It's plant sample time

It's that time of year - when we start looking forward to plant sample deliveries. We've received two this week, from Ball yesterday and Proven Winners today. It's interesting to see how they're packaged and shipped to us every year. This is a photo of the Ball shipment, and the plants hold up really nice.

Looking forward to seeing Ball's Mint Mocha coleus, and I'm planning to plant the new zinnia 'Zahara Yellow' in hanging baskets on my front porch. 'Easy Wave Burgundy Star' petunia is a great striped petunia. Oooh, and the Purple Flash ornamental pepper. I've never tried an ornamental pepper before, so this should be really fun. We also received geranium 'Fantasia Cardinal Improved' and Henna coleus.

The shipment from Proven Winners includes hydrangea Incrediball and Invincibelle Spirit, cyperus King Tut and 'Superbena Pink Parfait.' We also got some really nice samples of Snow Princess from Proven Winners. I love alyssum, and this similar variety is even cooler since it seems to mound a little bit more. I don't know about men, but the women I hear from love little flowers like these and Diamond Frost euphorbia.

If you want to read more about these varieties (and see video), check out our 2009 California Pack Trials coverage.

Spring garden center visits

We had great weather last Thursday, so we went out to visit a few local garden centers. A few thoughts...see all my garden center images here.

Signage. Walking around Lowe's Greenhouse (an independent, not the big box) in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, felt much more like I was in someone's backyard than a store. As a shopper, I really liked that. I could see the potential. But it was also the most branded garden center I've ever seen (left). I'd say I saw posters or benchtape for about every plant brand I've ever heard of. Is that a bad thing? Not sure. I think branding is good. I'm a brand girl and I think I trust a product more if there's a name behind it.

I did notice a bench of veggies under a sign that said Lavender. I guess trends are one danger when investing in signage.

No signage. Breezewood Gardens, also in Chagrin Falls, was completely at the other end of the spectrum. There was almost no signage at Breezewood's perennial and tree yard, which is pretty intimidating to a new gardener, I'm sure. Flats were going for $17.99, with a bulk discount (5 trays or more) of $16.99 each.

There was a nice display for Novalis' Nooks and Crannies line (left), including a green roof bird house.

Our last stop was at Eagle Creek Garden Center, Bainbridge, Ohio. They had really nice signage for a cool product called Pop, Drop and Grow (left). It's a biodegradable pot that you rip the bottom off and drop right in the ground or in a container. On the price side, Eagle Creek was selling annual flats for $16.99. As a shopper, it's always a nice place to go. There's a nice gift area and a great selection of plants, lot of Proven Winners. The potting shed is also a nice setup, with lots of examples of fun combos for sale.

Update: Here's what our Assistant Editor Pete Mihalek thought of the trip, from Today's Garden Center's The Revolution blog.

Info for the smaller greenhouse operations

Size does matter when you're talking about greenhouse operations, doesn't it?

I'd like to write a series of articles for GreenhouseGrower.com specifically for the smaller greenhouse operations out there. So what are some of the issues you see that larger operations don't? Tell me and I'll try to find some answers.

Mother's Day in the garden center

Nice profile of All Season's Garden Center in the Grand Forks Herald and picked up by AgWeek.com.

In the article, owner Georgia Heitmann explains the store's Mother's Day plan, which included serving cake and lemonade at the store's open house.

"The neat thing about Mother's Day is you get families," she said in the article. "You'll see three generations or four generations." It's a big weekend for garden center sales - so how did you capitalize on it?

My mother in law was pretty impressed with a local Panera restaurant, which was handing out a carnation and free coffee to all female customers on Sunday morning.

Unplugged At OFA

Lisa just posted the new design for the Unplugged poster for OFA Short Course. I love the designs on these posters. Click over to her post for the when and where - always a good time.

Making oxygen

This ad was released by the World Wildlife Federation, and is all over the Internet. I've seen it on a few sites, and I'm amazed at how many people have commented that they don't get it. What do trees have to do with lung cancer? they've asked. It's not about lung cancer, people!

People out there don't understand that trees and plants create oxygen to breathe. While it makes you think twice about what kids are learning in our schools, it's also an opportunity for growers and especially retailers.

Costa's 02 For You campaign is engaging the next generation of consumers by bringing indoor plants to college campuses and First Foliage is reaching to grade schoolers with its I Love Clean Air program.