2018 Perennial Plant Symposium Offering Power to the People

Perennial-Plant-SymposiumThe Perennial Plant Association (PPA) is holding its 36th Annual Perennial Plant Symposium in the Raleigh-Durham, NC, area this summer. While most of the event is geared toward industry professionals, the symposium kicks off with a full day of plant talks that are open to the public.

Perennial enthusiasts of all experience levels are invited to attend the talks on Monday, July 30. It’s a chance to hear from the best in the field on a range of topics. Highlights include:
• Patrick McMillan, an Emmy Award-winning host, co-creator, and writer of the popular nature program “Expeditions with Patrick McMillan,” kicks off the event. McMillan will highlight Carolina native perennials for the garden in a morning talk. Later that afternoon, he’ll cover Southwestern plants growers also can use in the Southeast to cope with drought.
• George Coombs manages the horticultural research program at the Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, DE. This renowned botanical garden focuses on native plants, and their plant evaluations are making a big splash in the industry. Get a peek at the top-performing selections and find out what it takes to stand out in their trials.
• Christian Kress owns a specialty nursery in Austria that focuses on rare perennials from around the world. He’s traveled extensively, authored books, and introduced several beloved perennials to the market. He’ll share his love of Phlox and introduce attendees to the amazing selections coming out of Russia.
• Judith Jones owns Fancy Frond Nursery in Gold Bar, WA. She’ll open the world of ferns and inspire a new appreciation for their role in the landscape.
• Other presentations include iris breeder Kevin Vaughn; John Kartesz on native plant inventory software that generates customizable maps and databases; Larry Mellichamp on the world of unusual, surprising, and bizarre plants; and Lauri Lawson on medicinal plants.

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The talks will take place at the Hilton North Raleigh/Midtown in Raleigh on Monday, July 30. Advanced registration is required and early bird pricing ends June 1. See the full program description, as well as tour and registration information, at the PPA website.

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