Since 1970, MELNA has been promoting the use of ornamental plants, products and services in the horticulture industry including landscape, garden centers, interiorscape, grounds maintenance, nursery, greenhouse, arboriculture, hardscapers, irrigation companies, botanical gardens and other allied businesses. MELNA provides a unified voice for this industry by communicating to the public the vital role of the green industry in improving the quality of life in Maine.
Here are some of MELNA’s activities:
- Hosting the School Garden Giving Tree Program working with a group of schools during the holiday season to support their school garden programs by providing Giving Trees at local garden centers with tags naming items the school garden program can use. These items might include hand tools, hoses, gloves and gift certificates for soils and plants.
- Annual meeting and trade show called the Grow Maine Green Expo, which is typically held in late January at the Augusta Civic Center. A day full of education seminars, an Awards Luncheon with a Keynote Address (often by a nationally known speaker/author) plus a Trade Show with nearly 75 suppliers provides lots of information and networking opportunities.
- Annual scholarship awards approaching $5,000 for horticulture and arboriculture students attending SMCC and UM at Orono.
- Support for local, regional and national research initiatives that benefit Maine’s ornamental horticulture industry
- The Plant Something! Plant Maine! advertising campaign has seen an increase of plant sales by over 40% in less than a decade!
MELNA’s Goals
- Promote role of the horticulture industry in improving people’s quality of life.
- Promote professionalism through education programs for members and the public and by encouraging enrollment in education institutions.
- Monitor state and local laws relating to the horticulture industry.
- Participate actively in the legislative and regulatory processes.
- Promote the use of environmentally sound practices in the horticulture industry.
- Monitor and communicate to members developments in allied industries including agri-technology.
- Support donations of plant products and services to state and community programs.
- Be a recognized leader among Maine agriculture organizations
Want to know more?
MELNA – Use this site to find nurseries, landscaping companies, horticulturists near you by clicking on Member Directory in the menu.
Plant Something is a grassroots, nationally established campaign designed to increase the public’s support of local growers, nurseries, garden centers, and landscapers through awareness of the benefits of planting specialty crops for the landscape and garden.
We are a group representing the independent garden centers in Maine, working together to make sure you, the customer, get the best quality plant material, the best advice, and the best service, so you have the most successful landscape or garden possible!
Visit our new website: igcofmaine.com
