2006 Marketing Contest Grand Prize Winner Visits Holland

The Appeltern Botanical Garden showcases terrific design concepts whether they be formal, avant-garde, futuristic or whimsical. What an innovative way to make use of old gardening boots.
Darcy Waddell (left) and Laurie Montero having way too much fun on their prize winning trip to Holland.
"Seeing how garden centers in Europe merchandise their accessories and plant material is nothing short of inspirational," exclaimed Laurie Montero.

At least five times a day during their Perennials Marketing Contest prize winning trip to Holland, Laurie Montero and Darcy Waddell could be overheard exclaiming, "Wow, this is truly a-mazing!"

Laurie, nursery manager of Heritage Nursery and Garden Center in Kennewick, Washington entered Heritage's, "The Sky's the Limit . . . Plant Perennials", display in the 2006 Perennials Marketing Contest sponsored by Plant Publicity Holland and the Perennial Plant Association.

"Entering the contest was so easy," explained Laurie. "We took eight great digital photos of our display and wrote a one-pager describing why we chose the theme, how we arranged our display and why we love perennials. I sent the whole package off by email and never gave it another thought."

"You really could have knocked me over with a feather when I received the phone call telling us that our submission was the Grand Prize winner of the contest."

As Laurie and coworker Darcy Waddell were the ideas people behind the 'Sky's the Limit' displays, in August 2007 they traveled together to enjoy their prize - a trip for two to Holland as guests of Plant Publicity Holland. The trip was a whirlwind of activity which included visits to garden centers - "It's so great to compare what we do in America with garden centers in what is probably the most horticulturally savvy country in the world," explained Darcy - the Appeltern botanical garden which features 150 mini show gardens, perennial growers, great restaurants, a boat ride through the canals of Boskoop and of course Plantarium, the world's premiere trade show of perennials.

On the last night of the trip, and with a twinkle in her eye, Laurie said, "Darcy and I have already been planning next year's perennial display at the nursery. We're going to make it even better than before, just so we can enter the contest again. We want to come back to Holland."