Registration opens for Garden Centers of America’s Summer Tour

Orlando, Fla., will host Garden Centers of America’s 2010 Summer Tour. The annual event, scheduled for June 27-30, will visit garden centers, botanical gardens and some of Florida’s top nurseries. Additionally, a behind the scenes tour of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is planned.

“We are so excited to host the 2010 Summer Tour in the Orlando area,” said Summer Tour co-chair, Theresa Riley of Rockledge Gardens. “Because of the warm year-round climate in Florida, garden centers here face some unique challenges with marketing and merchandising. Attendees will have a great opportunity to gather new ideas for their own garden centers while seeing where 85 percent of the nation’s tropical foliage gets its roots.”

The event kicks-off on Sunday evening with a reception at the host hotel, Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort. Following the opening reception on Sunday night, there will be a dinner awards ceremony. A keynote address presented by Katy Moss Warner will discuss “The Beauty Garden Centers Bring to Their Communities.”

Touring begins on Monday and concludes on Wednesday. Garden center stops during the event include Kerby’s Nursery, Earthscapes Garden Room, Rock City Gardens, Busy Bee Nursery, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Rockledge Gardens, Lukas Nursery and Butterfly Encounter, and Palmer’s Gardens and Goods. Other stops of interest include Kennedy Space Center and Leu Gardens. The grand finale of the tour is planned at Disney’s Epcot with dessert and a private viewing of the fireworks show, Illuminations.

Online registration for the 2010 Summer Tour is now open. Space is limited. For more information contact Shanan Molnar at 888-648-6463, or e-mail smolnar@asginfo.net or visit the GCA Web site at www.gardencentersofamerica.org.