Sep 1, 2018
IGC Show Announces New Products, New Plants Voted ‘Best of 2018’ by Attendees

Independent garden center retailers and vendors from all across the country and around the world recently gathered at the IGC Show in Chicago for the 12th annual event’s trade show, order-writing specials, inspirational keynotes, continuing education and peer-to-peer networking at its best. 
During the busy three-day trade show for independent garden centers, attendees voted for their favorites in the New Product Zone and New Plant Zones. The items highlighted in these special sections were submitted by vendors all across the show as their “latest and greatest,” by longtime exhibitors to companies new to the industry. 
The following were voted the best by IGC Show 2018 attendees, and were presented with awards by IGC Show Founders Jeff and Cheryl Morey on the grand ballroom stage just prior to Thursday morning’s keynote. 
IGC Show 2018 New Product Zone Winners

First Place: TrashCan Fertilizer – This new all-purpose 4-4-4 organic fertilizer is made with 30 percent food waste, and covers a wide variety of vegetables, flowers, herbs and other green goods. The formula is balanced to combine soil-building micronutrients with a special blend of organic ingredients for plant growth. www.trashcangrow.com

Second Place: Grass Flip Flops – These novel sandals put synthetic grass underfoot for a custom, comfortable fit. Three unique styles are available for women, men and children: white/pink, black/green and new camo/green. www.grassflipflops.com
 
IGC Show 2018 New Plant Zone Winners
First Place: Hollywood Hibiscus Collection from J. Berry Nursery – These popular tropical hibiscus produce large, showy flowers, bountiful bud and bloom counts and pure colors. A new program that produces the plants closer to local sales markets for summer and fall is designed to cut down on freight costs and produce fresh, frequent orders for independent garden centers. www.hollywoodhibiscus.com
Second Place: Endless Summer Hydrangeas Summer Crush from Bailey Nurseries – Summer Crush’s profusion of large raspberry red or neon-purple blooms is the result of focused breeding and years of production and field testing. Zone 4 cold-hardy and said to be the most wilt-resistant Endless Summer variety to date, this compact hydrangea fits smaller spaces in the garden and is suitable for containers. www.baileynurseries.com
 
Plans are already in the works for next summer’s IGC Show, Aug. 13-15, 2019, and exhibitors are encouraged to plan their New Product Zone and New Plant Zone submissions now for maximum visibility to independent garden center buyers. Watch for more details in the weeks and months ahead at www.igcshow.com.