Marketplace News

Proven Winners partners with Walters Gardens
In October, Proven Winners and Walters Gardens announced a new strategic partnership to market perennial varieties under the Proven Winners brand name. Walters Gardens will bring approximately 30 of its varieties to the existing line of Proven Winners Perennials in 2011, and the program will expand as more varieties are added each year.

The Proven Winners propagator network (EuroAmerican Propagators, Four Star Greenhouse, Pleasant View Gardens in the U.S., and Nordic Nurseries, Dentoom's Greenhouses and Sobkowich Greenhouses in Canada) will also offer many, if not most, of these perennials to their customers.

In addition to offering Proven Winners Perennials, Walters Gardens will continue to provide their customers with a broad range of perennials, ornamental grasses, vines and groundcovers. All plants offered by Walters Gardens will continue to be sold as bare root and plug liners through their existing sales networks.

The partnership between Proven Winners and Walters Gardens begins in July 2011 for the 2011-2012 selling season. Proven Winners Perennials varieties offered by Walters Gardens will be introduced at California Spring Trials in March 2011 as well as in each of their 2011-2012 catalogs. The spring 2012 selling season will be supported by extensive marketing efforts by both Proven Winners and Walters Gardens.

Hines Nurseries files Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Last month, Hines Nurseries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A Hines company release stated, “Hines Nurseries has been exploring restructuring options in recent months, including efforts to extend a line of credit for purposes of continuing its operations.”

Hines announced that, subject to approval of the bankruptcy court, it has secured $5 million in interim debtor-in-possession financing and expects to have up to $20 million on a final basis. According to filings, Hines listed $179.3 million in assets and $86.7 million in debt as of the end of the second quarter.

In a court filing, CEO Stephen Thigpen said the revenue decline is the result of weak consumer demand, anemic homebuilding activity, pricing pressure from customers and inventory imbalances leading to shortage of critical crops.

In 2009, Hines emerged from bankruptcy when Black Diamond Capital Management purchased the nursery.

Iseli Nursery, Weeks Roses file for Chapter 11 protection
Also announced in October: International Garden Products (IGP) filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The filing includes its affiliates, Iseli Nursery and Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower. IGP’s filing stated the companies’ finances have been “negatively affected by a number of issues unrelated to their own operations,” including being adversely impacted by the financial difficulties at Jackson & Perkins, which failed to assure payment on its $1.7 million order for the 2010 season; as well as current market conditions and three contingent liability issues. The company said it has secured $7.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing from a group led by Harris Bank. IGP expects no service interruptions and customers “can place, with confidence, their orders for spring 2011 season.”

National Green Centre announces more than 90 hours of Next Generation Education for 2011 event
The National Green Centre, presented by the Western Nursery and Landscape Association, will offer more than 90 hours of workshops, discussions, lectures and special educational events Jan. 9-10 at the America’s Center in St. Louis. Some highlights:

Sweet Melissa Fashion Show
The trendiest plants in horticulture will be on display

Keynotes

• Dr. Michael Dirr: Making Sense of the New Plant Clutter: Strategies for Successfully Marketing Trees and Shrubs
• John Stanley: Identify Retail Trends as they are Incubating
• Anna Ball: Industry Trends
• Jeffery Bruce: Opportunities for the Landscape Industry

Future of Horticulture

• Horticulture in 2060 discussion
• Changing Retail Models discussion
• The Future of Selling Plants: Jonathan Pedersen, Bailey Nurseries

Why We Buy

• Generation X & Y Consumer panel

From the Editor

• State of the Industry: GIE Media Horticulture Group
• Benchmarking Your Business: GIE Media Horticulture Group

Book Clubs

• Why We Buy by Paco Underhill, led by Yale Youngblood, editor/publisher, Garden Center Magazine
• Think for Your Customer, discussion with author John Stanley
• Listening to Stone, discussion with author Daniel Snow

For registration information: www.nationalgreencentre.org. You can also follow the WNLA via social media on Twitter (@NatlGreenCentre), Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Largest green wall in North America is unveiled
The largest green wall in North America, provided by GSky Plant Systems, was unveiled Oct. 9 at the world-renowned Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. The flagship of Longwood’s redesigned East Conservatory Plaza wing is the 4,072 square-foot green wall, 70-percent larger than the previous green-wall record holder, PNC Bank, Pittsburgh. The wall’s 47,000 plants provide as much oxygen as 90 fourteen-foot-tall trees and will clean over 15,500pounds of dust and harmful toxins per year. “The green wall is an extraordinary addition to Longwood,” said Longwood Gardens director Paul Redman. “The size and beauty of the green wall will amaze our guests as well as advance our continuing commitment to sound environmental practices.”

Garden Center Success! will be one of the highlights at New England Grows in February 2011
New England Grows, the premier conference and trade exposition for green industry professionals in the Northeast, will be held Feb. 2-4, 2011, in Boston, Mass.

In addition to a three-day line up of 30 business-building seminars, New England Grows will launch “Garden Center Success!” on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This new one-day intensive seminar is tailored specifically to the needs of garden center professionals.

“Garden Center Success!” will feature retail expert and trend spotter Anne Obarski of Merchandise Concepts in Dublin, Ohio; garden center guru Jonn “J-Dog” Karsseboom of The Garden Corner in Tualatin, Ore.; retail wizard Ken Lain of Watters Garden Center in Prescott, Ariz.; and master facilitator Jon Hockman of The d3 Group in Washington, D.C.

Participants will gain an understanding of real-world retail trends, interact with peers who are getting it done in their independent garden centers; and develop action plans to increase sales, optimize their merchandising, and keep their people in peak performance mode.

There is no additional charge to participate in the “Garden Center Success!,” but seating is limited and advance registration is required.

New England Grows registration is $39 per person before Jan. 15, 2011 and $55 thereafter. If you sign up four or more people from the same company before Jan. 15, the price per person is just $30.

“Garden Center Success!” is presented in cooperation with Garden Center magazine.

New England Grows is an educational partnership between the New England Nursery Association, Massachusetts Arborists Association, Massachusetts Association of Landscape Professionals, Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Association, and a network that includes more than 30 allied green industry organizations.