Chicago, Ill. (MARCH, 2004)—Need an upside-down tomato planter? An umbrella-greenhouse? An effortless motorized wheel barrow? A hovercraft lawnmower? You'll find them - and more - in the Spring line-up of outdoor innovations at Hammacher Schlemmer, the cataloger/retailer that's famous for its leading-edge products that combine practicality with innovation.

• Designed for the gardener who's tired of staking tomato vines, the compact Upside-Down Tomato Garden allows vines to grow down through holes in the bottom. The result? Vines don't need staking, tomatoes ripen in the air so they don't rot, and a bumper crop could be in the offering. The surface bed can also support additional plantings like herbs or sweet peppers. Compact construction makes it ideal for tight spaces and balconies. Priced at $69.95.
  
  
• In five seconds The Umbrella Greenhouse will protect delicate plants from the damaging elements of heavy wind, insects, birds, pelting rain or severe sun. This instant greenhouse opens and closes like an umbrella for rapid set-up & space-saving storage. It offers an clever solution for gardeners needing to nurture the early development of favored flowers, while shielding them in this chemical-free plant protector. Priced at $29.95.
  
  
• You can effectively eliminate all physical effort needed to move heavy garden and lawn essentials from one place to the other with The Effortless Motorized Wheel Barrow. This environmentally friendly, battery-powered cart moves at 2 mph — without gas or fumes. This front-wheel-drive machine has maximum power and torque, capable of carrying up to 200 pounds at the press of a lever. Priced at $299.95.
  
  
• Mowing the lawn will be like floating on air. The Hover Mower actually floats slightly above the ground on a cushion of air, making it vastly more maneuverable, extremely light, and easy to propel. Golf courses the world over have made it their lawnmower of choice. Leaving traditional mowers far behind, its designed to mow areas that are impossible to reach with a conventional mower, follows the contours of the land and trimming slopes, steep banks, pond edges, and other previously inaccessible places. Priced at $699.95.
  

Founded in 1848, Hammacher Schlemmer is the oldest catalog company in America, with a well-deserved reputation for offering unique, problem-solving products that enhance our lives. The company continues its tradition of innovative offerings through its catalog, retail stores in New York and Chicago, and web site (www.hammacher.com).