By Marvin Miller, AIB President


America in Bloom has been spreading the word, literally, of late, and we’ve been spreading the word in ways like we’ve never done before.

Beginning in mid-January, AIB was represented at a number of horticultural industry events. After all, we’ve got to keep the industry informed about our program, as these folks often become volunteers and sometimes even catalysts for their local communities. First, we were at the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Less than a week later, AIB was in Chicago at the Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show. And then, the same AIB trade show booth made its way to Louisville, Kentucky for the American Nursery and Landscape Association Management Clinic.

In addition to having our booth tour the country, AIB Board members, judges, and other volunteers have been out and about helping to acquaint cities and towns, citizens, and even students with the workings of our annual contest and symposium. Speaking engagements have been in as many locations as ever. And AIB conducted its first live webinar earlier this month which involved hundreds of registrants.

Everywhere we’ve been, there have been questions about America in Bloom. Some just want to know about the workings of the contest. Some ask more about the relationship between people and plants. A number have asked about getting a PowerPoint® presentation to help explain the organization and the contest to city officials, volunteers, or organizations. We have directed many folks to our newly updated web site at www.americainbloom.org for answers.

We’ve also had some more difficult questions lobbed in our direction. After a classroom presentation, one student asked why their city had not been involved in the program and why more cities haven’t participated from their state. Hearing about the tremendous payback of city beautification projects in a number of cities’ park systems, one person questioned why this story had not been communicated everywhere, as if the media had been negligent in doing their job. Noting the tremendous social benefits that have been proven to accrue to those exposed regularly to green spaces, a number of folks questioned why a lot more plants aren’t used around schools, around prisons, and throughout cities.

Quite coincidentally, at a recent seminar on “Going Green,” where the speaker had no connection to the horticultural industry or to AIB, the little-known parable of “Jotham’s Fable” was offered as a reason why “others” were writing the direction of the “Green Movement.” The story compares a Biblical tragedy to a time when the trees decided they needed a leader, a “king of the trees.” Asked to serve, the olive tree declined, claiming it was too busy making the oil used to anoint kings. The fig tree also declined, noting it was preoccupied in its quest to make a more delicious fruit. The trees then approached the grapevine, not even a tree; the vine struggled with the thought, since it was focused on making the fruit that served as the source of both religious service and libations to quench man’s thirst. In the end, the trees approached the lowly bramble, which agreed to serve as ruler, only to make the trees regret their invitation. This speaker suggested the true meaning of Jotham’s Fable was to promote both leadership and volunteerism and to dismiss impotence and reluctance to serve.

Perhaps, in the months ahead, the true leaders of the “original green movement” should tell their story, specifically what being green means to each and every city in the country and what being green can really mean for the citizens. Neglecting to do this might allow society’s brambles to rule.

America in Bloom is telling its story. Are you?