UConn is sponsoring the “Perennial Plant Conference – A Conference for the Landscape and Horticultural Professional.” The conference will be held at the Lewis B. Rome Commons on the University of Connecticut Storrs campus on Thursday, March 20, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
This all-day educational conference will address a wide range of topics focusing on herbaceous perennial production, sustainable landscape design, and retail marketing. Topics were selected to appeal to professional landscapers and designers, nursery and greenhouse producers, and retail garden centers. Two concurrent educational sessions will feature nationally recognized speakers from both industry and academia.
The speakers featured at the conference will include:
- Stephanie Cohen, Horticultural Consultant, Collegeville, PA who will be speaking on flowering shrubs for the mixed border.
- Nancy DuBrule-Clemente, Owner of Natureworks in Northford, CT who will be speaking on the challenges of running a landscape business with today’s extreme climate events.
- Jim Engel, from White Oak Nursery in Geneva, NY who will be presenting a talk entitled, Top Native Shrubs and How to Use Them in Your Landscape.
- Robert Herman, Horticultural Consultant from New Hartford, CT who will be presenting a talk entitled, Garden Design Trends in Europe.
- Jane Nadel-Klein, from Trinity College in Hartford, CT who will be speaking on gardeners and the green industry.
- Cheryl Smith, Plant Pathologist from the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, NH who will be presenting a talk entitled, Cultural Practices and Pest Management Strategies for Low-Input Gardens.
- Lloyd Traven, Owner/Partner of Peace Tree Farm in Kintnersville, PA, who will be presenting a talk entitled, Bringing Fantastic New Plants to Market and, in a second talk entitled, Bringing THE Awesome EVERYDAY!! Lloyd will discuss some of the ways, methods, plants, and a change in attitude that will set your business apart as THE Local Expert and ‘go-to’ source.
- Mark Weathington, from the JC Raulston Arboretum at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC who will be speaking on water wise plants that pack a punch and a second talk entitled, Green Screens AKA Life after Leyland.
Program and registration information, including online registration, is available at www.2014perennial.uconn.edu. A pre-registration fee of $100 per person is due by March 13th. The fee is $110 per person if postmarked after March 13th or for walk-ins. Student registration is $25 with valid school ID. Registration is limited and nonrefundable. Please make checks payable to the University of Connecticut and send to Donna Ellis, University of Connecticut, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 1376 Storrs Road, Unit 4067, Storrs, CT 06269-4067.
Included with your registration: an information packet, lunch, morning and afternoon snacks, free parking, and an opportunity to meet speakers and purchase autographed books from the Perennial Plant Conference bookstore. One pesticide recertification credit will be offered for attendees from CT, RI, MA, ME, NH, and VT (pending state approval). Additional CEU’s are available.
For more information contact Donna Ellis (phone 860-486-6448; email donna.ellis@uconn.edu) or visit our web site at www.2014perennial.uconn.edu.
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For more information, contact: Donna Ellis at donna.ellis@uconn.edu; 860-486-6448