Missed MANTS? The Best of MANTS 2013 for Garden Industry Leaders

Since MANTS, aka the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, is one of our favorite trade shows of the year, we wanted to recap the experience and the stars for those of you who couldn't attend.

First of all, MANTS is the place to be in January.  One exhibitor from Oregon said, "if you don't show up at MANTS you might as well not be in business”, another said MANTS is the Big Leagues compared to all other shows around the country!” No wonder it’s nicknamed The Masterpiece of Trade Shows™. We couldn’t agree more!

Our favorite products at MANTS:

Lavender Phenomenal

Lavender is one of my personal favorite plants of all time, so I may be a bit biased… But, everyone else loved the Lavender Phenomenal too! This Lavender plant was introduced by our friend Lloyd Traven at Peace Tree Farm and is absolutely amazing. The Lavender Phenomenal  is a survivor; it survives exceptionally well through the winter and can even withstand extreme heat and humidity. This hearty, little plant also is deer proof and attracts butterflies. What more can a gal want?

 

BrazelBerries

We’ve been a lover of BrazelBerries for some time, but we will never pass up the opportunity to celebrate the most delicious shrub we know. These beautiful blueberry and raspberry shrubs are thornless dwarf shrubs can fit on your patio or your front lawn. Best of all, you eat them! They produce the most succulent fruits I have ever tasted, and the shrub looks breathtaking in every season.  Get yours from Whiteflower Farm today!

 

Lavender Veil Butterfly Bush
This flowering shrub is a superstar for many reasons.  It has a low, compact growth habit, grows and abundance of fragrant flowers, is perfect for containers and it is wildlife friendly!  As the name suggests, butterflies and hummingbirds will flock to it.  

Our Garden Media team was also buzzing around MANTS with a video camera. Did you see us?  We were interviewing everyone from attendees to exhibitors and asking what they liked best about MANTS.  Why do they come back year after year?  We also highlighted all the best aspects of MANTS and why it’s SO incredibly important to attend industry trade shows. The finishing touches are still being added to the video, but be on the lookout! As soon as the video’s done, we’ll share it here!

Learn what to do at the next trade show by downloading our e-book now:

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Now in its fourth decade, MANTS® is the premier, private green industry marketplace for finding plants and nursery stock, landscape and garden items, heavy and light duty equipment, tools, furniture and hundreds of other allied industry products. Companies’ exhibit and industry members attend because they know that MANTS is the place to buy, shop, meet, see, be and be seen every January. MANTS is one of the largest private trade shows serving the Horticulture Industry which is why industry members say that MANTS means business!

American Beauties a Hit at MANTS

American Beauties native plant program was a hit at the 2010 MANTS Show. Looks as if the native plant program stood out for The Garden Center Group, too. Just saw this from Robert Hendrickson in his January Newletter:

"The timing couldn't be better for garden centers to add a program to the plant mix that focuses on native plants.

The program is a perfect tie-in to the "local is good" movement as well as being supportive of the backyard wildlife campaign thru the National Wildlife Federation.

Now there's merchandising tools like pots, bench wraps and tags available for retail growers as well as through suppliers of finished products.This is an easy, attractive and effective way to create a native plant department within your current perennial sales area."

Garden Media Group