National Indoor Plant Week In Full Swing

Are you joining in the national effort for cleaner, fresher indoor air in our homes, schools and workplaces? National Indoor Plant Week (September 16-22) is in full swing with several companies giving out free plants and retailers showcasing some great displays with houseplants (see images). This grassroots initiative was created to raise awareness of the value and benefits of live indoor plants.  They're more than just a pretty face; they're our "green heroes"! 

During National Indoor Plant Week and throughout the month of September, look for indoor houseplants such as peace lilies, ferns, palms and spider plants with bright ‘O2 for You’ plant tags at local retailers.

So, go out and buy yourself some fresh air for yourself and your family!

To learn more about houseplants and their benefits, visit www.o2foryou.org.

-Stacey
Garden Media Group

Mark Your Calendars for National Indoor Plant Week

We're excited to help spread the word about National Indoor Plant Week (September 16-22), a grassroots initiative that was created to raise awareness of the value and benefits of live indoor plants.

Did you know that research indicates that certain varieties help purify interior spaces and improve productivity in offices where we spend most of our day? Studies from the US Environmental Protection Agency have found that levels of indoor air pollution can be 2-5 times higher - and in some cases 10 times more polluted than outdoor air.

This is where the indoor plants come in! These green heroes, as we like to call them, provide truly amazing benefits. Working 24/7, certain plants absorb almost all volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in indoor air. These VOC's are common chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde and benzene found in many products around your home and office, like carpets, printer ink, tobacco smoke and cleaning products.

During National Indoor Plant Week and through the month of September, look for varieties such as peace lilies, palms, ferns and spider plants, with 'O2 for You' plant tags at your local retailer. These are the hardest working plants when it comes to cleaning your air!

Please help us spread the word about the about the many benefits of indoor plants! For more information on National Plant Week visit www.nationalindoorplantweek.com). To learn more about 'O2 for You: Houseplants with a Purpose' visit www.o2foryou.org.

-Stacey

Garden Media Group

Costa Farms Social Summit Blooms

Costa Farms Social Summit held in Miami earlier this month was a huge hit. Everyone was blown away by seeing hundreds of thousands of orchids, ferns, succulents, cacti and other tropical plants in one location.

Here are what a few of our friends had to say about their visit:

Justin Hancock, BHG.com editor, pictured here in orchid heaven, had this to say: "Last week I had the pleasure of traveling to Costa Farms, one of the coolest companies in the horticultural industry."

Justin says the the Costa Farms trial gardens, which are open to the public, are "definitely worth checking out if you’re in the area. "

Martha Stewart Living senior associate garden editor Stacey Hirvela (pictured here with me) wrote two blog posts. In her first post "Meet Maria Costa Smith, Stacey told us about Costa Farms' sustainable initiatives. "Maria told us about some of the things that they are doing to be a smarter, better source for plants. While they are working on addressing all of the sustainability issues I mentioned, it is the packaging that gardeners will notice most." Click here to read more and take Stacey's packaging survey.

In the second post, entitled "Sublime Reputation", Stacey talks more about the plants. "When I was down in Miami visiting Costa Farms, one of the most stunning sights was the sheer quantity and precision of their growing ranges. It's pretty unbelievable to be standing in a room with nearly three quarters of a million orchids, or 60 acres of nothing but Boston ferns." Stacey posted lots of great pictures to give you an idea of the scope of the Florida nursery.

Christopher Tidrick actually won a social media contest to attend, and we're glad he did. What a delight he is. He did a great post Plants with a Purpose, A Plantsman with Passion , calling the trip to the Costa Farms greenhouses "a visual experience so surreal, there aren't really words that can do it justice." But he found the words and really recapped everything -- from Costa Farms O2 for You educational program, to the Wall Street Journal's recent article to a wonderful profile of Mike Rimland.

Here we all are in our guayaberas, or Cuban wedding shirts for our closing dinner. What fun to be Cuban for a night!

Stacey, Garden Media Group