Hortica customer info could be at risk
Hortica (formerly Florists' Mutual Insurance Co.) announced earlier this week that a locked shipping case containing magnetic backup tapes could not be located. Hortica believes the tapes contained personal information including names, Social Security numbers, drivers' license numbers and/or bank account numbers. Hortica is working with its shipper, UPS and law enforcement agencies to locate the shipping case. There is no evidence to indicate an unauthorized individual has the tapes, said Hortica president and CEO Robert McClellan. No unusual activity involving customer information has been reported to the company.

Outdoor living too large?
Home lots are shrinking, planting space is diminishing and consumers face a deluge of must-have products for outdoor rooms. Will outdoor gear overshadow gardens?
• Forget living large. The Seattle Times
• The garden room. CNN
• No room for plants? Washington Post

Wild magnolias are in danger
More than half of the world's magnolia species are close to extinction in the wild, according to a new report from Botanic Gardens Conservation Int'l. (BGCI) and Fauna and Flora Int'l. The study identifies 131 wild magnolias in danger of extinction, from a global total of 245 species. "We now have a choice," said Sara Oldfield, secretary general of BGCI and one of the report's authors. "We can use the new information to conserve these important trees and restore their forest habitats or we can catalogue their extinction."

AARS launches Region's Choice program
All-America Rose Selections is introducing a marketing program to help garden centers tailor rose recommendations. AARS Region's Choice program will be available for the 2008 planting season in 3 markets: Northern California/Pacific Northwest, Southern California/Southwest and Mountain states. AARS chose 10-11 varieties for each region based on performance in that climate zone. Customized in-store signage touting the program will be available in late summer. In 2009, more roses will be added to each region, and the program will be introduced in the eastern U.S.

Depressed? Dig in the dirt
Scientists in the U.K. reported a type of bacteria found in soil may have an antidepressant effect, according to Medical News Today. Researchers at Bristol University and University College London discovered friendly bacteria in soil prompted lab mice to produce the brain chemical serotonin, which altered behavior in a similar way to antidepressants. The study's lead author said the findings "leave us wondering if we shouldn't all be spending more time playing in the dirt."

3 books win Am. Hort. Society Award
Amer. Hort. Society will recognize 3 outstanding gardening books at its award ceremony and banquet in June. The 2007 award winners are: "Defiant Gardens: Making Gardens in Wartime," by Kenneth I Helphand, Trinity University Press; "Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide," by C. Colston Burrell and Judith Knott Tyler, Timber Press; "Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest," by Mark Turner and Phyllis Gustafson, Timber Press.

View from a blog
MTV goes green. Open Register

Worth a visit
Garden Center editor Carol Miller asks if you're ready for a Whole Foods-type garden center to approach our industry. Only on GreenBeam.com.