Marketplace News

Park Seed/Jackson & Perkins look to restructure
Geo. W. Park Seed Co. Inc., Park Seed Wholesale Co. and Jackson & Perkins Co. filed to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy this spring. The companies indicated in a press release dated April 2 that customers should not be affected by the filing. Park Seed/Jackson & Perkin’s Greenwood, S.C., business office, garden center, call center and Web sites are open and functioning normally. Shipping and receiving areas are continuing their daily operations.

A company spokesperson said the declining economy in 2008 resulted in a sharp drop in demand for luxury, non-essential purchases. All of the companies’ brands experienced significant decreases in sales for core products, causing ongoing cash-flow issues. Despite the companies’ efforts to cut costs and numerous attempts to execute supplier payment programs, they were unable to meet short- and long-term operating cash requirements. The companies considered court protection and restructuring as the best option. The business is currently functioning as a “debtor in possession,” under the leadership of a court-appointed trustee.

Consumers reportedly favored garden centers for spring purchases
A record number of consumers planned to purchase their early-spring garden plants at garden centers and local retail stores, compared to mass merchants and DIY stores this spring. Garden Writers Association Foundation’s (GWAF) 2010 Early Spring Gardening Trends Research Report, conducted in March, found a significant change in consumer buying preferences with a clear majority (54%) stating they intend to purchase most of their spring gardening plants at garden centers, while only 37% chose mass merchants as their primary plant source for spring.

National Greenhouse introduces garden center partner program
National Greenhouse Co.  is introducing a partner program for select garden centers across the country. The new program will promote the Nation-al Greenhouse Co. line of home greenhouses through garden center partners. The centers will agree to incorporate a National Greenhouse link on their Web site, feature greenhouse flyers within stores and run articles and advertisements about the product line in company newsletters. National Greenhouse will provide content, printed flyers, customer sales and service support. National Greenhouse Co. is a division of Nexus Corporation, a leading manufacturer of greenhouses for over 79 years.

GCA gears up for Summer Tour in Florida
Garden Centers of America members will visit top retailers and horticulture hot spots June 27-30 in Orlando, Fla. Stops include Rock City Gardens, Rockledge Gardens and a backstage tour of Walt Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Registration fee is $550 for GCA members; $600 for nonmembers. American Nursery & Landscape Association members qualify for GCA member pricing. For complete details, visit www.gardencentersofamerica.org.

Calendar of Events

May 2010
5-6, Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association 21st Annual Meeting, Tucson, Ariz.; www.toca.org

June 2010
2, California Grown Show, Costa Mesa, Calif.; www.californiagrownshow.com
6-9, North American Horticulture Supply Association Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, N.M.; www.nahsa.com
17, MNLA Field Day, Davidsonville, Md.; (410) 823-8684
27-30, Garden Centers of America Summer Tour, Orlando, Fla.; www.gardencentersofamerica.org

July 2010
3-11, Adrian Blooms’ Celebration of English Gardens Tour, England; (866) 642-7120
18-24, Perennial Plant Symposium, Portland, Ore.; www.perennialplant.org

August 2010
17-19, IGC Show, Chicago; www.igcshow.com
22-27, International Horticulture Congress, Lisbon, Portugal; www.ihc2010.org

September 2010
10-13, Garden Writer’s Association Symposium, Dallas, Texas; www.gardenwriters.org
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, America In Bloom Symposium, St. Louis, Mo.; www.americainbloom.org
Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 60th Annual meeting of IPPS Eastern Region, Warwick, R.I.; www.ipps.org/EasternNA

October 2010
28-30, GIE+EXPO, Louisville, Ky.; www.gie-expo.com