The Home Grown labelling scheme, which promotes ornamental plants grown on British nurseries,was launched in its current capacity by the BPOA in February 2011.
The Home Grown scheme is free for BPOA members to use.
The BPOA wants to develop the scheme to enhance the appeal of Home Grown to consumers in garden centres and encourage greater uptake by the multiples, said previous BPOA chairman, Sarah Fairhurst. Although BPOA membership is mainly in pot and bedding plants, we are happy to see it used across all of the UK ornamentals industry.
Drawing on the marketing expertise and of the committee, and of founders Morris May and Bill Godfrey, the logo was "Britished"-up to enhance its appeal. The criteria for Home Grown were also reviewed and a process has been developed to ensure compliance by users of the logo. Scheme membership has been made cost effective, to help widen the appeal of Home Grown. Finally, a marketing strategy was developed that aims to make Home Grown the leading scheme to distinguish British-grown ornamentals, with a logo recognised throughout the industry by growers, retailers and consumers.
In summer 2011, the Home Grown logo was successfully registered as a trade mark. The registered trade mark is a great step forward for Home Grown and will serve to further protect, differentiate and add-value to the scheme.
The BPOA actively encourages its membership to become ambassadors for Home Grown, and urges the ornamentals sector to get behind this logo to distinguish British-grown plants.