With roll-off-the-tongue names like Bloomerang® Dwarf Lilac, Lemon Drift® Rose and Little Devil™ Ninebark, branded plants are accessible. They are collectable and easy for the end-user to plant and maintain.
Loma Vista Nursery’s 310-acre wholesale production facility is in Ottawa, Kansas, where we are the grower licensee of these and many other branded plant varieties. Our clients for the branded plants we grow are Midwest independent garden centers, landscape contractors and wholesale distributors.
Sally Gray surveys our plants heading to market.
Plant Brands
Among our featured plant brands are Drift® Groundcover Roses, Easy Elegance®, First Editions®, The Knockout® Family of Roses and Proven Winners® Color Choice® Flowering Shrubs.
We also propagate and grow other varieties that are patented elsewhere. This includes for Chicagoland Grows – Viburnum dentatum ‘Ralph Senior’ Autumn Jazz® and Fothergilla ‘Blue Shadow’ Plant Patent No. 15,490.
These branded plants are heading to Missouri.
Forecast Planning
Loma Vista Nursery’s five-year sales forecast plan drives all of our production decisions and activities. Our sales, marketing and production teams review and update the plan frequently.
Several factors determine what plant licenses we will pursue. For example, we evaluate marketplace trends, emerging plants and growth reliability in the climates we serve. Then we determine what plants are similar, if any, and use available resources to identify the best variety for our production and customer.
This includes reviewing plant research from trial and botanical gardens. We review results of internal plant trials, landscape performance in our service area and customer feedback. We also consider factors such as production capability, labor allocation and revenue projections.
Let’s Dance® Big Easy® Hydrangea, a Proven Winners ColorChoice® brand, has extra large mophead flowers.
Licensee Agreement
Once we vet the plant and conclude it is in sync with the sales forecast plan, we contact the patent owner for permission to become a licensee. An agreement is typically a formal written contract that specifies production rules and brand standards.
This ensures the grower is able to produce quantity minimums, follow pot and plant tag specifications, and adhere to plant health requirements and wholesale pricing.
With its unique color and three-season bloom, Coral Knock Out® is a member of The Knock Out® Family of Roses.
Building Trust
Depending on the plant, the brand or patent owner has the upper hand in negotiations. However, having your house in order will go a long way to building rapport and trust.
This includes maintaining an established reputation for consistently following brand standards and for growing product that exceeds quality requirements. To build rapport on all levels, it is important to include key personnel – those who will execute the requirements of the brand – in communications.
Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea from First Editions has enormous flower heads on upright stems.
Transparent Communications
Good record keeping and transparent communications are imperative. As the relationship proceeds, the grower is responsible for documenting and reporting sales and quantities to the patent owner.
Required royalties and patent fees are based on the patent owner’s schedule. They vary by brand. For example, some are paid twice a year and others are paid quarterly. Most plant brands renew their licensing agreements annually.
We never know where the plants we grow will ultimately call home. But as we watch them leave our dock, we can’t help but smile.
Sufficient Supplies
Diversifying their growing needs through licensee arrangements with independent nurseries is important to the business of established U.S. plant brands. This ensures the plants they own patents on are available in the national marketplace in sufficient supply.
Using brand-provided standards and marketing components ensures the patent owner will have a unified marketplace presence across the country.
Bloom-A-Thon® Red Reblooming Azalea, left, and Dwarf Korean Lilac put on a spectacular flower show.
Growing plants regionally and locally supports plant health and hardiness, and local economies. Loma Vista Nursery is SANC certified, meaning we exceed strict federal guidelines for managing and preventing plant diseases and pests.
Take a look through our plant catalog for the brands and plants we grow. Let us know if you would like more information.
Learn More About Plants from Loma Vista Nursery!
Loma Vista Nursery’s staff members are experts in the field. We love helping people learn and understand more about healthy plants that perform well in Midwest landscapes. Feel free to email us at sales@lomavistanursery.com or call us at (785) 229-7200 to get help with your plant-related questions.
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