If you’re reading this from the Gulf South, you need to make sure not to miss next Tuesday’s (June 2) Nursery Pest Management Workshop hosted by Dr. Jeremy Pickens of Auburn University. Jeremy is one of the best hosts around, so I know its going to be a great day. 

 

There's an amazing lineup organized to help you with all your nursery production and pest management needs. BASF has sponsored a featured speaker, bringing Suzanne Wainwright-Evans—AKA the Bug Lady—in for the meeting. Suzanne is one of the nation's top biocontrol experts. When you pair her with Dr. Pickens, Dr. Emma Lookabaugh from BASF and Dr. Aaron Palmateer from Harrell’s, you’re definitely in for a treat. 

 

This meeting is next Tuesday, June 2 at the Jon Archer Agricultural Center in Mobile, Alabama, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Harrell’s is sponsoring the lunch, which I hear will be an amazing BBQ spread. The drive might not be that far from Gainesville …

 

Register in advance HERE. 

I realize that much of the content I deliver is grower-oriented, but this is Nursery & Landscape Insider and we have to make sure that the landscape industry gets their support. Lucky enough, one of the best shows for landscapers in the southeastern U.S. is just down the street in Orlando, Florida. The aptly named Landscape Show is the premier destination for anyone in the landscape industry. Even if you’re not in the south, the opportunities to bring back connections, build knowledge and expand your network with other industry members is global. 

 

Hosted by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (FNGLA), the Landscape Show runs from August 19-21 at the Orange County Convention Center. This is a one-stop-shop for all things landscape. Plus, they have a great educational lineup fully dedicated to the landscape industry.

 

Speaking of their education, they just released the lineup for their Knowledge Collect, which is organized into five sessions:

“The Knowledge College is where members come to sharpen their edge,” said Tal Coley, chief executive officer of FNGLA. “This year we’ve built something that speaks directly to what landscape, nursery and irrigation professionals across the Southeast are dealing with right now, whether that’s managing water smarter, building a team that stays or figuring out how to grow a more profitable business. The Irrigation track in particular is something our industry has needed and we’re excited to deliver it.”

If you’re going to Cultivate this year, make sure to check out the tHRIve sessions. They're included for FREE with your registration. You don’t need the all-access pass—as long as you're coming to Cultivate, you get in. What a deal!

 

 

This year, there are 15 sessions, each with practical information that's backed by university research. You're guaranteed to come home with some ideas. Not only will you get the science behind the concepts, but these sessions are designed to present pragmatic, actionable takeaways. 

 

You can find the full lineup HERE.

 

Notice there are sessions from Sunday to Tuesday that touch on just about everything you might wan to know. Pest management, water and irrigation, plant benefits, and some exciting plant science. Also, the entire Tuesday lineup will be focusing on automation in the nursery industry, giving you an idea how our industry can take a LEAP forward! I don’t know about you, but I think this year's lineup is one of the best ever—and Sunday afternoon’s talk about irrigation scheduling should be riveting! 

The American Rose Trials for Sustainability (or ARTS for short) program identifies the most sustainable, hardy, pest-resistant and beautiful rose cultivars for American landscapes. This is the top of the line for roses, and typically winners have long and lasting impact in the industry. To win an ARTS award, roses are evaluated in low-input conditions and need to excel. I like that—it's much nicer to know how a plant performs in low-management areas, as opposed to perfect conditions because those are rarely encountered. 

 

This year, four roses from Star Roses & Plants have been selected for awards. 

 

Buttercream Drift has creamy yellow blooms. It's compact, disease resistant and has a ton of blooms, making this an elegant and reliable groundcover rose for the landscape.

 

 

Veranda Fiesta has exceptionally bright flower color, which contrasts nicely against its dark green, glossy foliage. It's extremely floriferous and performs well in containers or as a low lying hedge. 

 

 

Raspberry Cupcake grows well on its own roots, has excellent resistance to mildews and rusts, and stands up to black spot here on the East Coast. Highly fragrant with pink blooms that rebloom throughout the season. 

 

 

Top Cream is a hybrid tea with large, old-fashioned blooms that are extremely fragrant, bringing notes of earthy pear. It has abundant petals, which are creamy-white with an occasional light pink blush depending on season and climate. 

 

If you’re planning to head to the Perennial Plant Association’s (PPA) National Symposium later this summer, there isn’t much time left to register at the discounted rate. The early bird registration deadline is June 16. 

 

This year, PPA is heading to the Great Lakes for a week full of excitement, education, tours and, of course, plant people. From July 27-30, PPA will be hosting their National Symposium in East Lansing, Michigan, on the Michigan State University campus and will tour locations in the surrounding area.

 

Michigan has a litany of diverse habitats, rich ecology and vibrant horticultural systems that all come together to form an incredible community. From world-renowned breeders to visionary designers to expansive trial gardens, you certainly won't be bored on this trip. 

 

The 2026 show kicks off with a bus tour and welcome reception at Walters Gardens. In fact, every evening comes packed with social events to leave lasting impressions. Tuesday ends with the Trade Show Social and Wednesday’s tours finish with a dinner party at Michigan State University’s Horticulture Gardens. You can close out your symposia by enjoying an inspiring evening at the MSU Broad Art Museum with dinner, drinks and more plant people conversations! Plus, Maeve Bassett of the MSU Horticulture Gardens will share insights into the beauty and impact of cultivated landscapes.

 

You can find more information on the symposium HERE and don’t forget to register for your early bird rates.