Plants, Plants, and More Plants!
After all, our industry really is all about plants! Join top plant experts as they discuss what's new, what's great, and what plants you need to know about.Dr. Michael Dirr; Making Sense of the New Plant Clutter: Strategies for Successfully Marketing Trees and Shrubs
Sunday, January 9th; 8:30 - 9:30 in the Ferrara Theater
Following Dr. Dirr's keynote address, join him and Bonnie Dirr for a book signing at Deep Fork Tree Farm's booth (booth #1619)
Watch as Dr. Dirr unveils his Dirr's Tree and Shrub Finder app for iPhone. For more information, click here.
Dr. Michael Dirr is a legend in the horticultural world. His teaching, lectures, seminars, garden study tours, and plant introduction programs have contributed enormously to greater horticultural awareness. Today he travels widely to lecture, teach, and form new opinions of plants. In 2007 Michael Dirr together with Mark Griffith and Jeff Beasley established Plant Introductions. They converted an abandoned hog farm into a facility to breed, select, evaluate, and develop new ornamental plants. They are currently breeding and evaluating thousands of seedlings and selections in dozens of general.
Aaron Atwood accompanied by Earl Cully: New and Unique Trees for the American Landscape
Sunday, January 9th; 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Sponsored by Honey Creek Nursery
The presentation will include new, unique and underused shade and landscape trees that have not always been utilized fully in the landscape trade.
Aaron Atwood works as an assistant to Earl Cully at Heritage Trees, Inc. in Jacksonville, Illinois. Heritage Trees, Inc., founded by Earl Cully, strives to develop new shade tree cultivars for the nursery industry. Heritage Trees introductions include Heritage Birch, Shawnee Brave Baldcypress, Moonglow Magnolia, and Regal Prince Hybrid Oak. Aaron writes patent and trademark applications and assists in selection and promotion of new shade tree cultivars. Aaron Atwood's education includes a bachelor of science in biology from Illinois College and a bachelor of science in forestry from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Evaluating and Selecting Sustainable Plants for the Sustainable Urban Landscape: Natives ... and beyond, a panel discussion led by Bill Ruppert
Sunday, January 9th; 11:30 - 12:30
A panel of seasoned plant and design professionals will discuss selection criteria for identifying appropriate plants to create sustainable urban landscapes. The presentation will include a discussion about the role of native, selections of natives and non-invasive adaptable non-native plants when assembling the sustainable plant palette. Panelists will represent perspectives of landscape architects, landscape designers, native and ornamental plant professionals.
Panelists:
Introducer and Moderator: Bill Ruppert, Principal, National Nursery Products - St. Louis
- William (Bill) Ruppert received his B.S. in ornamental horticulture and landscape design from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Upon graduation in 1980, he began his horticulture career working at the University coordinating the landscape redevelopment of the University of Missouri - Columbia campus. In 1990, Bill assumed the management and ownership of the St. Louis office of National Nursery Products (NNP), a horticultural sales, marketing and consulting company representing wholesale growers of a wide variety of ornamental landscape plants.
Bill is past president and current treasurer of the Landscape and Nursery Association of Greater St. Louis and currently serves as the executive director of the Horticulture Co-op of Metro St. Louis, a professional trade organization providing educational programming for its four member green industry organizations. Bill also serves on a variety of non-profit boards and advisory committees including Gateway Greening, Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit, Missouri Botanical Garden Horticulture Strategic Planning, Grow Native!, Mizzou Botanic Garden, St. Louis Community College - Meramec Horticulture Program, and Kirkwood in BLOOM.
Bill actively participates as a volunteer "seasonal color choreographer" for high impact urban seasonal color displays located in downtown St. Louis and the community of Kirkwood, his hometown.
Landscape architect: Ted Spaid, ASLA, Principal, SWT Design
Ted Spaid is a principal and co-founder of SWT Design. Mr. Spaid is known around the country for his practical knowledge of park planning, landscape design, horticulture, environmental planning, and landscape maintenance procedures. His twenty three years of experience have made him well respected by clients and peers. His unique vision and talent that is applied to every landscape architectural design project is sought out by public and private institutions seeking to delight and immerse visitors into their unique environments.
Landscapedesigner: Jerry Pence, Design Instructor, St. Louis Community College Meramec Horticulture; Freelance Designer, Landscape Design Services
Native plant specialist: Scott Woodbury, Horticulturist and Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden and MBG Shaw Nature Reserve
Herbaceous plant specialist: Allan M. Armitage, Professor and Author, University of Georgia - Athens
Dr. Allan Armitage is well known as a writer, speaker and researcher throughout the world. He has evaluated garden plants in Montreal, Canada; East Lansing, Michigan and Athens, Georgia, gaining an appreciation of plant development in the North and South. He holds his B.Sc from MacDonald College of McGill University, Quebec, M.Sc. from University of Guelph, Ontario and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
At the University of Georgia, he runs the research gardens where new plant material from most of the flower breeders in the world is evaluated. The Trial Gardens at UGA are among the finest trial gardens in the nation. They are open to the public throughout the year.
As a teacher and speaker, Dr. Armitage has lectured in Canada, the United States, Colombia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe and is in constant demand. He has visited research and production centers throughout the world and studies annuals, perennials, cut flowers and greenhouse crops in various climates. His courses include Greenhouse Production, Greenhouse Crop Management and Herbaceous Plant Identification and Use. He is a highly engaging teacher and his courses fill rapidly.
Growers' Branding Strategies: a Panel Discussion
Sunday, January 9th: 2:30 - 3:30
Following the Sweet Melissa Fashion Show: the trendiest plants in horticulture join Dr. Michael Dirr and colleagues as they discuss the pros and cons of branding strategies. How does it work? Should you do it?
Panelists include:
Bailey Nurseries - Jonathan Pedersen, Brand & Business Development Manager
Bailey Nurseries branded programs include: Endless Summer Collection, Easy Elegance Rose Collection, First Editions New Plants, and Trees are Cool. They are involved with Knockout Roses, PW Color Choice, Burpee Home Garden, and Plants that Work
Ball Horticultural Company - Bill Calkins, Independent Garden Center Business Manager
Ball Horticultural Company's retail/consumer programs are Wave petunias, Simply Beautiful, and Burpee Home Gardens
Conard-Pyle Company - Steve Hutton, President
Conard-Pyle Company's primary branded lines are The Knock Out Family of Roses and The Drift Family of Roses. They are involved solely with their own brands and Novalis Genetics.
Greenleaf Nursery Company - Robert Kerns, Corporate New Product Development Manager
Greenleaf Nursery's new product program is Garden Debut. They also have the O2 Planting for the Future marketing program and are involved with Endless Summer Hydrangea, Encore Azalea, Proven Winners and Proven Winners Color Choice, Knockout series roses, Novalis-Plants that Work, and Gardener's Confidence.
Plant Introductions, Inc. - Dr Michael Dirr
Plant Introductions has developed such plants as Bella Anna, new pink mophead Hydrangea arborescens that is part of Bailey Nurseries' Endless Summer Collection.
Plant Development Services, Inc. - Kip McConnell
Kip McConnell is director of PDSI (Plant Development Services Inc.), the introducers of Encore Azalea and the Southern Living Plant Collection. Since graduating from Auburn University's Ornamental Horticulture program in 1984, Kip McConnell has built a career in the horticulture industry, gathering experience in a range of areas including botanical garden management, retail merchandising, landscape design and installation, and nursery supply sales.
Willoway Nurseries - Danny M Gouge, Marketing Manager
Willoway Nurseries' is involved in American Beauties, Endless Summer Collection, Knock Out Roses, Novalis Plants That Work, Proven Winners, and Raymond Evison Clematis.
Anna Ball; Industry Trends
Monday, January 10th; 8:30 - 9:30 in the Ferrara Theater
Anna Caroline Ball is President and CEO of the 105-year-old Ball Horticultural Company, which specializes in all aspects of horticulture, including breeding, biotechnology, production, and marketing of hybrid flower seeds and other floriculture crops.
Privately-held and now in its third generation of family management, Ball Horticultural Company is located in over 20 locations worldwide.
Anna received her B.A. degree from the University of Colorado and her MBA from Northwestern University. She is a Trustee for The Morton Arboretum, Limestone College, Thomas Jefferson School, and Choose DuPage, and is also a Director of the Board of the Ball Foundation.
Dr. Allan Armitage; A Half-Day with Dr. A
Monday, January 10th; 10:00 - 12:30
Thanks to Ellepots!
Part 1. The trends I see in horticulture market: How do we expect to sell anything if we don't tell people what we are selling?
Part 2. Vegetables: ornamental and edible. Is this a fad, a trend or something new?
Part 3. Annuals: from SunPatiens to the Bed of Nails plant, what an incredible new world is out there!
Part 4. Perennials: how many echinaceas can we stand - and other wonderful introductions
Dr. Allan Armitage is well known as a writer, speaker and researcher throughout the world. He has evaluated garden plants in Montreal, Canada; East Lansing, Michigan and Athens, Georgia, gaining an appreciation of plant development in the North and South. He holds his B.Sc from MacDonald College of McGill University, Quebec, M.Sc. from University of Guelph, Ontario and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
At the University of Georgia, he runs the research gardens where new plant material from most of the flower breeders in the world is evaluated. The Trial Gardens at UGA are among the finest trial gardens in the nation. They are open to the public throughout the year.
As a teacher and speaker, Dr. Armitage has lectured in Canada, the United States, Colombia, New Zealand, Australia and Europe and is in constant demand. He has visited research and production centers throughout the world and studies annuals, perennials, cut flowers and greenhouse crops in various climates. His courses include Greenhouse Production, Greenhouse Crop Management and Herbaceous Plant Identification and Use. He is a highly engaging teacher and his courses fill rapidly.
Raymond Evison: World Leading Flower Show
Monday, January 10th; 1:30 - 2:30 P.M.
Following Raymond's presentation, join him for a book signing at his booth (booth #1112)
Raymond Evison owns and managers Guernsey Clematis Nursery. The Guernsey Clematis Nursery Ltd is situated on the Island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands, off the South English coast and just off the French coast.
GCN was set up in 1985 and now produces more than five million young clematis plants annually for the world's markets, growing nearly 200 species and cultivars, exporting to 20 countries and capable of producing over 5 million young clematis a year.
Raymond also owns and manages another company called Raymond J. Evison Ltd. This was formed in 1997 looks after the Marketing and Licensing of plants, Public Relations, publishing of books, lectures and exhibitions and most importantly the breeding and development of new cultivars under a JV with the world famous rose grower Poulsen Roser A/S.
For the 8th successive year, Raymond J. Evison Ltd. have been awarded a Gold medal for the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show exhibit. The exhibit featured in excess of 2,000 plants from a spread of over 30 cultivars bred by Raymond Evison Clematis.
Guernsey Clematis Nursery website
Raymond J. Evison Ltd. website
Jim Berry; Consumers Deserve the Best-Obligations of the Grower
Monday, January 10th; 3:00 - 4:00 P.M.
New plants come to market every day. Consumers see pretty pictures, pretty words, pretty plant tags, and pretty containers often driving them to fork out good money for bad plants. Jim Berry will discuss the ethics, the search, and the methods growers should obligate themselves before offering a new plant to the market. Jim will discuss many exciting varieties of roses, hibiscus, and other flowering plants that he is bringing to market.
James graduated from Texas A & M University 1970 with a BS in Horticultural Science, and obtained a graduate degree in Horticultural Studies from the University of Arkansas in 1973. He has worked for some of the larger nurseries in the country, including Greenleaf Nursery Company, El Campo, Texas, 1975-1979; Hines Nursery Company, Richmond, Texas, 1979-1980; Flowerwood Nursery, Inc. of Loxley, Alabama and Cairo, Georgia, where he served as General Manager from 1980-2000; and Plant Development Services Inc. of Loxley, Alabama, where he served as General Manager with oversight research and development, production, marketing, and public relations from 1997-2005.
Some of his industry leadership positions include: President, Horticulture Research Institute for 2001, Horticulture Research Institute Board of Directors 1996-2000, Horticulture Research Institute 1993-1995, Co-Director of Research, Southern Nursery Association, Atlanta, Georgia 1983-2003, USDA Wood Germplasm, Advisory Committee, Beltsville, Maryland 1999-2005, Past President of the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS), Southern Region of North America 1990-1991, Winner of the Sidney B. Meadows Award of Merit from the IPPS - SR 1996, 1999 International President, IPPS, Spokane, Washington, Board member - Friends of the National Arboretum, Washington, D.C. (1997-Present), Advisory Board, University of Florida, Milton Department of Environment Sciences 2000-Present, Past President of Alabama Nurseryman Association, American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) member, ANLA Region #2 and Region #5 Director 2000-2005, ANLA President Elect 2005-2006, and a frequent public speaker domestically and internationally to industry organizations.
