Marketplace News

All-America Selections announces additional 2010 winners
All-America Selections (AAS) has announced five additional winners for 2010. These plants are now available to all distribution channels allowing growers time to order seed and for retailers to plan on carrying the plants for upcoming spring sales.

Echinacea purpurea ‘PowWow Wild Berry’ (Photo #1) is an AAS Flower Award Winner. This coneflower, bred by PanAmerican Seed, produces deep rose-purple, 3- to 4-inch diameter flowers that retain their color for a long time.
African marigold ‘Moonsong Deep Orange’ (#2) is a Flower Award Winner bred by Syngenta Flowers. This F1 hybrid produces fully double, fade-resistant deep orange flowers that measure 2½ to 3½ inches in diameter.

Double Zahara Cherry (#3) and Fire (#4) zinnias, bred by PanAmerican Seed, join previously announced 2010 Bedding Plant Award Winner ‘Zahara Starlight Rose’. These two interspecific cross hybrids are resistant to leaf spot and mildew diseases. Both varieties produce fully double 2½-inch diameter flowers.

‘Shiny Boy’ watermelon (#5) is a Vegetable Award Winner bred by Known-You Seed Co. Plants produce globe-shaped, red fleshed melons with dark seeds that weigh about 20 pounds. Plants can be grown vertically reducing the need for a large growing area.

Target buys Smith & Hawken brand
In January, Target acquired the Smith & Hawken brand and other intellectual property from The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. Financial terms were not disclosed. The mass merchant already sells Smith & Hawken’s outdoor furniture and gardening products.

“We believe the Smith & Hawken brand complements our existing portfolio of owned brands,” Target’s executive vice president of merchandising, Kathee Tesija, said in a statement.

CORRECTED: TCIA and PLANET consider new organizational relationship
The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) and Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) met earlier this year to examine the potential for new organizational relationships in order to provide increased value to the green industry. Bill Hildebolt, PLANET president, said the possibility of a new relationship has been considered since 2004, when the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA) merged, and continued through informal discussions between the two groups. Talks intensified about a year ago, and have been “serious” since then, he said.

“At a time when so many in our industry are offering a wide array of services, it makes good sense to have the representation of one organizational leader,” Hildebolt said.

TCIA has membership of 2,000 commercial tree care firms; PLANET’s membership is 3,500 landscaping companies. In the past few years, PLANET has seen other merger activity. The association was in merger talks a few years ago with the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA), but the partnership was voted down by PLANET’s board. Hildebolt said PLANET isn’t currently in merger discussions with any other industry associations.

PLANET is an international association that serves lawn care professionals, landscape management contractors, design/build/installation professionals, and interior plantscape professionals.

Aquascape urges landscapers, retailers to consider sustainable strategies
Water features can be much more than just ornaments. With the right components, they can become part of an eco-friendly system that showcases the value of water. That’s the message Ed Beaulieu and the Aquascape team brought to a contractor seminar held Jan. 13 in Dallas.

More than two dozen landscape contractors, distributors and garden retailers gathered for the session, “Creating Opportunity with Sustainable Landscapes.” Ed Beaulieu, Aquascape’s chief sustainability officer, described a new business model—dubbed the “triple bottom-line”—which will guide successful businesses in the future. Picture a circle that ties together environmental stewardship, economic prosperity and social responsibility.

“Work with Mother Nature, not against her,” Beaulieu urged. “That’s still our core philosophy.”

Controlling storm-water runoff in both commercial and residential landscapes is something the green industry needs to capitalize on, according to Beaulieu. Rain gardens are a good example of this. Rainwater collection and harvesting is also crucial.

Runoff control is also playing a major role in Aquascape’s Green Community Movement. The initiative is based on grassroots program Beaulieu instituted in his own neighborhood to reduce residential water runoff. Beaulieu told seminar attendees that initiatives like this could easily be replicated in other neighborhoods. There are plenty of people out there, Beaulieu said, who “want to do their part” in creating a sustainable community.

Aquascape’s winter seminar series continues into February and March, visiting cities throughout the nation. For dates and locations, visit the company’s Web site: www.aquascapetraining.com.
 

WHO’S NEWS

New Positions
Les Evans to technical representative for commercial sales, Dramm Corp., Manitowoc, Wis.

Phil Pursel to territory manager for central California from Sacramento south; Sean Sheridan to territory manager for northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado and Utah, Dave Wilson Nursery, Hickman, Calif.

Dean Douglas to president, Pump Solutions Group, Redlands, Calif.

Ron James to national sales manager, PARsource, Petaluma, Calif.

Pete Benson to midwest region sales director; Steve Sturm to southeast region sales director, Van Wingerden Greenhouse Company, Mills River, N.C.

Rob Kozimor to sales representative for Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, Scarff’s Nursery of Ohio, New Carlisle, Ohio.

John Friel to marketing manager, Emerald Coast Growers, Pensacola, Fla.

Associations
Michael V. Geary to CEO, OFA, Columbus, Ohio.

Sabeena Hickman to CEO, Professional Landcape Network (PLANET), Herndon, Va.

Bert Swanson, owner of Swanson’s Nursery Consulting in Park Rapids, was elected president of the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association.

Honors
Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals has teamed up with GreenCare for Troops, a nationwide outreach program that connects local landscape professionals with men and women serving our country in the armed forces away from home.

Flower Carpet Amber, Tesselaar Plants, Lawndale, Calif., has been designated an All Deutschland Rose winner.
Schubert Nurseries, Salinas, Calif., received the 2009 Award of Distinction from ECGC Distributors.

Overdevest Nurseries, Bridgeton, N.J., received Proven Winners ColorChoice’s 2009 Innovation Award.

The late Todd Bachman (Bachmans, Minneapolis) was honored with a Special Service Award by the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association.

Business changes
Monrovia, Santa Monica, Calif., has launched a new website at www.monrovia.com.

Calendar

February 2010
3-4, Chesapeake Green Horticulture Symposium, Linthicum, Md.; www.chesapeakegreen.org
6, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Dallas; www.provenwinners.com
6-8, Market Square’s the Market Place, Oaks, Pa.; www.urban-expo.com
6-9, San Francisco International Gift Fair, San Francisco, Calif.; www.urban-expo.com
8-10, ProGreen Expo, Denver, Colo.; www.progreenexpo.com
9-12, Southern Nursery Association Forum 2010, Atlanta; www.sna.org
10-12, Arett Sales 2010 Seasonal Showcase, Somerset, N.J.; www.arett.com
16-19, Cut Flower Short Course, Beltsville, Md.; (301) 596-9413
20, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Salt Lake City; www.provenwinners.com
26-28, 58th Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition, San Francisco, Calif.; www.orchidsanfrancisco.org

March 2010
4, Greenhouse Conference, Easton, Md.; (410) 822-1244
6, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Chicago; www.provenwinners.com
8-9, SAF Congressional Action Days, Washington, D.C.; www.congressionalactiondays.com
8-10, IPM Dubai International Plants Expo Middle East, Dubai; www.ipm-dubai.com
9-10, Greenhouse Tomato Short Course, Raymond, Miss.; greenhousetomatosc.com
11-12, Texas ASLA Annual Conference, San Antonio, Texas;  www.texasasla.com/conference/GieMediaInc.com
13, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Minneapolis; www.provenwinners.com
21-24, Boston Gift Show, Boston, Mass.; www.urban-expo.com
26-27, Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, Vancouver, British Columbia; www.provenwinners.com

April 2010
10-11, Progressive Gardening Trade Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas; pgta.org
10-17, California Spring Trials, various locations; www.ngb.org
18-21, National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association Meeting, Kahuku-Oahu, Hawaii, www.ngma.com
20-23, United Fresh, Las Vegas; www.unitedfresh.org