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                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(a)









                      CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

        We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report
dated March 1, 1995, except as to the stock dividend described in Note 1 which
is as of March 17, 1995, appearing on page F-1 of General Host Corporation's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 29, 1995. We also consent
to the references to us under the heading "Experts" in such Prospectus.




Price Waterhouse LLP
April 20, 1995