Simply Beautiful Charity Event Draws Attention

By Greenhouse Grower staff|June 4, 2009

Ball Horticultural Company recently partnered with two garden centers to host Simply Beautiful Container Contests to benefit local charities. The contest drew over 4,000 people to Tagawa Gardens (Centennial, CO) and thousands more to Dickman Farms Garden Center (Auburn, NY) the last week in May. Efforts in Denver supported the Ronald McDonald Houses and in Syracuse, a Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

These initiatives were designed to not only provide a donation to these organizations, but also to build momentum and demand from gardeners. “We were pleased to see that so many new gardeners attended this event,” said Beth Zwinack from Tagawa Gardens. “All of the contestants had a great time–and it was great to see the younger folks ‘hold their own’ against some of the more seasoned pros!”

The events attracted new and seasoned gardeners to each location. Each contestant was given a set time limit to finish their ‘creation’, which was then judged on style, color and creativity. “This was a great opportunity to demonstrate that the Simply Beautiful brand is packed full of products that are easy to chose and easy to use–and that make gardening simple,” said Bill Calkins, Simply Beautiful brand manager.

“The event was a tremendous success and exceeded our expectations. Local gardeners had fun creating wonderful container gardens while benefiting a charitable organization,” said Dave Dickman of Dickman Farms. “It was a positive indicator that reinforces gardening is on the upswing.”

For more information, visit www.ballhort.com and www.simplybeautifulgardens.com.