Looking for new ideas and inspiration to help take your garden center to the next level? Then join Garden Centers of America June 27-30 for the 2010 Summer Tour in Orlando, Fla.
Here's the tour schedule:
Sunday, June 27
Evening Session: The Beauty Garden Centers Bring To Their Communities
Katy Moss Warner, Windemere, Fla.
Building communities that will preserve the environment around us so that our children can continue to enjoy the world around them is a critical issue. Katy will not only talk about the important roles that garden centers play in providing color and inspiration to homeowners, but also how important it is for all of us to spread the word that gardening is a gift that can be passed on!
Monday, June 28
Backstage tour of Disney's Animal Kingdom
The focus will be on creating themes and environments with plants. We will be joined by Disney horticultural staff for a walking tour of this amazing theme park, before it opens to the public.
Earthscape Garden Rooms
Focusing on selling fountains and garden get-a-ways, Earthscapes will share their secrets on displays, selling and installation of beautiful water features.
Evening Session: Color At Eye Level
Heather Will-Browne, Walt Disney World, Buena Vista, Fla.
Special guest speaker Heather Will-Browne will share her tried and true design secrets that will add the right splash of color to gardens and hanging baskets. She will share both the art and science of color from a Disney horticultural perspective. With over 30 years of experience at WALT DISNEY WORLD focusing on basket production and bedding plants, Heather will certainly have some Disney magic that will rub off on you.
Tuesday, June 29
Rock City Gardens
Enjoy lunch at this location with a focus on events in the garden center. Rock City Gardens will share their approach to hosting weddings, parties and community events in the garden center.
Rockledge Gardens
Rockledge Gardens will focus their success with e-mail marketing. They will share how they build relationships with their customers using a weekly e-mail enhanced by flickr slideshows and Flip camera videos.
Evening Session: The Power of Plants
Dr. Svoboda (Bodie) V. Pennisi, University of Georgia, Griffin, Ga.
Recent research has placed indoor plants back in the spotlight as indoor air purifiers. The Green Industry offers unique products that hold the key to reducing carbon footprints and will ultimately create a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle. As consumers embrace green trends and try to implement healthy lifestyle changes into their own home, garden centers should be armed with the knowledge that supports the need for more plants.
Dr. Bodie Pennisi, lead researcher in Project Carbon, will share research results of her studies, what plants are shown to be more or less effective and how this research provides supporting data to substantiate the argument for using indoor plants as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Wednesday, June 30
Lukas Nursery and Butterfly Encounter
Phil Lukas will share his vision and implementation of a butterfly theme destination at his garden center.
Leu Gardens: Getting Plants from Florida to your Garden Center
This stop will include two panel presentations, one of Florida growers and brokers and one of transportation companies, that will help you put together the pieces to sell the great foliage and tropicals that Florida provides.
Fafard Potting Soils
We will be visiting their operation in Apopka and will learn the secrets of great soil.
Evening Session: Understanding the Trends
Bisser Georgiev, Hermann Engelmann Greenhouses, Inc., Apopka, Fla.
As Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bisser has travelled extensively in Europe to find the latest trends that Hermann Engelmann can then pass on to their consumers. During dinner, he will share with attendees the latest on color and upcoming trends that you can use in your business.
For complete Summer Tour brochure, please click here.