NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS 



four garden centers will be conduct- 

 ing customer surveys. 



Each survey — usually two sides of 

 a single sfieet — is personalized to fit 

 the needs and concerns of the busi- 

 ness involved. Questions usually deal 

 with buying habits and preferences 

 ("Is this your first time here?" "Where 

 did you learn about us?" "Where else 

 do you buy?" "Why," etc.). Often the 

 customer rates the importance of vari- 

 ous factors. A 10% discount for any 

 plant material purchased is given for 

 completing the survey. 



The results are tabulated and 

 there's a team evaluation — the team 

 usually including Dave Seavey and 

 Mike Sciabarrasi — and a discussion 

 with the owner. The discussion usu- 

 ally deals with strengths and weak- 

 nesses, directions to pursue, direc- 

 tions to abandon, marketing. ..goals, 

 specific improvements. 



And next year, Dave hopes to do 

 more. The program is state-wide, vol- 

 untary, and confidential. Those inter- 

 ested in participating should contact 

 Dave Seavey at 603-796-2 151. 



Jim Ludlow 



[Tke Portsmouth Herald, February 28) 



Portsmouth, NH: James Edward 

 Ludlow, 32, died unexpectedly on 

 Wednesday, February 26, 1997, at 

 his home. Born and raised in Sea 

 Cliff, NY, he graduated from the 

 University of Vermont, School of 

 Plant and Soil Sciences, in 1987. 

 Over the last six years, he enjoyed 



success and satisfaction working for 

 IV Seasons Marketing as a sales 

 representative throughout northern 

 New England. 



He is survived by his parents, 

 Charles and loan Ludlow of Pema- 

 quid, ME; maternal grandparents 

 Alfred and Elaine Toombs of Mt. 

 Dora, FL; brothers David of Brooks- 

 ville, ME, and John of Maynard, MA, 

 and their wives and children; an 

 aunt, lane Browne of Vermont; and 

 an uncle, Ted Toombs of Long Is- 

 land, NY. 



Memorials include a tree planted 

 in lim's memory in the arboretum of 

 Princeton Nurseries in Allentown, 

 New lersey. 



IV Seasons Marketing and the Ludlow 

 family have set up a James E. Ludlow 

 Endowment Scholarship at the University 

 of Vermont. The fund will be in perpetuity 

 and will be used by students in the field 

 of horticulture. Contributions [by check 

 made out to the \ames E. Ludlow Endow- 

 ment Scholarship Fund) should be sent to 

 the University of Vermont, 411 Main 

 Street, Burlington, VT 0540L 



Showtime Continues 



Three months after the Monadnock 

 Region's Breath of Spring show in 

 March, Keene area residents will 

 have another show for their plea- 

 sure — the "Thorne in Bloom Ex- 

 hibit," which "marries art from the 

 Thorne Sagendorph Gallery's per- 

 manent collection with floral ar- 

 rangements and garden interpreta- 



tions by area garden clubs and pro- 

 fessionals." Times are Friday, ]une 

 20 (noon to 4pm) and Saturday and 

 Sunday, |une 21-22 (10am-4pm); The 

 gallery is located on the Keene 

 State College campus; admission is 

 $5.00 per person. For information, 

 contact the gallery at 603-358-2720. 



?^ It should also be noted — al- 

 though these aren't specifically 

 shows — that Gateway Gardens, 430 

 Loudon Road, Concord, once again 

 is offering a series of spring clinics. 

 The series is too lengthy to list on 

 our calendar, but the clinics are 

 usually on Saturdays at 10 and top- 

 ics range from peonies to blueber- 

 ries, fruit trees to water gardens. 

 For a listing of exact times and top- 

 ics, call 603-229-0655. 



?^ For people wanting to know 

 about agricultural events in general, 

 the NH Department of Agriculture, 

 Markets and Food's Division of Agri- 

 cultural Development publishes a 

 "Rural New Hampshire" brochure list- 

 ing "festivals, shows, museum events, 

 field days, harvest events, competi- 

 tions, markets, and any other activi- 

 ties that highlight New Hampshire's 

 rural history, agriculture, and forestry, 

 with an emphasis on family entertain- 

 ment and education." The 1997 ver- 

 sion includes events from April, 1997, 

 through March, 1998. 



To have one of your events 

 listed on next year's brochure or to 

 request this year's for yourself (or 

 for your customers), contact Gail 

 Mc-William at 603-271-3788. 



\z: 



^'^^°'t 



GARDENS 



OF A L r ' IV 



WHOLESALE GROWERS and SUPPLIERS 

 of QUALITY PLANTS 



Spring Annuals • Geraniums • Hanging Baskerts 

 Perennials and Foliage Plants 3" to 10" 



P.O. Box 360 • Alton NH 03809 • Tel: 603-875-4444 

 Located on Route 28, 1 ' /^ mile south of the Alton Traffic Circle 



Owners Bntce and Linda Holmes 



APRIL «. MAY 



