Mississippi Gardening Enthusiast Wins National Osmocote Potshots Sweepstakes, Visits The National Garden

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nearly 25,000 avid gardeners entered the Osmocote® plant food brand's sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C. Linda Hopper of Ridgeland, Mississippi was the green thumb awarded The National Garden visit.

During her first-ever trip to the nation's capital, Hopper was impressed by the intricate botanical sections that make up the three acres of The National Garden - a five-year, $10 Million project that first opened to the public in September 2006.

"It was great to learn all about so many different kinds of plants from all over the world," said Hopper. "Thanks to Osmocote, I had the opportunity to see plants I may have otherwise not seen." As well as her trip, Hopper will be featured on PlantersPlace.com - an online community where garden enthusiasts can read expert tips, watch videos, create their own photo gallery and more.

"Our goal is to make gardening easy and fun regardless of the level of knowledge," said Osmocote brand manager, Bob Stohler. "The National Garden inspires all of us. A visit there is a special treat and I hope everyone gets a chance some day to see it."

The "Feed to Win" sweepstakes was initiated in April as part of the new Osmocote® PotShots(TM) product launch. In addition to the grand prize trip for two to Washington D.C., 91 daily winners were awarded $100 gift cards throughout a three-month program.

For decades, professional growers and hobby gardeners alike have trusted Osmocote,
the first-ever resin-coated controlled-release fertilizer. PotShots are thimble-sized nuggets of nutrition for container plants, and ideal for busy gardeners.

Osmocote is a registered trademark of The Scotts Company LLC. The product is manufactured and marketed by the company and is available nationally at mass retailers, home centers and independent garden centers.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With nearly $3 billion in worldwide sales and more than 6,000 associates, The Scotts Miracle-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, with products for professional horticulture as well. The Company's brands are the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, Osmocote® 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. the Company operates 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.