The Tropical Plant International Expo is coming up (January 22-24 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, if you didn't know), and I have a few items on its schedule that you should totally check out—beginning before the show even starts!

1. Two TPIE Road Show Tours. One is the Interior Landscape Design Tour (interiors AND green walls, cool!) and the other is the Production Tour with four nursery stops (Costa Farms, Farm Life Tropical Foliage, Island Tropical Foliage and Plants In Design) in Homestead. Both tours depart the Broward County Convention Center at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21. You must REGISTER.
2. Innovative Interiorscape Designs Workshop. Mark Mini of John Mini Distinctive Landscapes will lead this session that showcases designs using thoughtful creativity, skillful engineering and cutting-edge technology. He’ll walk you through the challenges and successes of a project from concept to completion. That behind-the-scenes information is so valuable! Wednesday, January 22, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Registration is REQUIRED.
3. Elevating Expectations Session: “What’s Causing Houseplant Fever?” sponsored by the National Horticulture Foundation and featuring Garden Media Group’s Katie Dubow, GrowIt’s Mason Day and Ball Publishing’s Ellen Wells (hey, that’s me!). Discuss what’s driving the extended trend and how the industry can embrace it and keep it going. AND, bonus—if you have a topic you’d like me to be sure to include in the discussion, just drop me a line about it HERE. The session takes place at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23.

Of course, there are a whole bunch of can't-miss displays, events and sessions going on. I mean, just LOOK at this show floor!

Head on over to TPIE.org to find out more information about everything happening at TPIE and how to register and all that good stuff.  

Ferns look as tropical as anything (speaking of TPIE), but luckily can grow and be found pretty much everywhere. And they are houseplants, after all—a totally appropriate topic for Tropical Topics. There’s a new book coming out in January that will tell you everything you need to know about ferns. “The Complete Book of Ferns: Indoors, Outdoors, Growing, Crafting, History & Lore” will be a delight for folks who want all the botanical information, care, display ideas and craft projects that a person can handle. Oh! And it has propagation details, too, for folks interested in getting those baby spores growing into adulthood. Maybe you’re having a propagation issue with one variety in particular?

“The Complete Book of Ferns,” published by Cool Springs Press, is written by Mobee Weinstein, the foreman of gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden. Mobee will explore the 400 million year evolution of ferns and will cover every aspect of care, from potting to watering to pests and such. The book includes features on more than 70 different kinds of ferns, too. It really does sound like a must-have for your indoor plant category in your store—or maybe on your very own shelf.

The book will be available in mid-January. Find out more about ordering and all that wherever you purchase your wholesale books.  

I have to say, the announcement Wednesday night that Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2020 was Classic Blue didn’t surprise me a bit. Several other color trend forecasts have picked a shade of blue, including the aforementioned Garden Media Group. But it’s a pretty blue, and one that most everyone enjoys—unless you’re an Ohio State fan and it reminds you of Michigan (so says Ohioan Jen Polanz).

Here’s what Pantone’s press release on the 2020 color choice has to say about why this Classic Blue was chosen and what it represents:

“A timeless and enduring blue hue, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era. Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser-like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.

As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced.”

In other words, Classic Blue is a simple, grounding color in which we can sort of rest our weary eyes and minds beholding. But! Will Classic Blue be good for the green industry? How can you incorporate it into interiorscapes, tropical garden designs and the like? All ideas welcome HERE!

AmericanHort is looking for your nominations of folks worthy for induction into the Interior Plantscape Hall of Fame. Could it be you? Could it be one of your customers that consistently blows you away with what they create with your plants? AmericanHort honors interior plantscapers who not only are skilled at their craft but have also contributed to the well-being of the industry.

Nominations will close on January 10—in just a few weeks! So get a move-on and contact Amanda Holton for information on how you can submit your nomination.