By Gerry Ginsberg
Canada Blooms general manager

Join the annual celebration of Ontario’s landscape industry, when Canada Blooms celebrates its 14th year from March 17 to 21, at the Direct Energy Centre.

Founded by the Garden Club of Toronto and Landscape Ontario, Canada Blooms has grown to become Canada’s largest annual horticultural event. Since it began, more than one million visitors have joined this annual celebration of the best of Ontario’s flower, gardening and horticultural industry.

This year’s theme is Passions, which will celebrate the energy, innovation and dedication of Ontario’s landscape and floral industry and its quest for excellence.
 

Top 12 reasons to participate in Canada Blooms

1. Canada Blooms Marketplace:
   Over 80,000 guests attend Canada Blooms to purchase items from Ontario’s landscape and horticultural industry. In 2008, each guest spent on average $78 in direct purchases and over $1,037 in purchases from corporations attending the show. Prime space is still available in the Canada Blooms Marketplace to sell your services and products. Call Marketplace Manager, Gilles Bouchard, at 905-875-1805, ext. 323, or email gbouchard@landscapeontario.com to book your space.
2. Purchasing power of guests at Canada Blooms:
   Guests to Canada Blooms want to purchase flowers, garden-related products and the services of landscapers and horticultural members of our industry. Survey results from Canada Blooms in 2008 confirmed that 99 per cent of guests will purchase flowers and plants, 76 per cent will purchase gardening tools and supplies, 15 per cent will purchase professional landscaping services, and 57 per cent will purchase home improvement products. The overall purchasing power of visitors to Canada Blooms was confirmed at $78.8-million. Call me at 416-447-8655, ext. 24, or email gerry.ginsberg@canadablooms.com to review sponsorship opportunities.
3. View spectacular feature gardens created by the members of Landscape Ontario:
   Canada Blooms proudly presents the top landscape designers and builders from across Ontario. View unique designs by Gardens for Living, Fern Ridge Landscaping, So Green Canada, Aesthetic Earthworks, Landscapes by Lucin, Parklane, B.Sq Design, Evergreen, Gracey and Associates, Stone Link, Humber College, Oriole Landscaping, Skills Canada, Reford Gardens and others. Another amazing all-new Landscape Ontario WOW garden will be located near the entrance to the show.
4. A special evening of celebration:
   The Preview Party 2010, on Tues., Mar. 16, sees Canada Blooms and its industry partners celebrate during the evening prior to the first day of Canada Blooms. For 2010, ticket prices have been lowered to only $75 per ticket to encourage more industry partners to join the preview celebration. This is the perfect evening to bring valued clients and staff to see the best of our industry. To order tickets, call Canada Blooms at 416-447-8655, or visit our website at www.canadablooms.com.
5. Bar coded tickets:
   Exclusively for LO members, there is a special price for the industry to thank staff and clients by giving them guest tickets to Canada Blooms 2010. The program allows members to take special bar coded tickets and send them to their many guests and clients. You only pay $12 for each ticket redeemed at Canada Blooms. To participate in the program, contact Kathleen Pugliese at 905-875-1805, ext. 309, or email her at kpugliese@landscapeontario.com.
6. Industry Night:
   It’s our night to present the feature garden awards and celebrate with industry partners. It takes place on Thurs., Mar. 18 on the Canada Blooms main stage. This year, members of the landscape industry are invited to join our host Sinclair-Cockburn at the awards program from 6:30 to 8 p.m.  To receive an invitation to this special evening, email gerry.ginsberg@canadablooms.com.
7. RBC Educational Series:
   Each year Canada Blooms brings speakers from across Canada. Hear talks on subjects that are important to our industry partners. We invite you to join us daily, as experts present a variety of topics on the Grey Power Celebrity Stage, Gardening Solutions Stage, Master Gardeners Stage and Home Depot Stage. New for 2010, are themed educational days, entitled, Urban Gardening, Ecology Day, Plant Day, Design Day and Live Green Toronto.
8. Meet corporate partners:
   Canada Blooms is proud of its ongoing partnership with corporate partners, such as Home Depot, Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, Via Rail Canada, Grey Power Insurance, The Toronto Star, CTV, CHFI, AM680 and over 20 others. Join us at Canada Blooms 2010 and meet and greet these partners, who would like to enhance your daily business in partnership with their organizations.
9. Special experiences:
   Canada Blooms has developed a number of special experiences for industry partners, such as Scotts’ Ask the Experts, taste Ontario’s award-winning wines in the Niagara Wine Garden, experience the best of Flowers Canada with Pick Ontario, choose the People’s Choice Feature Garden and have a chance to win a trip to Ireland.
10. Join our founding partner:
    The Garden Club of Toronto is our partner in hosting Canada’s largest flower show. Meet international competitors from around the world, as they bring spring to Southern Ontario.
11. A family experience during March Break:
    Canada Blooms is proud to bring guests from across Ontario to celebrate each year during our March Break celebrations. Children, ages 12 and under, are admitted free of charge, with special family experiences scheduled. We invite families to experience the natural playground created, by Gardens for Living, along with special displays and experiences for children of all ages.
12. Small spaces, green spaces:
    Explore the balcony and terrace gardens that are specially designed for the GTA’s ever-expanding condominium market. Great ideas will take shape at Canada Blooms for this emerging market in Canada’s largest city.

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For information, email info@canadablooms.com or call 416-447-8655.

 

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