JANUARY 2006 IS

"NATIONAL MAILORDER GARDENING MONTH"

ELKRIDGE, MD--If it's January, then it's time to curl up with some colorful garden catalogs and spend some time dreaming about planting your spring garden. That's because January has officially been proclaimed National Mailorder Gardening Month.

"There's no better way to beat the winter doldrums than to flip through a stack of mailorder gardening catalogs," said Camille Cimino, executive director of the Mailorder Gardening Association (MGA), which sponsors National Mailorder Gardening Month. "Garden catalogs show you new possibilities for your garden and also serve as helpful planning tools. Garden catalogs offer the widest possible variety of plants, seeds, bulbs and gardening supplies--including the newest products not yet available in retail stores. Plus, mailorder catalogs and online websites offer useful tips and information to help you create a more beautiful garden."

Just how popular are mailorder garden products? The MGA estimates that in 2006, Americans will spend $3.1 billion on mailorder plants, bulbs, seeds, garden tools and garden supplies. If you're planning to order from a mailorder gardening catalog or gardening website, you're in good company. More than 24.2 million American households are expected to place orders with mailorder garden catalogs and websites this year, spending an average of $128 per household.

For more information about mailorder garden catalogs - including a glossary of gardening terms, smart shopper tips, hotlinks to the best mailorder gardening catalogs and information about the MGA Green Thumb Awards given to the year's best gardening products - visit the MGA's website at www.mailordergardening.com. 

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