5 Can’t-Miss Events and Activities at TPIE

TPIE 3The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association’s Tropical Plant Industry Exposition (TPIE) is fast approaching. The event takes place Jan. 18-20, 2017, at the Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

TPIE showcases the latest trends in foliage, floral, and tropicals. The TPIE trade show includes nearly 5 acres of living and vibrant plants, creating a virtual indoor garden of show-stopping displays.

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As you plan your trip, here are five can’t-miss highlights from this year’s show.

1. TPIE Road Shows: Customize Your Learning Experience

TPIE offers a wide range of educational offerings to boost your business skills. In-depth ticketed offerings, such as the TPIE Road Shows, are an ideal business opportunity for you and your key employees. TPIE’s “Pick Two” Combo allows you to tailor your experience by choosing the workshop and/or tour of your choice.

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Morning Workshop Options
• Pest Management Workshop: From an update on the latest pests impacting the interiorscape industry to Florida’s top landscape pests finding their way indoors, along with what is happening on the homefront to the control the populations of Aedes mosquitoes known to vector the Zika virus, this workshop will give attendees a comprehensive look at how to manage the pest in the interior environment. Presenting are Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, Catharine Mannion, and Frank Fornari.
• Trends and Garden Center Merchandising Workshop. This workshop explores industry trends such as the increase in popularity of green walls, along with great merchandising concepts.

Afternoon Tour Options
• Production Tour
From a beautiful variety of bromeliads to a wide array of tropical foliage, attendees will take a tour through three production facilities in Homestead. The three stops included in Tuesday afternoon’s tour are Bullis Bromeliads, Island Tropical Foliage, and Costa Farms.
• Garden and Design Tour
The Garden and Design tour starts at Flora & More, a new design marketplace that is sure to provide inspiration for designers, retailers, garden centers, hospitality, and event planners. The tour also features Patrick Blanc’s creation at the Perez Art Museum and more stops featuring green wall systems and Florida tropical plants.

2. TPIE Opening Session: “Where Plants and Lifestyle Trends Connect.” presented by Jane Lockhart, award-winning designer, TV personality, and author.

3. Elevating Expectations Session: “The Lowline Lab & Subterranean Parks: How, Why, and What It Means for the Future of Our Industry.” Sponsored by the National Foliage Foundation (NFF), Mark Mini and Andrew Engel of John Mini Distinctive Landscapes (JMdl), explore the Lowline project and its aspirations to become the first underground park with flora supported by natural sunlight.

4. Showcase Showdown. TPIE’s three showcases make it easy to see what the newest items and trends in the industry are.
• New Plants and Products Showcase: A first glimpse at what’s about to trend within the industry.
• TPIE Cool Product Awards: Spotlights products at the show that wholesale buyers see as up-and-coming products for 2017 and 2018.
• Exhibitor Showcase: Features dozens of unique and proven plants and products selected by exhibitors.

5. Costa Farms Season Premier Open House on Friday, January 20. Wrap up your trip with a visit to Costa Farms’ expanded Trial Garden and get a sneak-peak at the newest varieties for the coming year. The Trial Garden offers a series of beautifully designed landscape beds, row beds to compare plant performances, hanging baskets trials, as well as mixed-container garden trials. Costa Farms will also be at the show at Booth #1419, with a display that focuses on the tiny house movement that’s been growing in popularity over the last few years. Costa’s plant collections will also be featured in several displays including an indoor vertical wall, an outdoor spa area featuring tropical plants, and a playground area.

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