Building A Sensation

If you ask many people, especially ones outside the industry, plants are optional. Plants are part of what you buy after you buy food and shelter, based on discretionary income. Cover story subject Tony Barcelo cites that thinking as a challenge to selling plants at the consumer level.

Plants and flowers are more than just pretty faces to Tony, as well as Cheryl Baker at Shed Floral Nursery and Sue Casey at the Remember Me Rose Garden. And there’s more of a story behind the plants these women sell. Cheryl Baker worked on the breeding behind charity plant ‘Gage’s Shadow’ for more than 10 years. Years of planning went into the Remember Me Rose Garden for Sue Casey. Each woman started work on her project without any assurance of success or support, no big name backing their efforts. But they believed in their work.

Both women told me their efforts aren’t just another product or project for them. Helping treat children with cerebral palsy isn’t optional in Cheryl’s mind and remembering September 11th isn’t optional for Sue. They feel this work is their life’s work – what they were meant to be doing with their lives right now. Big applause to those companies who worked with them to help fulfill their dreams.

iPhone Hysteria

Sue, Cheryl and Tony are excited about their products. That’s obvious just from speaking with them by phone. As I write this, the hysteria over the release of Apple’s iPhone is dying down. Generations X and Y have proven in the iPhone frenzy it will pay a ridiculous amount of money, camp out overnight, even, for a consumer product. Wouldn’t that be nice? Just imagine: A line of anxious shoppers wrapped around the block the night of April 30th, just waiting for the doors to the local garden center to open. Young homeowners coming out of the store, jumping up and down, victoriously hoisting the new vinca overhead.

We get just as excited about new varieties. Look at our Medal of Excellence awards. In our first Medal Of Excellence Reader’s Choice Award, handed out at OFA Short Course, you chose Goldsmith’s Cora vinca as your favorite. Thanks to all of you for voting. For all the details on all the Medal Of Excellence winners and Short Course coverage, visit www.greenhousegrower.com and click on Blogs, or check out the September issue.