To celebrate the great things plants and gardening bring to our lives, the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) worked with elementary school kids and Great Plant Picks to create its first Plant Something(TM) calendar. The colorful calendar artwork, created by children ages 6 to 11, centers around the theme “Plants Make Our Lives Better!” “Our industry wants to encourage young people to fall in love with plants and gardening,” OAN Executive Director Jeff Stone said. “As the calendar art conveys, the kids clearly see a connection between happy people, clean air, thriving wildlife and plants. The artwork is a fantastic expression of color and joy, something everyone can appreciate.” One such drawing was featured in November on the cover of the OAN’s Digger magazine. More of the children’s artwork can be found at OAN’s website for home gardeners: www.PlantSomethingOregon.com. The artwork contest was rolled out to Portland-area elementary schools earlier in the year to encourage discussion about the role plants play in our lives. More than 70 drawings were submitted. “We anticipate participation will grow in the coming years, and look forward to sharing the inspired art with the industry,” Stone said. The calendar highlights fun facts about the benefits of plants. It also features two to three plant recommendations each month from Great Plant Picks (www.GreatPlantPicks.org), an educational program of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden. The plants are chosen for their ability to thrive in the maritime Pacific Northwest, from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon. All are featured in the calendar month in which they are at their seasonal peak. Plant Something(TM) is a national program encouraging home gardeners to get their hands dirty and plant something so they can experience the health and well-being, environmental and financial benefits of gardening and beautiful landscapes. Calendars can be downloaded from www.PlantSomethingOregon.com, or the national Plant Something Facebook page.
