Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT Limited |
Under the banner of 'Life is a Garden' we presented to you last year a wonderful opportunity to increase your retail plant sales with a promotion called 'Proven Favourites'.
This, in turn, presented to gardeners on your behalf a group of plants that we all know and recognise are 'Proven Favourites'.
The promotion was supported by colourful laminated A4 point of sale posters at a minimal cost of $1.50 each, and laminated A4 posters at a cost of $5.50 each. There is also a CD containing all the artwork for the promotion so that you may print and laminate in house if that is your preference.
The Proven Favourites program is, as some of you may be aware, undergoing a review with a re-launch set for spring 2008.
The plant selection for 2008 spring onwards, will be based on plants that are acceptable to specific regions - plants which a garden centre can promote and sell with confidence, knowing that they will suit the climate and soils of that particular region.
Currently there are 'test programs' in selected garden centres to evaluate the response to better plant choices, improved information available to the public and more support from the State Association.
The Plant List that was used in 2007 can, at any stage, be used by any member garden centre. Ultimately, we would like to see each centre have an expanding 'library' of the A4 posters and related material to use whenever they see fit.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008
Lagerstroemia indica Dwarf Form & other varieties
Plants selected for March/April 2008 - in wide consultation with many garden centre operators - are:
1) Zamioculcas zamiifolia - Zanzibar Gem - great indoor plant. Impossible to kill! Suits low light and thrives on neglect
2) Grevillea Robyn Gordon - everyone's favourite. Blooms all year round with bird attracting nectar-rich showy flowers
3) Grevillea lanigera Mt Tamboritha - a long flowering 'toughie!' Perfect for bush gardens. Grey/green foliage is a good colour contrast
4) Grevillea Royal Mantle - fantastic ground cover. Flat to the ground and very wide spreading. Extremely 'waterwise' once established
Each plant selected to be a Proven Favourite will have a supporting 'Fact Sheet' available. This will give detailed 'easy to read' information on the characteristics of the plant, its care and maintenance needs, and give you some ideas as to where best to plant it in the garden.
Media Release template letters will be available for any selected plant, plus of course laminated A4 point-of-sale posters.
Our Nursery & Garden Industry Professionals have chosen selected Proven Favourite plants because they
1.Are proven garden performers
2. Are low maintenance, tough and hardy
3. Are relatively pest and disease free
4. Have no known weed potential
5. Are versatile for different garden styles
6. Can fulfill a variety of purposes in your garden
7. Are widely available, and
8. Have low water requirements once established
2007 LIST
Rosemary varieties and cultivars
Camellia sasanqua
Kangaroo Paw. Anigozanthus varieties and cultivars
Magnolia soulangeana and cultivars
Lavenders
Convolvulus cneorum
Lorapetalum chinensis 'Burgundy'
Gardenia augusta 'Professor Pucci
As you can see we have chosen the above list of plants carefully, the emphasis is definitely on bringing hardy popular plants to the fore to re-emphasise their various attributes to gardeners.
If you require any further information or assistance with this promotion, please contact Peter Whitehead at the NGINA office on 02 9679 1472 or email : peterwhitehead@ngina.com.au