Regional roundup, Oct. 19, 2009

Colorado
Tagawa Gardens in Centennial, Colo., lent a hand to help decorate the state’s Governor’s Mansion for its annual garden party. A local Brownie troop, Tagawa’s children’s outreach ambassador, Grandma Mimi (Maryann Jordan), and Colorado’s First Lady Jeannie Ritter worked together to create a beautiful seasonal display at this historic home. The Brownies not only learned about gardening; they also got a VIB (“Very Important Brownie”) behind-the-scenes tour of the mansion’s gardens.

Georgia
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Three Atlanta-based plant experts have opened a new store, GardenHood, in the city’s Grant Park area. Scott McMahan, former garden manager at the Atlanta Botanical Garden and current head of McMahan Nurseries, landscape architect David McMullin and Melodie McDanal, a landscape architect and former manager of Habersham Gardens, have joined forces to launch this new venture.

Illinois
Hoerr Nursery in Peoria, Ill., hosted nine college students from across Central Illinois earlier this month a part of a program that gives horticulture students hands-on experience in the green industry. Students got the chance to work with several horticulture professionals to enhance the company’s retail experience, customer service and merchandising. “Because of our wide scope of business, we were able to provide the students with a hands-on experience they can’t find in the classroom,” said Dave Ploussard, garden center manager at Hoerr Nursery.

Texas
Fire broke out yesterday at a Cornelius Nurseries location in the Houston area, KTRK-TV reported. No one was injured. The blaze prompted officials to temporarily close the road in front of the store. There's no word on what started the fire. This is the second time in a little more than a year the Cornelius Nurseries chain has suffered a fire. Flames severely damaged the location on Voss in west Houston in 2008. That fire also damaged a nearby apartment building.

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