Maybe I just never paid that much attention or in previous years the promotion wasn't as aggressive, but while visiting the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show this past weekend, I discovered the existence of the Connecticut Garden and Landscape Trail, a joint project of the Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association and the Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Association. What I also discovered was that the CT Garden Trail is sponsoring a passport program for 2013.
Passport brochures were available at the garden show. Here's wow it works: When you visit one of the participating garden centers, nurseries or greenhouses listed in the brochure you can ask to have your passport stamped. For every ten locations visited by December 31, 2013, you get one entry into a drawing for $10,000 worth of landscape design services. The winning name will be drawn at the CT Flower and Garden Show next year. Sound good? Well it sounds good to me, especially when I paged through the brochure and saw how many of the nurseries are ones I regularly visit throughout the garden season.
What better way to celebrate the first day of meteorological spring than to imagine yourself strolling along the garden trail scattering your landscape dollars locally? Even if there was no prize drawing, I would still be visiting as many of these nurseries as possible. Every season I spend a significant amount of money on my garden and prefer to give it to local, independent businesses. Don't you?
For further information and a listing of participating nurseries, check out the entire passport brochure in a .pdf file here.
For a number of years the CT Wine Trail has sponsored a similar program. A visit to 16 of the state's wineries, could potentially win you a trip for two to a European wine country destination. Combine the two passports, sample a few fine restaurants in your travels, and even if you don't win one of the prizes not only do you still win but so do many Connecticut small businesses. Does it get any better than that?
Sue~
Good to know! I'll have to check it out. I wonder if you must buy something (dollar limit?) from each nursery in order to get a stamp, or just visit it and ask to have your book stamped? Like you, I shop at many of these nurseries around the state anyway, and usually do not leave empty handed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info.
Laurrie, according to the brochure no purchase is necessary.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good plan for all. I'd try it here if it were available.
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea! Can't wait to get started. And you're so right...pairing the two together is double the fun!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea!
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