ScottsMiracle-Gro to Announce $750,000 Donation to the Orange County Great Park

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of garden enthusiasts will be at the Great Park on Saturday, September 17 as a six-ton, 25-foot wide tree is lowered into the ground by crane to commemorate the launch of a five-year $750,000 donation program from ScottsMiracle-Gro. The donation features Scotts Whitney Farms® and Organic Choice® garden products, and will aid in expanding the Park's gardening and agricultural program.

The planting and check presentation ceremony will be held before the Park's first fall garden workshop, and will feature the re-planting of a mature six-ton Jacaranda tree near the Great Park Farm & Food Lab.  The tree was originally planted by firefighters at the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro Marine Corps fire station nearly fifty years ago.  The Jacaranda is among many mature trees the Park is planning to save.  

"Every one of those trees has a story behind it," said Tom Larson, manager of the Park's farm, food and landscape division.  

The agreement between the Orange County Great Park Corporation and ScottsMiracle-Gro was reviewed by the Great Park Board of Directors in October 2010, and a formal agreement was signed in June.  The charitable agreement includes a $750,000 donation for the Park's agricultural programs, including $500,000 in financial support and $250,000 in products, such as Scotts Whitney Farms and Organic Choice garden products, to be given over the next five years.

As a part of the donation agreement, ScottsMiracle-Gro also will provide the Great Park with access to gardening specialists to help with the maintenance and operation of the Great Park Food & Farm Lab and Community Gardens Program.  The donation will enhance current programming, facilities, exhibits and educational outreach.  As a result, ScottsMiracle-Gro will be the exclusive lawn and garden products sponsor of the Orange County Great Park Farm & Food Lab and Community Gardens Program.

"We are proud to be working with the Great Park and are committed to supporting our local community and developing the next generation of gardeners," said Phil Jones, West Region president, ScottsMiracle-Gro. "Through this partnership, we will create an educational platform that engages  the public about gardening, healthy eating and the environment."

Syndicated radio garden horticulturists, Sharon and Bruce Asakawa and nationally known gardening radio personality Nick Federoff will be on site for the celebration.  The tree planting and check presentation will take place before the first of five fall Garden Workshops presented by the Great Park in cooperation with the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County.

About the Great Park

The Orange County Great Park, with its 1,347-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro.  The Great Park features an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development.  Other features include the Carousel, Farm and Food Lab, Kids Rock Playground, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area, historic Hangar 244.  The South Lawn lighted soccer fields and Community Garden will be added in 2012.  For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro

With approximately $3 billion in worldwide sales, The ScottsMiracle-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 the U.S., we operate Scotts LawnService®, the second largest residential lawn care service business. 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.

SOURCE Orange County Great Park Corporation