2013 Gardening Trends Unveiled at Ohio Florists Association

Right now I am posting from the 2012 Ohio Florists Association (OFA) Short Course, the largest horticulture event in North America.  OFA speakers at this year include Sam Kass, White House Assistant Chef and the Food Initiative Coordinator and Joe Lamp’l (a.k.a. joe gardener®), who will speak about healthy eating and ways to find and influence the ever elusive consumer in today’s market, respectively.

Also speaking are Green Profit Magazine’s editor-at-large, Ellen Wells, and me! We will address trends in gardening for 2013 and beyond. Gardening for a healthy life, finding your bliss, and ‘plants with a purpose’ are some of this year’s prevailing trends. 

We research global consumer trends to see what’s happening from home design to fashion and we talk with our trusted media sources and garden experts worldwide. Trends drive consumers and consumers drive sales. When you’re ahead of the curve, your company becomes a trendsetter.

The 2012 OFA Short Course offers education, products, and events for all areas of the industry: growers, garden centers, florists, interior plantscapers, nurseries, landscapers, and the next generation of horticulture professionals.

Michael V. Geary, CAE, chief executive officer of OFA said, “The horticulture industry can play an important role in helping to solve some of society’s greatest problems. Plants are more than just pretty. Research has shown that plants, flowers and trees, are important to our health in a variety of ways.”

Gardening trends aren’t just about what colors and shapes we are seeing in the garden, but how gardening affects our overall happiness. And consumers are beginning to unplug and tune in to nature.

The OFA Short Course is held July 14 - 17, 2012 at The Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. McCoy and Wells speak July 17th at 3pm.

For more information or to register for OFA visit http://ofashortcourse.org
-Suzi @SuziMcCoyGMG

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The future of Urban Farming

Entrepreneur Magazine released it's "10 Hot Startup Sectors for New Business Ideas in 2012" yesterday and, according to their research, Urban Farming is one of the hottest sectors in entrepreneurship.  

Of course, since this was one of our trends released in the 2011 Garden Media Group Trend Report and GMG President, Susan McCoy was quoted in the article, we tend to agree!  

Urban farming converts spaces in blighted areas into thriving farms that produce fresh produce for inner city communities. 

According to the Slow Food Movement, farmer's markets and CSA's were up a whopping 60 percent last year.  And with blogs like Apartment Therapy's Re-Nest and Occupy Local being big trends for 2012, it's no wonder Urban farming is on the rise.

"There's a push back against larger companies that make too much money and don't support their community," says Suzi McCoy, founder and president of Garden Media Group, a PR firm representing outdoor-living businesses. "People living in cities are transforming small backyards and public alleys into lush green gardens that are kid-friendly and social meeting places." 

Like minded young gen Y's are joining together to plant specific herbs, exotic spices, small fruits and haute couture veggies that enhance cooking and sharing their edibles with the “tribe.” It's a modern version of the “pot-luck” dinner that allows people to connect over the food they grow and eat, creating a unique bonding experience that in today‟s techno world feeds the soul- as well as the belly. 

Look out for our 2012 Trend Report to drop in the next few weeks to be ahead of the curve.