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For decades, Pleasant View Gardens (PVG) has celebrated its customers, partners, good fortune, and enthusiasm for the future by throwing one of the finest open house events around. However, given the issues COVID-19 has presented with regard to health and social distancing, this year Pleasant View is recreating its open house event online. Starting August 3^rd and running through August 7^th, Pleasant View Gardens will be holding its first annual Virtual Open House Week – with each day holding unique events that are guaranteed to be informative, helpful, and even entertaining.

One of our favorite things during the year is our summer Open House,” begins PVG National Sales Manager, Andy Huntington. “But given all that’s going on in the world, we’ve had to remain flexible in how we present ourselves. Which is why we’re providing our customers and partners the opportunity to learn about our plants and programs in a virtual setting,” smiles Huntington. “This allows us to continue to foster great relationships, while at the same time providing information our customers need to become even more successful,” finishes Huntington.

Pleasant View will kick-off day one of its Virtual Open House Week with a Facebook Video Premier from one of the industry’s founding families, the Huntingtons. Later that same day, and each day following, PVG’s Research & New Product Development Manager, Adam Moseley, will give viewers the low-down on all the new Proven Winners® plant varieties for 2021 via Facebook Live. And, as with any FB Live event, attendees will be able to see what Adam’s showcasing in real time, while also participating by getting answers to their burning horticultural questions.

In addition to another Facebook Live review of new intros by Adam, day two of the virtual event treats viewers to John Gaydos, the Director of Product Development and Promotion. In this segment, Gaydos will be taking over the PVG Facebook page, serving up his expertise regarding Proven Winners® plant genetics, and how plants become Proven Winners®. Viewers will also be able to interact with John by providing questions and comments.

Day three of Virtual Open House Week includes the first of many future industry influencer panel discussions, where experts from all areas will chat via a Zoom conference call. Moderated by Pleasant View’s own, Andy Huntington, PVG’s panelists will discuss some of today’s hottest topics live, and include prominent figures, such as Ken Araujo, owner of Araujo Farms, Chris Beytes, Editor of Grower Talks magazine, Marshall Dirks, Director of Marketing & Public Relations from Proven Winners®, Jasmina Dolce, Managing Editor of Greenhouse Product News and Landscape & Garden Retailer magazines, online gardening phenoms, Laura & Aaron LeBoutillier from Garden Answer, Kate Spirgen, Editor of Greenhouse Management and Garden Center magazines, Janeen Wright, Editor of Greenhouse Grower magazine, and Linda Zukas, owner of Nunan’s Florist & Greenhouse. As with the Facebook Live events, off-screen viewers will be able to pose questions for the panel to address live or as a follow-up.

In addition to Mr. Moseley’s presentation of the next set of stunning new Proven Winners® varieties, day four of PVG’s Virtual Open House Week includes a PVG Facebook page takeover from Proven Winners® Retail Account Manager, Meghan Owens. On this day, Meghan will review the different retail marketing support programs provided by Proven Winners® to help retailers grow their business. Like previous Facebook Live sessions, attendees will be able to interact with Jessica during the presentation.

The final day of PVG’s Virtual Open House Week starts with the last of Adam Moseley’s reviews of new Proven Winners® varieties for 2021 and closes with a Facebook Video Premier of Pleasant View’s National Sales Manager, Andy Huntington, wrapping up the week’s events.

For the full schedule of activities during PVG’s Virtual Open House Week August 3^rd through August 7^th, visit www.pwpvg.com/virtual . To register for the Zoom panel discussion, visit www.pwpvg.com/virtualpanel.

After coming up with some really big ideas over the past 44 years, like creating higher performing plants called Proven Winners®, being one of the first growers to heat its greenhouses using biofuel, and developing liner programs that dramatically reduce crop times, Pleasant View Gardens (PVG) has finally come up with something truly, well, small. Introducing the Smallscapes™ Gardens Program by PVG.

In short, Pleasant View has taken its concept of creating magnificent recipes for hanging baskets, containers and uprights – which showcases different uses of color, texture, height, and flower forms – and has applied it to in-ground landscape applications with its new Smallscapes Gardens Program.

“One of the things that sets us apart from other growers and helps our grower, retailer and landscaper partners be more successful is staying on top of consumer gardening trends. And what we’ve seen over the past few years is the need for more guidance and instruction,” begins PVG National Sales Manager, Andy Huntington. “While many people know they want a beautiful flower garden in the end, very few know how to get there. There are so many things to think about. So many colors, flowers, and tags to consider. ‘What flower combinations work best? What heights and textures are more appealing when combined together? How many plants do I need for the space I have?’ And that’s where our new Smallscapes Gardens Program comes in. It gives consumers a simple, paint-by-number-like approach to creating gorgeous flower gardens on a smaller, workable, and affordable scale,” explains Huntington.

Designed specifically to help retailers grow their business, PVG’s new Smallscapes Gardens Program provides consumers with what they need to succeed. It identifies a square footage footprint for a garden that makes sense for a budget of between $125 and $250. And it provides a simple landscape design for gardeners to follow, which can be scaled up or down to fit whatever size area is available or whatever application is appropriate.

The Smallscapes Gardens Program further simplifies the process by identifying a group of Proven Winners® varieties and quantities that have been tried and tested to grow well together. When planted in repetition, these flowering beauties provide eye-catching color blocks and color contrasts, delivering Proven Winners® performance all Summer long. The program also considers height by using plants that best accent each other vertically through a simple designation of front, middle, and back plantings.

Regardless of the size of available space or budget, there’s a Smallscapes garden that’ll work. Consumers can choose from ten different Smallscapes options. From a simple, yet colorful mailbox garden or picket fence garden, to pollinator gardens that will attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees, or a cut flower garden that’s perfect for aspiring backyard florists. The program also includes a Smallscapes garden that creates a breathtaking entryway and even one that highlights a backyard barn or shed.

“For retailers”, Huntington continues, “this would be an awesome P.O.P. display opportunity…helping them sell, for example, three trays to satisfy a Smallscapes design versus just three pots. For landscapers, our program helps them upsell at the point of installation by working with their customers to identify spots in their yard to create a Smallscapes garden or two”, concludes Huntington.

To support retailer efforts, Pleasant View has created free and customizable marketing tools for them to use in selling the new Smallscapes Gardens Program to their customer base. These include a simple, yet customizable website, where retailer logos and contact information can be added, while online traffic can be directed to a retailer’s unique Smallscapes URL. Once at the site, consumers can then quickly peruse the different Smallscapes gardens, select the ones they want, place their order, and visit their participating retailer for payment and pickup.

To learn more or participate in the program, visit www.smallscapesgardens.com, or call your rep at 603-435-8361.