/PRNewswire/ - The goal: to plant 1,000 gardens and green spaces across the U.S., Canada and Europe by 2018. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company wants to make that happen and today launched a new program called GRO1000, offering $1,500 grants to deserving communities and organizations in the hopes it will get people involved in creating more community gardens and green spaces where they call home.

"Something happens when communities grow and learn together," said Jim King, ScottsMiracle-Gro's senior vice president of corporate affairs. "People develop a sense of pride and accomplishment when they get involved in cleaning up their neighborhoods, growing flowers, or cultivating their own healthy local food, and we want to help them get the job done."

Communities interested in pursuing 2011 GRO1000 grassroots grants can apply online at http://thescottsmiraclegrocompany.com/GRO1000 by March 31, 2011. Projects should include the involvement of neighborhood residents and foster a sense of community spirit.

This year's crop of ScottsMiracle-Gro's community gardens is already underway. Today, teachers, parents, and students at Morning Star School in Tampa, Florida are getting their hands dirty planting edible and learning gardens on the school's campus.

Throughout 2011, ScottsMiracle-Gro and its partners: Keep America Beautiful, Plant A Row for the Hungry, Garden Writers Association, the National Gardening Association and Franklin Park Conservatory will establish gardens and green spaces in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, New York, Ontario, Canada and Lyon, France.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With $3.14 billion in worldwide sales, 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®, 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., we operate 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.

Scotts Miracle-Gro

Scotts Miracle-Gro

About ScottsMiracle-Gro
With approximately $3.2 billion in sales, the Company is one of the world's largest marketers of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.

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