WILSONVILLE, Ore., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty-six garden centers in Western Oregon will host festivals, exhibits, workshops and family-friendly entertainment Sept. 15-23, 2007 as part of the 2007 Le Tour des Plants, A Garden Center Excursion, produced by the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN). For information and a list of participating garden centers/nurseries, visit http://www.oan.org/ and click Le Tour des Plants logo.

Designed as a self-guided tour, Le Tour des Plants is intended to bring out the gardener in everyone, from passionate everyday gardeners to those just beginning to get their hands dirty. Activities at the various garden centers and specialty nurseries range from antique garden fairs, to fall planting seminars, to wreath-making classes, to music and barbecue celebrations, to events raising funds for non-profits ... and everything in between! Events and times vary; participants are advised to call individual locations for details.

In addition to the offerings at the garden centers, Le Tour des Plants has arranged free public tours of four display gardens not typically accessible to the general public. They include:

1) Private Garden Tour 2324 Olive St, Eugene Saturday, Sept. 15 9 a.m. to noon (Enter through the alley at the back of homeowner's property.) 2) Bloom River Gardens 39744 Deerhorn Rd, Springfield Sunday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3) Terra Nova Nurseries 10051 S Macksburg Rd, Canby Saturday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Free shuttle service from Al's Garden Center in Woodburn.) 4) Monrovia 13455 SE Lafayette Hwy, Dayton Saturday, Sept. 15 & 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In its 2nd year, Le Tour des Plants is produced by OAN and sponsored by Monrovia, Novalis and Netherland Bulbs. It is the largest organized garden center tour in the nation, and the only tour of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. For general information about Le Tour des Plants, and for details regarding activities at garden centers/nurseries in your area, visit http://www.oan.org/ and click Le Tour des Plants logo.

The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 1,600 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon's ornamental horticulture industry is the state's largest agricultural commodity, with annual sales of more than $877 million. For information visit http://www.oan.org/ or call 503-682-5089.

CONTACT: Heather Stammer, +1-503-223-5443, heathers@r-west.com, or
Kelliann Amico, +1-503-224-5486, kelliann@amicopr.com, both for Oregon
Association of Nurseries

Web site: http://www.oan.org/