Vol. 7, Issue 1 | March 2015

Garden RELEAF a Winner for Australian Garden Centres

By Leigh Siebler

As I write this report I am looking forward with great anticipation to our garden RELEAF promotion on March 7 & 8. This is year one for us and we have over 100 garden centres and suppliers involved.

I must say a very big thank you to Boyd Douglas-Davies from Hillview Garden Centres in the UK. Boyd initiated the program in the UK and has offered us magnificent support. I commend the program to any country. We have run it slightly differently by linking with the charity beyondblue and promoting the Health & Wellbeing benefits of plants and gardens. However we have followed Boyd’s three main objectives being:

•To have a fun filled weekend in participating garden centres around Australia
• To get people gardening
• To raise funds for a charity being beyondblue

Most participants have embraced the concept and are running creative and wonderful events over the weekend. Have a look at www.gardenreleaf.com.au and look at the events listed – some of them are amazing. ‘Something Blue’ is our theme. This program has motivated, united, enthused and inspired garden centres to think outside the square and prepare for a big weekend and month. Big call? Fingers crossed.

We have had very good media support and are already planning for 2016. The link with a charity and fund raising has been a huge help in getting media coverage.

Photos in this article were taken before the event.