A Year in Review: 2021 Annual Report

NICH continues to grow in support of our mission to growing a healthy world through the art, science and business of plants, gardens and landscapes. We have much to celebrate. In 2021 we achieved the four goals outlined our 2019 two-year strategic plan. NICH members devoted themselves to the accomplishment of these goals: growing our organization’s communication excellence, nurturing support for our vision, expanding scientific exploration, and improving our organizational effectiveness. This report shares a summary of accomplishments under each of the defined organizational goals. 

#PlantsDoThat: For Our Health -NICH

Happy New Year! From all of us at the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH), we wish you a healthy and prosperous new year. If health resolutions are at the top of your new year’s list, we understand. Health has become an all-time important priority for most everyone. It’s why we’re particularly excited to share with you the latest NICH infographic capturing the health benefits of gardening.

Breeding Annuals for the Fall Landscape

So, beside mums and marigolds, why are there so few great orange plant offerings in garden centers in the late summer and into fall?

Red, White & Bloom – Celebrating Flowers Across the US

Here’s a creative way to engage gardeners in an interactive celebration of the annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs in their backyards. It’s called American Flowers Week (June 28-July 4) — based on a free and inclusive social media campaign that highlights U.S.-grown cut flowers. Launched in 2015, the home-grown campaign is part of Slow Flowers Society’s advocacy, education and outreach efforts.

National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture – Time to Plant the Sunflowers

The Sunflower is one of the most popular genera of flowers for the garden and is one reason it was chosen as the annual in National Garden Bureau’s 2021 Year of the Sunflower. Gardeners gravitate to these bold, easy-to-grow flowers either for cut flowers or floriferous shrubs or head-turning focal points.