News Releases

BALTIMORE (April 18, 2012) – More than 32 vacant city lots will be transformed into a community garden today as part of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and The U.S. Conference of Mayors nationwide GRO1000 gardens and green spaces program. The City of Baltimore, along with a host of philanthropic partners, will dedicate the Upton Edible Garden that will focus on producing locally grown and healthy food options for area residents. The dedication is the kick-off event for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s weeklong “Power in Dirt” initiative.

GRO1000 will establish 1,000 community gardens and green spaces in the U.S., Canada and Europe by 2018. The program is designed to help communities and its residents experience the benefits of community gardening and green spaces and support local hunger needs.

“We are grateful to ScottsMiracle-Gro and The U.S. Conference of Mayors for their support of our efforts to breathe new life into once-vacant lots,” said Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. “Baltimore’s strength comes from the thousands of quiet families who want nothing more than to lift-up our neighborhoods and grow our city. Public-private partnerships like this will help us leverage this strength as we revive communities throughout Baltimore.”

The Baltimore GRO1000 event at the Upton Edible Garden kicks off at 11 a.m. on April 18 at the Upton Edible Garden, 568 Laurens Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21217. Students from more than six area schools will join community volunteers, city officials and GRO1000 national and local partners to build new raised edible gardening beds. Gardening and environmental education activities will take place for area residents and youth. One deserving student will be presented with the ScottsMiracle-Gro Give Back To Gro Youth Gardener Award.

“We are proud of our partnership with the City of Baltimore to rebuild the historic Upton neighborhood with a new urban garden,” said Mike Carbonara, North Regional President for ScottsMiracle-Gro. “With the Upton Edible Garden, the community will have a focal point to help enhance the quality of life and livability for area residents by encouraging healthy eating and wellness.”

The Upton Edible Garden will serve as the anchor educational site for west Baltimore residents to learn about growing healthy fruits and vegetables. The garden will support the Baltimore Community Foundation’s Upton Kids Cook Healthy nutrition program. Excess produce from the Upton Garden will be donated to local residents in need.GRO1000 Baltimore was made possible through the combined efforts of local partners, including the City of Baltimore, along with national partners including, The U.S. Conference of Mayors, ScottsMiracle-Gro, Plant A Row for the Hungry, the National Gardening Association, the Garden Writers Association and Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Baltimore GRO1000 event is one of several public installation events being held in the U.S., Canada and Europe in 2012.

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About ScottsMiracle-Gro

With approximately $3 billion in worldwide sales, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Scotts Company LLC, is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligene® and Substral®. For additional information, visit us at www.scotts.com.

Contacts:

Su Lok
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
937-578-5169 (office)
937-309-5616 (mobile)
su.lok@scotts.com