For Immediate Release
Contact:
Robert Hansen, Executive Director
The
National Fund 202/226-4083
Fax
202/225-7910
FIVE FOUNDING SPONSORS HELP NATIONAL
GARDEN BLOSSOM
--National Garden to Bloom in Nation's
Capitol Due to Founders' Support--
WASHINGTON, D.C. March 24,
1999 --- The
National Garden, part of the United States
Botanic Garden (USBG), is set to bloom
thanks to five founding sponsors, Ames Lawn and
Garden Tools, The Heinz Family Foundation, Home
& Garden Television, Lowe's Home Improvement
Warehouse, and The Scotts Company. Each company
has pledged $1 million to sow the seeds of this
new national landmark scheduled to open in the
Spring of 2001.
The National Fund's Chairman, Mrs. Teresa
Heinz said, "The National Garden will be an
oasis of beauty, renewing this once vacant lot
in the heart of our nation's Capital. It is
nature's schoolyard where visitor's can admire
the beauty, learn, study, discuss, debate and
understand the relationship between plants,
people and the environment." "The
National Garden will be a welcome addition to
the historic mall in Washington, D.C.,"
Robert Hansen, Executive Director, The National
Fund said. "In fact, we expect 1.5 million
visitors each year."
The National Garden will cost $10 million to
build. All funding will be provided through
private corporate sponsors. In addition to a $1
million contribution, Ames Lawn and Garden
Tools, The Heinz Family Foundation, HGTV, Lowe's
Home Improvement Warehouse, and The Scotts
Company will support the effort through
marketing and merchandising programs designed to
raise awareness about this new landmark at the
179-year-old USBG.
The three-acre National Garden will be
located adjacent to the USBG Conservatory and
house the Senator John
Heinz Environmental Learning Center, The First Ladies Water
Garden, a Showcase
Garden, a preeminent Rose Garden and an
amphitheater that features a spectacular view of
the U.S. Capitol.
As the oldest continually operating botanic
garden in the nation, the U.S. Botanic Garden
has been an important and popular feature in
Washington, D.C. since 1820. The U.S. Botanic
Garden and its National Garden will provide a
living museum promoting environmental education,
beauty and enjoyment for millions of visitors
throughout the year.
Ames Lawn and
Garden Tools, with headquarters and
manufacturing facilities in Parkersburg, WV, is
the largest manufacturer and distributor of
non-powered lawn and garden tools in North
America, and the oldest continuing manufacturing
business in the hardware/lawn and garden
industry. Since its founding in 1774, Ames has
become the world's largest manufacturer of
shovels and a leading supplier of rakes, hose
reels, pruners, shears, lawn carts and other
quality lawn and garden tools for home and
commercial use. The company, a division of U.S.
Industries and part of the USI Hardware and
Tools Business Unit, has recently increased its
production capabilities and global influence
with the acquisitions of Garant Inc. (Canada's
leading producer of lawn/ garden tools),
Woodings-Verona (striking tools), IXL
Manufacturing Company (tool handles) and True
Temper Hardware (garden tools and wheelbarrows).
More information about the company can be found
on the Ames web site at www.ames.com
.
Home &
Garden Television (HGTV), which is now
distributed in more than 50 million U.S.
households, is one of today's fastest growing
television networks. It is the only network
devoted to providing complete comprehensive
information to inspire the home enthusiast from
some of America's best homebuilders, decorators,
gardeners and craft experts. HGTV is
headquartered in Knoxville, TN with offices in
New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit.
Internationally, HGTV owns 33 percent of HGTV
Canada and provides much of the network's daily
programming. The network also can be seen in
Japan and Australia. HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps
Company (NYSE:SSP) which also operates Food
Network.
Lowe's Home Improvement
Warehouse is the second largest retailer of
home improvement products in the nation, serving
over four million do-it-yourself retail and
commercial business customers weekly through 479
stores in 26 states. Headquartered in North
Wilkesboro, N.C., the 52-year-old company
employs over 65,000 people. More information on
the company is available on Lowe's web site at
www.lowes.com.
The
Scotts Company, founded in Marysville, Ohio
in 1868, produces and markets products for lawn
and garden care throughout the world. The
company's industry-leading brands include
Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Miracid, Ortho, Roundup,
Hyponex, EarthGro, and Osmocate. In addition to
the National Garden, Scotts' "Give Back to
Grow" initiative supports community
gardening activities such as Philadelphia Green
and Plant a Row for the Hungry. More information
on the Scotts Company is available at Scotts web
site at www.scottscompany.com.
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