2 roses named All-America Selections
Dream Come True and Mardi Gras are the 2008 All-America Rose Selections winners. Dream Come True features yellow flowers with ruby-red tips and matte green foliage. It has a bushy habit and flowers emit a mild tea fragrance. Dream Come True was hybridized by John Pottschmidt and introduced by Weeks Roses. Mardi Gras offers a combination of yellow and bright-pink flowers with orange undertones. Roses grow in large clusters and have a moderately peppery perfume. The plant has an upright, columnar habit. Mardi Gras was hybridized by Keith Zary and introduced by Jackson & Perkins Wholesale. See the winners here.

Pike changes up management
Randy Pike, former pres. and COO of Pike Family Nurseries, has taken on the role of vice chairman. Pike will focus on marketing the Pike brand and expanding the chain's customer base, according to a company statement. Scott H. Schnell is the new COO. Schnell was CFO of RMA Home Services Inc., a siding and window company he co-founded. Pike Family Nurseries is one of the largest independent garden center chains, with 26 stores in the Atlanta area and 1 location in both Birmingham, Ala., and Charlotte, N.C.

7 couples will wed in Wal-Mart garden center
Wal-Mart has launched a contest for couples planning to marry on 7/7/07 -- a date so popular that many venues are booked solid. Seven couples will be chosen to walk down the aisle of their local Wal-Mart's lawn and garden area. The Lucky in Love wedding package includes the in-store location that will accommodate up to 77 guests, an adjacent reception tent, flowers, food, wedding rings, invitations and several nifty electronic gadgets for the newlyweds.

Educational program targets students
"30 Days of Green," a new educational campaign spearheaded by Scotts Miracle-Gro and Keep America Beautiful, will kick off in April, National Garden Month. Scotts and KAB have teamed up with Nat'l. Gardening Assoc. and Scholastic to distribute "30 Days of Green" calendars to 81,000 4th-6th grade classrooms. Scotts and KAB are also touting the first National Class Outside Day on Friday, April 20. They're encouraging teachers and students to spend an hour of class time outdoors. Participants will have the opportunity to nominate their school to receive a learning garden in spring 2008.

Text messages are new marketing venue
Cutting-edge cell phone programs are changing the way some retailers promote their business.
→ Teen-focused tech. USA Today
→ Text shopping grows. Stuff.co.nz
→ Mobile extends reach. POP Solutions
→ Cell phones find deals. The News Journal

Bird species venture farther north
Unusual bird species are showing up farther north, a possible sign of adaptation to global warming, USA Today reported. Ornithologists and conservation groups point to numbers from the recent Great Backyard Bird Count -- a project of Nat'l. Audubon Society. Birdwatchers found more swallows, orioles and other common birds in unusual locations. Scientists are still trying to determine if the birds' movements are related to climate change, loss of habitat or other factors.

Easter spending to reach $14 billion
Consumers are expected to spend an average of $135.07 this Easter, up 11% from last year's $121.72 per person. Total holiday spending is estimated to reach $14.37 billion. Apparel retailers will get a big boost this year with consumers shelling out $26.03 on average for new Easter duds. Other popular purchases include candy ($18.53), gifts ($20.61), flowers ($9.63) and decorations ($7.63).

View from a blog
What Zone are you in? Are you sure? Open Register.

Worth a visit
Retail consultant Ian Baldwin gives tips and tasks to prepare for the all-important spring season. Only on GreenBeam.com.