Cottage Gardens designs products for retailers

Problem: Growers need to differentiate their products in a retail setting.

Solution: Cottage Gardens created two brands with complete marketing packages.

Details: Last fall, Cottage Gardens in Perry, Ohio, launched a new brand, Honeymooner’s Holly for a self-pollinating plant. Honeymooner’s Holly -- a Cottage Gardens introduction -- is a cross between Ilex ‘Blue Boy’ and ‘Blue Girl.’ Promotional packaging for Honeymooner’s Holly includes a designer plant tag, a custom pot and point-of-purchase material. The tag line Berries with Ease appears on the heart-shaped tag.

“The Honeymooner’s Holly generates an abundance of berries without having to worry about having the right mix of plants for pollination,” said Nathan Hicks, marketing manager at Cottage Gardens. “The brand and the idea were designed for the consumer, but it also helps the garden center buyers. They don’t have to worry about stocking male and female plants.”

For Mother’s Day, Cottage Gardens introduced the Blooming Bright for Mother’s Day brand. The brand supports the grower’s 2-gallon evergreen azaleas. The Mother’s Day package includes custom plant tags, POP, periwinkle-colored pots and advertising templates.

“The Mother’s Day package changes the consumer’s perception of the azalea as landscape item into a gift item,” Hicks said.

Gift tags are available with the Mother’s Day program.

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For more: Cottage Gardens, (877) 377-5877; www.cottagegardensinc.com.

June 2008