Consumers prefer benevolent businesses
Participants in the 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Survey overwhelmingly agreed that business should show commitment to social issues. Expectations are high: 83% said companies have a responsibility to help support causes; 92% said they have a more positive image of a company that supports causes they care about. "Cause marketing has come of age," said Carol Cone, chairman and founder of consulting company Cone LLC. "Consumers expect companies to support social issues, and companies have responded in a variety of ways, from multiyear, multi-dollar commitments, to something as simple as adding a ribbon to a package or ad and donating funds to a nonprofit.

Waterloo Gardens to add 4th location
Waterloo Gardens, a chain of independent garden centers, plans to open a third store in Pennsylvania, The Intelligencer reported. The company also has a store in Wilmington, Del. The new location will be situated on a 9-acre lot that formerly housed a grocery store. A greenhouse is scheduled to be built on the property this spring.

Weston Nurseries sells 700+ acres
Weston Nurseries, a grower and retailer in Hopkinton, Mass., finalized the sale of more than 700 acres last month, the Worcester Business Journal reported. Real estate firm Boulder Capitol purchased 709 acres and the nearby town of Ashland purchased 33 acres. Weston Nurseries received a little more than $25 million for the land. The company has emerged from bankruptcy and Peter Mezitt, previously general manager, is now president of the nursery.

Consumers perceive price gaps unequally
A recent paper in the Journal of Consumer Research confirms a longstanding notion about how consumers perceive prices, The New York Times reported. Eleven years ago, researchers discovered consumers behaved as if there was more of a gap between 3 and 4 than between 8 and 9 when looking at prices. Results from the study conducted by professors at Clark University appear to confirm this.

Ring, ring! Your plant is calling
Perhaps we'll never have to worry about watering again. Botanicalls, a project taking place in New York City, allows plants to place phone calls for human help. The high-tech setup summons humans when plants need water. You can also get to know the plants by giving them a call, (212) 202-8348. The plants will gladly pass along information about their habits and characteristics.

Campania introduces Colonial-inspired pieces
Garden accessories manufacturer Campania International will launch a Colonial-inspired product line in January. The company teamed up with Williamsburg — the licensing arm of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation — to offer these 18th-century-style pieces. The collection features a variety of garden containers, including cast-stone copies of urns from the Governor's Palace gardens that are part of Colonial Williamsburg's historic area. Birdbaths and a garden bench round out the product line.

Entertaining moves to the great outdoors
Consumers are entertaining outdoors more than ever, according to a report from research company NPD Group. Eight in 10 survey respondents said they prefer outdoor entertaining over indoor, weather permitting. According to the survey, 23% of homeowners reported owning a fire pit or outdoor fireplace, and another 14% plan to purchase one. Nearly one-third reported owning or planning to buy a gazebo or canopy.

TetraPond e-newsletter available to retailers
Retailers can now get free access to TetraPond's e-newsletter, "Into the Pond," and send it directly to customers. The newsletter is published eight times a year and provides information on new equipment, fish food options, design ideas and pond keeping trends. Retailers will receive a link to the latest issue via e-mail, which they can then resend to customers using their own e-mail address. To sign up, send a message to TetraPond.

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