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From its inception in fall 2001, the Boerne Chapter took the ideals of NPSOT to heart and began looking for ways to promote the cultivation of native plants in the Boerne area.
Member asked “Can we develop a program to promote natives that can be promoted to the entire community?” The chapter already had a Plant of the Month (POM) program and decided to promote this program. We needed a catchy name and promotional materials. Homework: Come back next month with ideas.
At the next meeting, we had a draft of poster and a draft of the Plant of the Month care sheet. One member agreed to write news articles, and several members agreed to be nursery representatives. We identified a wholesale nursery contact person and additional advisors/participants.
Increase both supply and demand for Texas native plants. The Boerne chapter saw the need to educate the public about which plants are native to our region, thereby increasing the demand for Texas native plants. The hope was that people would then request these plant from their local nurseries. This demand would then encourage nurseries and wholesalers to supply and seek out native plants. Members thought that surely the Native Plant Society should be able to create a native plant promotion program.
Why NICE!™? Demand should increase supply.
NICE!™ launched in April 2002 with the first NICE!™ Plant of the Month (POM) - Texas Mountain Laurel, (Sophora segundiflora). Five nurseries agreed to paritcipate. Unforunately, that spring we had a late freeze and all the Texas Mountain Laurel blooms were frozen! Our first lesson in "best laid plans" going astray as the plants did not sell as well without the usual abundant blooms that year.
NICE!™ was introduced to the public at the Cibolo Nature Center "Mostly Native Plant Sale" in April 2002. Some NICE!™ committee members wore T-shirts and buttons that said "Ask me about NICE!".
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