather Channel, garden centers have the chance to add their own 5-second tag at the end of a 30-second Simply Beautiful commercial and a 5-second National Gardening Week announcement.

The tags provide widespread media coverage exclusively to local garden centers for $350. In Spring 2002, participating National Garden Month/Simply Beautiful dealers will receive an average of 330 tags each - at a cost of about $1 per national TV ad.

HGTV Simply Beautiful/National Gardening Month commercials are expected to reach 80 million homes in the U.S., driving consumers to their local “host” garden retailer.

For the investment, Gibson explains that official National Garden Month host garden centers will be able to attract local media attention and drive customers to their stores with:

Customized National Weather Channel advertising with more than 300 local tags

HGTV Simply Beautiful/National Gardening Month commercials, reach 80 million homes Receive an eye-catching National Garden Month banner

Simply Beautiful POP and an event kit with a merchandising video, radio script, direct mail postcard art & logos, planning calendars, posters and bench cards

Localized media coverage from newspapers, radio and television with pre-done press releases and national PR support

Garden Center on-line hot links with National Garden Month site, giving location addresses and highlighting local special events and exhibits

In additional media attention will stem from a national press conference in April at the National Garden in Washington, D.C., announcing the kickoff of the month-long celebration. Participating sponsors, industry and government officials are expected to take part.

National Garden Association’s president Valeria Kelsey hopes the excitement and support being generated encourages retailers to use this month as an opportunity to share what they feel is powerful and Tran formative about gardening, as well as hitch a ride on a nationally coordinated and advertised program.

“From the perspective of sales potential,” says Kelsey, “look at National Garden Month as springtime, Mother's Day and summer all rolled into April.”

For more information on National Gardening Month, visit www.garden.org or www.simplybeautifulgardens.com or call the National Gardening Association, (802) 863-5251, ext. 129 or e-mail her: rose@garden.org.