FloralWorld to Debut at World?EUR??,,????'???s Showcase of Horticulture

ATLANTA?EUR??,,????'??+The Southern Nursery Association (SNA) and the Association of Floriculture Professionals (OFA) will present FloralWorld during the SNA 2004?EUR??,,????'??+The World's Showcase of Horticulture??????oe August 12-14 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

FloralWorld was developed in 2003 by SNA and OFA to create a unique trade show and educational event for retail florists in the U.S. Now in 2004, FloralWorld will be open to garden center retailers who are interested in new product categories for their existing customers.

"Some of our top garden centers are beginning to realize the sales potential of cut flower departments in their existing retail stores,?EUR??,,????'?? explained Danny Summers, SNA executive vice president. Because of the development of FloralWorld, 19,000 sq. ft of floral products will be showcased in one area during the event.

"With independent garden centers as 25% of OFA's total membership, we've seen them trending toward income, service and product diversification that ads cut flower sales to operations,?EUR??,,????'?? remarked

John Holmes, OFA executive director. ?EUR??,,????'??We've also seen garden center owners, managers and employees making use of retail florist education at the OFA Short Course to explore and improve that side of the business," he added.

OFA, established in 1929, has more than 3,700 members and sponsors the OFA Short Course, which offers more than 130 educational sessions for greenhouse growers, garden center operators, interior plantscapers, retail/wholesale florists, allied industry manufacturers/suppliers, educators, researchers, students and a 1,300-booth trade show.

SNA 2004 promises to be the Southeast?EUR??,,????'???s most prominent horticultural trade show. It is open only to members of the horticulture industry. Some 10,000 industry professionals are expected to attend and view the horticultural products showcased in more than 10 acres at the three-day event.

Educational opportunities available include TechShop, the FloralWorld educational track, the SNA Research Conference and the SNA WorldStage.

For more information, visit www.sna.org.