Looking at Life in a Vacuum…The Allocation of Scarce Resources
By Marvin N. Miller

From time to time I give a lecture that begins with a one-line definition of economics: the study of the allocation of scarce resources. I note that we often think of capital as being the scarcest of resources, but in a broader sense, time, land or other assets, labor, and any other commodity for which we wish there was a greater supply might also be considered scarce. For many of our cities, scarcities may include tax revenues, residents, adequate infrastructure, and employers that provide jobs.

A few days after my most recent presentation of this lecture, I found myself reading an article about a community that decided to spruce up its city hall as part of a city-wide improvement effort to attract more tourists. The city began by removing all of its existing vegetation including four trees, beds full of shrubs, and the turf which surrounded the building. When it came time to install the new landscape, the city’s planning director argued that installing artificial turf, though initially more expensive than real turf with a lawn sprinkling system, would be cheaper. Artificial turf was guaranteed for nine years and would never need mowing, fertilizing, or watering.

Artificial turf for municipal buildings is the latest in a barrage of efforts various cities have undertaken, purportedly to cut costs. I have seen cities which have been long known for their hanging basket programs switch to plastic or silk flowers using the same arguments about being more economical. I have seen plantings at city entrances disappear, tree circles in sidewalks replaced by concrete, and planters go in any number of directions from total removal to artificial plantings to being replaced by animal figurines labeled art projects. All of these efforts were sanctioned in the name of being better economics.

With every such effort, I have thought some decision-making body operated in a vacuum. Certainly, if only dollars and cents related to purchase price and maintenance were tabulated, one could see an argument for savings being made if the shorter life of some real plants was compared to the longer life of synthetic alternatives or if maintenance costs were the only variable considered. Yet, one of the advantages of real plants is the opportunity of a continually-changed appearance due to their continual growth or in the case of annuals, even their death. Change often has been called the lifeblood of retail marketing, for if it weren’t for changing tastes and preferences and changing styles, little economic activity would be generated, other than when obsolescence or failure occurred. A constantly-changing landscape, filled with all kinds of living plants, may by itself become a tourist attraction.

Annuals provide the opportunity to put a “fresh face” on a planting on an annual basis. Perennials offer a different look as they go through the growing season, as anticipation of their bloom window is followed by the bloom itself, followed by an interesting seed head or more interesting fall foliage. And trees and shrubs might offer a spring bloom followed by beautiful summer shade, handsome fall foliage, and even winter interest, depending upon the bark, the tree’s skeletal structure, seed pods or other fruit, or other attributes. Yes, these plants might require some maintenance, but their seasonality does offer the advantage of a changed landscape, which by itself might generate economic activity in the form of shoppers or tourists.

Additionally, I’d like to offer the suggestion that real plants offer environmental advantages that artificial plants never will. Beginning with the manufacturing of oxygen, the use of carbon dioxide, and finishing with the sequestration of carbon, real plants act as “wonder machines,” improving our environment. Real plants offer temperature modulation, helping to cool cities in summer and providing windbreaks to help reduce the winter chill. Real plants can help reduce noise, dust, water, air, and light pollution, advantages that artificial plants cannot provide. You see, plants are more than just pretty, and as challenging as it might be, all of their attributes should be considered. In one U.S. Forest Service study of all of the benefits plants provided, it was found that for every $1 invested in planting, mulching, pruning, or watering of a tree, $2.70 worth of environmental benefits were recouped.

The development of an economic model certainly requires that all costs be considered. It also requires that all benefits be incorporated. Life in a cost comparison vacuum might be cozy, but it is far from an accurate vision of the true meaning of life.

By Marvin N. Miller

Throughout much of the country, spring has come with such speed that it has left folks questioning either what happened to winter or whether it’s already summertime. Indeed, if my neighborhood is to serve as an example, the crabapples that normally bloom the last of April or in early May were at peak bloom with a week of March yet to go and are only now subsiding, depending upon the cultivar. At the same time, shrubs and daffodils that normally bloom in March and in April are also in bloom right now!

Even the later blooming hyacinths and tulips are already showing color. On top of this, I have a spectacular display containing a new pansy that successfully overwintered here in Chicagoland that is blooming like there is no tomorrow. Neighbors have already been commenting favorably about all the blossoms.

The net result of all of this flower power has been a spectacular array of colors that has allowed Mother Nature to compete successfully with many of the brilliant new advertisements that feature the most vibrant colors seen in fashions and home décor in a number of years. Indeed, some advertising moguls have been writing about the explosion of color in ads for all sorts of products, but these pale in comparison with the beauty that this compressed spring bloom has generated. And a few local retailers outside of the horticulture industry, with whom I’ve spoken, have noted that customer traffic was way off; they’re attributing this to the beautiful weather that has their normal group of shoppers otherwise occupied. Indeed, if my yard is an example, the pot of gold is outdoors right now, as my yard currently displays every color of the “Roy G. Biv rainbow” blooming on one plant or another. Whether from the trees, the bulbs, the pansies, the wildflowers, or the perennials, it is hard to focus on any indoor activity right now.

As I pondered this vernal excitement, I can’t help but wonder what it might be like if this volume of color was the standard, rather than the exception, throughout much of the year. Who says we should just enjoy the calmness of spring’s newest green but avoid the splash of color, as many of my neighbors do? Why do we settle for monotones during a normal spring, even if the hues change from week-to-week as the season progresses? What makes a certain color combination right and another garish? When are bold colors considered appropriate but otherwise inappropriate? Where do these garden “rules” originate and how do these mores become the norm?

The truth is Mother Nature has once again reigned supreme. Any rule we may think we’ve instituted about staged blooms, appropriate combinations, seasonal variations, or the like has been thrown out the window. All of this color is doing its own thing, no matter how we’ve planned or what we’ve been accustomed to seeing in the past. Indeed, her royal highness has taken charge!

And what a glorious array of color we have to behold! Have a happy spring! Be sure to enjoy every blooming moment of it.

The Philadelphia Flower show held in early March is the nation's largest and oldest indoor flower show. This year, America in Bloom participated with a 15' x 20' display garden which received an award for "Best Achievement Depicting Horticulture as a Way to Create Community".





The show theme, "Hawaii", was supported in the AIB garden which showcased a variety of bromeliads, anthuriums, mandevillas and Senettis. Board member Delilah Onofrey headed the effort, with help from AIB judge Diana Weiner, and board members Katy Moss Warner and Evelyn Alemanni.

 The exhibit was designed to allow people to walk through it and get close to all the plants. The centerpiece was a "bromeliad volcano". The Sennettis attracted attention and admiration with their bright colors. Hanging baskets on each corner of the display feeatured bromelias, pothos, and mandevillas.

This year's show attendance broke existing records, with approximately 270,000 people attending. It was a great way to share the benefits America in Bloom offers to communities of all sizes. Guests to the AIB exhibit received a complimentary copy of the new brochure, "Discover the Surprising Side of Plants" as well as the AIB participation guide.

Alemanni also presented a talk at the flower show. It was based on the book she wrote for AIB, "Ten Years of Best Ideas."

By Marvin Miller, AIB President

“Unless someone like you Cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” From The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Through the $70 million investment from Universal Studios to bring Dr. Seuss’s book, "The Lorax," to the big screen, millions, young and old alike, will hear the message that trees are important. Deviating slightly from the book, the movie is centered around a young boy, Ted, learning about trees. He is forced to deal with his nemesis, the owner of O’Hare Air, who would rather sell bottled air to people than have trees produce it for free. So, from the community of Thneed-Ville, which sports 96-battery operated Oakmatic trees that go from summer to autumn to winter to disco via remote control, Ted ventures to find the truth about real trees, hoping to find one he can bring back to plant, all to impress a girl.

The movie truly does have a great message about the value of trees. It sports some more general environmental stories as well. I have been assured by friends that even a three-year-old understands that not all is right when the Bar-ba-loots are forced to relocate after their habitat is destroyed.

The messages for adult minds are a bit more complex. We are challenged to reconsider our actions when told that people will buy everything and anything sold in a plastic bottle. We are challenged to consider the habitats that plants create for mankind and other living things. And we are challenged to plant a seed, treat it with care, give it clean water, and feed it fresh air.

Sharing this charge, I am happy to report that America in Bloom has been extraordinarily busy over the last month, albeit operating on a much more modest budget than that of "The Lorax" movie. Last month, I wrote about “something exciting to shout about!” If anything, I underestimated the excitement that the month would bring. Still, we’ve done our best to spread the word.

America in Bloom was very excited to debut the new “Discover Plants” brochure. This brochure, along with the companion PowerPoint® presentation, both are available on the AIB website, have really created some chatter. As of this writing, we have already distributed 25 percent of the copies printed thanks to the anonymous five-figure gift from one of our long-time Stewards. Indeed, folks are talking about flowers and plants in new ways!

In addition, several folks took up the challenge of helping to make the brochure go viral, as best as any printed piece can do. Several organizations have added news of the brochure to their communications pieces, whether printed or electronic. I know other stories are in the works.

Another organization, Ball Publishing, which has also been a long-time AIB Steward, challenged me back. They insisted that if we truly wanted to have the best chance for the brochure to go viral, then I needed to help them with a series of off-the-wall YouTube videos to help spread the word. The videos definitely are not intended to appeal to our traditional flower lovers, but are instead aimed at younger audiences who do not even consider plants. All have a humorous theme about the benefits of plants. Hopefully, this will help spread the word about plants, about our new brochure, and about our other AIB programs to new audiences. You can see links to the three videos released to date on the AIB website, as well. And more are in the works. Whether any one is to your liking or not, the great news is these videos have already each been viewed by thousands of people.

Another bit of the month’s excitement came from AIB’s presence at the Philadelphia International Flower Show. This was the first time our organization has exhibited at any consumer-oriented flower show. We handed out thousands of the new brochures at the show. Thanks to our many volunteers, including board member Delilah Onofrey, judge and board member Katy Moss Warner, and to judge Diana Weiner for helping to secure materials for and build the booth. Thanks also to the many volunteers who helped staff the booth over the many long days that the show ran including judge Diane Clasen and board member and judge Jack Clasen. Plus, judge and board member Evelyn Alemanni spoke to the crowds at the show as one of the featured speakers. America in Bloom was the theme of these efforts, and we’ve generated a long list of cities interested in AIB programs, as a result. To top it all off, America in Bloom was recognized by show sponsor, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, as the “Best Achievement for Depicting Horticulture as a Way to Create Community” at the show. Thanks go to Suntory Flowers, Peace Tree Farm, Costa Farms, Knox Nursery, Eckert’s Greenhouse, Taylor Environments, Kraft Gardens, Bruce Jensen Nurseries, Wekiwa Gardens, Foliage Design Systems, the National Foliage Foundation, the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscapers Association, and to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, itself, for their help with the exhibit.

All of these efforts led to an exciting month for America in Bloom. These efforts, combined with reaching the February 28 registration deadline for our 2012 National Awards Program for cities, have led to a busy, busy month. By the way, we have 26 cities participating in this year’s program.

As the Once-ler challenges when quoting The Lorax above, the stories do no good UNLESS the stories are spread, told often, and repeated to help educate others who may not know the news about the benefits of plants. To paraphrase The Once-ler:

You’re in charge of the seeds.
They produce what everyone needs.
Treat them with care, with fresh water and clean air.
Grow a forest!

By Marvin Miller, AIB President

This e-newsletter column provides me with the opportunity to SHOUT about something VERY exciting!

While I have known about this opportunity for a few months, I didn’t know exactly when it would occur. While anticipation has been high, I have struggled a bit in contemplating how best to get the word out, and how best to convey my excitement for what I’m about to announce. More importantly, I’ve debated how best to get you, the reader, as excited about this announcement as I am.

You see, this announcement answers one of the greatest challenges America in Bloom and indeed the entire horticulture industry have faced for some time. What I’m going to announce also potentially will help communicate the desires and the hopes of forward-thinking municipal leaders to fellow policymakers and even leery constituents, who might otherwise question their thinking. I also suspect this announcement could impact school curricula, businesses, and even community organizations, each with its own constituent groups.

As I’ve thought about this opportunity, I recognize that people still marvel in the power of “word-of-mouth.” Certainly, if something goes viral with today’s technology, the word-of-mouth gets accelerated via electronic means, and as long as it is good publicity, you could be talking about a communicator’s dream. But analyzing what it takes to achieve viral status can be compared to yesteryear’s word-of-mouth, only on steroids. Smoke signals might have been an even more primitive way to get the word out, but the story remains the same: it’s all about sharing the news!




Another communication adage suggests that a picture is worth 1,000 words. It used to be hard to use word-of-mouth and show a picture simultaneously, unless you carried a photograph or happened to be standing next to what you wanted to talk about. Modern electronic communications allow you to e-mail those photos or even to take the photos with the same cellphone you use to spread the word. While it can be very expensive to share words and photos at the same time to selected audiences (e.g., think of a Super Bowl ad broadcast during the game), use of technology can make the cost almost negligible in many instances.

Electronics have changed the way many think about communicating. Certainly, much of the news media feels the pressure and demand for speed that makes it difficult to deliver the news as they did in the past. Some focus on telling “the rest of the story” or even creating the story, through investigative reporting pieces and the like. There may be an assumption that folks already have heard the “news,” even if they can’t answer the details about who, what, when, where, why, and how. Communicating the impact and details of “the story” has kept many news organizations alive, whether speaking of broadcast journalism or even newspapers and magazines.

Does the printed piece have its place for modern-day communicators? Print obviously allows one to couple words and photos in the absence of electronics, and print allows one to carry the message away, which makes it a lot less expensive than handing out cell phones, laptop computers, or even e-readers. Print can still be used to direct recipients to the Internet, either through written directions or QR codes, to view and/or listen to even more stories or photos or to conduct further investigations into a subject. And while print, today, may be challenged to claim the ability to let you “read ALL about it” on its own, print still can provide a great overview of a topic or a way to spark interest.

So, what’s this news? Why the discussion of “word-of-mouth,” photos “worth a thousand words,” modern communications technology, and print media? What’s so important?
I am very, no, make that Very, VERY EXCITED to announce that America in Bloom has just completed the production of a new brochure titled Discover the Surprising Side of Plants. Through the generosity of an anonymous, five-figure donor, who has been one of our regular supporters of AIB since the organization’s beginning, we have produced this story, which talks about the functional benefits of flowers and plants “beyond pretty.” “Discover Plants” is a beautiful, full-color brochure, which highlights plants for friendship, for the home, for schools, for neighborhoods, for the workplace, for community, and for YOU; these sections of the brochure convey many of the research findings we’ve posted previously on the AIB web site (http://www.americainbloom.org/) under the “Community Resources” tab, and many of the benefits I’ve written about in recent columns. But this brochure is really quite engaging!

One of the reasons for the excitement comes because of the interviews of countless individuals with whom we’ve shared various mock-ups of this brochure during its development. Initial feedback suggests that florists, garden center retailers, interiorscapers, and landscapers will want to inventory this brochure and share its message with customers; teachers will want to share its message with students; and industry employers will want to share its message with their employees. We also believe this piece will have relevance for park districts, for mayors and city councils, for service organizations, chambers of commerce, and convention and tourism bureaus – anyone discussing the merits of flowers and plants, plantings, and city beautification programs.

We have made the brochure available as a PDF on the AIB web site. (For best results, download and print this two-sided, in color, using the booklet printing feature on standard 8.5” X 11” paper.) For those that may want to use this information in the classroom or to add it to another presentation, we’ve adapted the brochure into a PowerPoint® presentation with even more photography. We are also making this piece available for ordering in bulk quantities through the AIB web site. Click here to see the PDF. I strongly encourage you to print it out and view it printed in booklet form – it’s a terrific read! Once read, please share your copy with others. Also, please share this message about the brochure, so that others can read its important messages. We’d love to hear your thoughts about the brochure on the AIB Facebook page.


One further announcement, for the first time ever, America in Bloom has been invited by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to share its message of “Planting pride in your communities” with attendees of the Philadelphia International Flower Show, March 4 – 11, at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Through the generosity of some of our industry Stewards and the volunteer efforts of many of our supporters, we have accepted the challenge of attending our nation’s largest flower show. Board member and judge, Evelyn Alemanni, who chairs our Outreach Committee, will be speaking on Saturday, March 10 at 1 p.m. Other Board members and volunteers will be staffing the booth throughout the week. We will also be distributing copies of this new brochure as part of our exhibit.

Certainly, we’re very excited to see the culmination of many months of work. We’re trying an older communications technology, linked with some new twists. And we want to thank our donor and our volunteers who have made this come to fruition.

We trust you will share our enthusiasm for this brochure, as well as the enthusiasm we all share about the many benefits of plants.

By Marvin Miller
AIB President

One of the first lessons taught about color is that white is a combination of all colors. As such, winter’s blanket of snow might be considered, at least in color theory, the most colorful time of the year for landscapes. For a gardener, perhaps, the snowy landscape might be the perfect inspiration to plan the spring and summer garden with the various colors yet to come.

While the beauty of a well-planned garden can’t be debated, there is another kind of beauty that such a garden can also possess. Research has also shown that a school garden, for example, can actually help students returning to the classroom from recess stay calmer and focus on schoolwork. These students ultimately have improved memory and receive higher grades. A school garden, therefore, might be said to yield gold stars.

When hospital patients have a garden view during recuperation, they have quick recoveries when compared to similarly-affected patients without such garden views. Flower arrangements and plants can also help encourage patients. Perhaps, the flowers and garden views lead to fewer (code) blues.

In neighborhoods with well-planned and well-maintained gardens, crime rates have been shown to be lower than in similar neighborhoods without these gardening activities. The more gardens in a neighborhood, the lower the crime rate. The garden color is said to attract neighborhood activity and yield more social relationships among neighbors. The presence of this activity is thought to deter criminals. In addition, adding plants to the landscape is also the only home improvement one can make that yields a greater return than the cost of the improvement investment. What is the color of these landscapes? There’s definitely added green and maybe some gold.

Elsewhere, we know that trees and shrubs strategically planted in the garden can provide an excellent windbreak, and thereby lower winter’s heating bills. These plants might also shade a building from summer’s sun, reducing cooling costs. These plants certainly yield some green in the pockets of the homeowners.

One of the great things about all of this plant material, of course, is that plants use carbon dioxide, sequester carbon, and release oxygen. Used throughout a community, plants can help clean the air, ameliorate all kinds of pollution (water, light, and air), help control soil and wind erosion, and help reduce the heat sinks associated with metropolitan areas. It seems flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, turf, and groundcovers provide a lot of green, but in a variety of colors!

As we begin 2012, we hope many of you are considering participating in America in Bloom activities this year. Enrollment is under way for our 11th annual community evaluation program with awards to be handed out in Fayetteville, Arkansas in September. Our organization will also be adding some new ways to showcase your community this year. Stay tuned.

Remember, no matter how you color your landscape, we encourage you to plant pride in your community!

By Marvin Miller, AIB President

For many of you, winter may seem like it’s already here. Perhaps cold weather has already settled in. For others, this fall has been long and mild by most standards. Here in the Midwest, we’ve just seen our first measurable snowfall, which came much later than normal, but two days back in the 40s have made it but a memory. Indeed, the real start of winter, at least according to the calendar, won’t occur until later this week.

For many, winter is the time when we give our gardens a rest. After all, the ground is usually frozen solid, and it may be under the cover of snow. The days are short. And often, conditions make spending time in the yard quite a challenge.

However, there are parts of the country where the garden is now approaching its peak. A November visit to Phoenix to attend the National League of Cities’ Congress of Cities conference reminded me that in Phoenix, landscape color is just now peaking. Indeed, October there is like May in the Upper Midwest for garden sales. Give or take a month, the same might be said for parts of South Florida and Southern California where fall is a “second spring.” In these climates, the summer may be too hot, but the winter garden experience turns out just right both for people and plants. For gardeners, the Winter Solstice signals a time when the subsequent lengthening of days allows gardeners to spend longer evenings outside, to enjoy the fruits of their gardening labors.

In any case, whether you’re allowing the garden to rest or whether you’re into the more active gardening season, the shorter days of winter provide longer evenings indoors with time to plan. For many, planning might include making a list of items to repeat and a list to delete from the next gardening attempts. For others, planning considers a list of new items, which can be added or substituted for old favorites. For some, plans might even include totally new garden features, including new beds, new hardscapes, and/or new accoutrements to complete the garden experience. For many, it is a time to dream.

One of the dream opportunities is to contemplate how to make plants a bigger part of your life in the coming year. We know that plants offer so many benefits for people “beyond the pretty.” These functional benefits might warrant considering plant expenditures in the same way you consider other assets. For example, if a driveway’s useful life is extended because it’s shaded by a tree, you could consider the tree an investment on par with new seal coating. If this tree also happens to shade the house from summer’s afternoon beating sun or shield it from a cold north winter wind, the resulting savings in air conditioning and heating costs can be considered in a similar vein as a benefit generated by landscaping. A similar thought process can be used to discern the true costs and benefits of flowers, shrubs, turf and groundcovers. Benefits certainly can cover a spectrum of economic, environmental, psychological or sociological areas.

To take this dreaming a step further, why not consider the accumulated benefits derived if an entire neighborhood got involved in greening. If an entire block suddenly planted trees along the curbs, the resulting shade would likely benefit all the block’s residences, as less heat would be radiated back toward individual homes. If the entire neighborhood planted flowers in some kind of coordinated fashion, it would signal to all that this was a neighborhood that cared, that was involved, and that was working together. Flowers literally could replace the security signs meant to deter crime. If an entire neighborhood adopted the local school grounds as a neighborhood park that just happened to have a school in its midst, not only would more residents get involved with the school, but students might have a totally different perspective on the educational process. Studies have shown that when this kind of experiment occurs, students also are able to better focus on school work, they achieve higher grades, and the school itself will likely experience less vandalism.

Wouldn’t it be grand to plan the “what if’s” should the entire city adopt a similar caring attitude and embrace the possibilities of a consistent environmental approach? Chicago’s former Mayor Daley had such a dream and Chicago became one of the greenest cities in America. Similar overtures have been made by New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg, Boston’s Mayor Menino, and Philadelphia’s Mayor Nutter, among others.

Dream with me one step further still: What would it take for your city leadership to dedicate itself to investing in green improvements and also to care enough to see how the city stands up to outside scrutiny? Measured against the ideal, how does your city compare to other cities of like size when it comes to floral displays, urban forestry programs, landscaped areas, heritage appreciation, environmental awareness, overall impressions and community involvement? This scrutiny really is no different than what a tourist might see or what a potential new resident might consider. This is also what businesses evaluate before considering relocation to your community. Would your city pass with flying colors? Or would a few new eyes looking at your city objectively suggest worthwhile opportunities for improvement?

This last dream is the opportunity of America in Bloom’s annual national awards program. Enrollment is now open (until February 28). Whether your city is currently nestled under snow or quickly moving towards the peak of the gardening season, this could be just the excitement needed to see you through those short days of winter. Please offer us some consideration and dream!

In the meantime, perhaps, consider buying a plant for yourself for the holidays, or offering plants to relatives, friends and neighbors. Who knows, the investment you make might pay dividends from that first smile onwards.

Happy Holidays!