Minister launches accreditation scheme for garden centres

19/9/03
The State Government today enlisted the help of nursery and garden centre owners to boost the Waterwise message this summer.
Government Enterprises Minister Nick Griffiths said garden centre owners could significantly influence gardeners to bring about marked reductions in the amount of water wasted on household lawns and gardens.
At a function to mark an expansion of the Water Corporation's Waterwise program, Mr Griffiths said that about 54 per cent of all water used by Perth households went on lawns and gardens, equating to a staggering 85 gigalitres of scheme water each year.
Nurseries and garden centres that qualify would become part of a wide-ranging promotional program and customer advisory service.
The scheme involved garden centre staff attending training courses before their companies were accredited as Waterwise garden centres. Most of the advice they would offer customers would relate to basic Waterwise garden concepts such as irrigation information and plant selection.
At today's function Mr Griffiths recognised representatives of the first group of garden centres to be accredited under the new program.
They were: Banyula Garden Centre, Dunsborough; Dawson's Garden World centres at Forrestfield, Joondalup and O'Connor; Everbloom Garden Centre, Sawyers Valley; Fraser Garden Centre, Canning Vale; Garden Elegance, Subiaco; Guildford Town Garden Centre; Margaret River Nursery and Irrigation; Miaflora Garden Centre, Inglewood; Wildflora Garden Centre, South Fremantle and the Zanthorrea Nursery, Maida Vale.
Minister's office: 9222 8950