An innovative partnership

Photo courtesy of Midwest Groundcovers

Midwest Groundcovers is a wholesale nursery that prides itself on a long-held tradition of growth and innovation, generating big numbers in its varieties of groundcovers, perennials, native plants and more.

Considering its continuously evolving product lines, the Illinois grower is pleased to have a similarly pioneering partner in Bailey Nurseries, notes production manager Matthew Frederickson.

Midwest Groundcovers produces a wide assortment of Bailey hydrangeas, including its Endless Summer line consisting of Endless Summer Original, Summer Crush, Bloomstruck, Blushing Bride and Twist-n-Shout. The nursery also grows First Editions Vanilla Strawberry and Strawberry Sundae.

“Their hydrangeas are easy to grow, and Bailey’s aggressive marketing campaign makes them easy to sell,” Frederickson says. “As a company, they’re constantly looking to improve their product line.”

Continuous breeding by Bailey Innovations brings on fresh varieties of Endless Summer, a popular product with the retailers and landscape contractors that comprise Midwest Groundcovers’ customer base.

“There’s always new macrophylla available on the market, but the Endless Summer lines are unique because they perform well in a garden,” Frederickson says. “Other hydrangeas out there are not necessarily evaluated for garden performance.”

As a network grower, Midwest Groundcovers is usually first-to-market with new Bailey hydrangeas, while best growing practices supplied by the company’s expert support team help to boost sales. For example, the nursery accompanied the release of its Summer Crush variety with precise production recommendations and forcing times, allowing Midwest Groundcovers to bypass the trialing and testing process.

Photo courtesy of Midwest Groundcovers

“They’re helpful and eager to share information, and want network growers to be successful at growing their brands,” says Frederickson. “They’re very easy to work with overall.”

Bailey markets directly to the consumer through social media and print advertising. Earlier this year, the company embarked on its #LifeInFullBloom tour, traveling from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., to plant its Endless Summer line in public gardens, meet with Habitat for Humanity and other nonprofit partners, and mingle with consumers at area garden centers.

A multi-channel retail approach gives the nursery’s products high visibility, serving to positively impact Midwest Growers’ bottom line as well, Frederickson says.

“Bailey Nurseries has been good for us as a company [and] it’s exciting to see how they’ve grown,” he says. “Endless Summer started the whole hydrangea craze, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds with future breeding and new varieties.” — Douglas J. Guth