STEPABLES Timeline

1990 Under A Foot Plant Company originated in 1990 and was previously named Hopkins Nursery. The company grew over 400 types of perennials, groundcovers, ornamental grasses and sedums. 1996 The decision was made to change the name of the company to Under A Foot Plant Company. This was to curb the enormous appetite to grow everything under the sun to only plants that were less than 12 inches in height or crept under your feet. 1999 The STEPABLES® plant line was introduced to retailers in the Pacific Northwest. The line sold very well and retailers (and other growers) considered it to have merit, but were unsure of the line’s ability to go national. 2000 Spring--Rebecca’s Garden airs a segment on pathway plants featuring STEPABLE® plants. View Here 2001 Spring –-Rebecca Kolls guest meteorologist appearance on Good Morning America on location at the New York Botanical Gardens launches STEPABLES® into the national spotlight as a fun new product to use in your garden. 2001 Summer-STEPABLES® wins Honorary Mention in the Mastertag/GPN Marketing Innovation Award and signs its first distributor to carry its product line. 2004 Spring-STEPABLES® is carried in over 2000 garden centers nationwide 2004 2004 Spring-HGTV’s popular TV personality Paul James and his show Gardening By the Yard airs a 7 minute segment on the STEPABLES® plant line. The show was filmed at Under A Foot Plant Company’s nursery where all of the employees got to be part of the fun and even Fran’s daughter Rachel. View Here 2004 Perennial Plant Association awards their Young Professional of the Year Award to Frances Hopkins, creator of the STEPABLES® brand 2005 Frances Hopkins and the STEPABLES® brand are awarded Marketer of the Year from the Society of American Florists 2006 Frances Hopkins and the STEPABLES® brand are awarded the Medal of Excellence for Marketing Achievement from Greenhouse Grower Magazine. 2007 STEPABLES is carried in over 4000 garden centers nationwide and Frances Hopkins and the STEPABLES® brand is awarded the Creative Marketing Award from Greenhouse Product News. 2007 STEPABLES® awards The Anderson’s Store in Maumee Ohio the winner in the We’ve Got Sole Contest and Under A Foot Plant Company donates $2,500 to the Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity in The Anderson’s honor.