Her passion
for small plants has brought about a unique plant
program that has introduced many consumers to perennials
in a most unpredictable way.
The idea
of walking on plants may seem a bit unusual, however
Fran’s marketing approach has been to bring
people and plants together in a fun way to find solutions
in the landscape. We’ve all been told for years
to get off the plants!!! Now, because of STEPABLES®,
people are not just walking on them, they are using
them for park trails, RV pads, lawn replacements,
outdoor yoga areas, patios, children’s play
areas, atriums, and a plethora of other uses. Fran
has developed a rating system that helps to gage the
degree of foot traffic a plant will tolerate and the
program has been designed to help the consumer find
the right plant for the right spot. The way people
look at plants has now been changed forever because
of Fran’s program. People don’t just buy
a plant because it is pretty, they buy it because
it solves a problem and serves a purpose.
STEPABLES®
kicks the door wide open with over 150 varieties of
plants you can walk, run, stomp or drive a car on.
The wave of the STEPABLES® program is unstoppable.
With credits like Rebecca’s Garden, Good Morning
America, Gardening By The Yard, Martha Stewart Living,
Fine Gardening Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens,
The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and the
Boston Globe, STEPABLES® is on it’s way
to becoming a household word.
The STEPABLES®
program has been national 8 years and is carried by
14 distributors covering over 3500 garden centers
in the US.
Fran received
high honors in 2004 when the Perennial Plant Association
named her their Young Professional of the Year. In
2005, SAF awarded her Floral Management’s Marketer
of the Year for her outstanding Good For Your Sole
Campaign. In 2006 Greenhouse Grower’s Magazine
awarded Fran the prestigious Medal of Excellence for
Marketing Achievement of the STEPABLES® brand.
Most recently, in June 2007, Greenhouse Product News
honored the STEPABLES® brand with their Creative
Marketing Award.
Read
more about Fran Hopkins ---Meet
Fran
Read
Fran’s Blog: STEPPIN’
OUT with the STEPABLES® Lady
