Discover, Share, Grow: June Highlights | | President's Summer Update | |
Shelby standing under a great Elm Ulmus! | Shelby French, President of the International Plant Production Society Eastern Region, shares a glimpse into her late-spring propagation projects—highlighting favorites like Hydrangea radiata and Spiraea virginiana. With the board back in action and the 2025 conference budget approved (no price increase!), planning is underway for Louisville. Ready your calendars and keep an eye out—registration opens in July! | | | | | |
Join Us for IPPS Happy Hour at Cultivate!
Heading to Cultivate? Come unwind with fellow plant professionals at the IPPS Eastern Region Happy Hour! Join us on Monday, July 14th from 5:30–7:00 PM at The Bar on 2 in the Hyatt (Columbus, Ohio). It’s a great chance to connect, catch up, and toast to the season. No RSVP needed—just stop by and say hello!
| | Rooted in Kentucky: Get Conference-Ready | |
Registration & Hotel Booking – Coming in July
Get ready!
Conference registration and hotel booking links will go live in July. Watch your inbox for a dedicated e-blast with everything you need to secure your spot at the 2025 IPPS Eastern Region Conference in Louisville, KY.
It’s going to be an unforgettable week of horticulture, education, and camaraderie.
| | | |
Silent Auction – Call for Member Donations
Help support IPPS Eastern Region by contributing to our annual Silent Auction at the conference! We’re looking for unique items, horticultural gems, and anything plant lovers would enjoy.
Submit your item details via the button below.
📦 Ship items in advance to:
Paul Cappiello
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
6220 Old La Grange Rd
Crestwood, KY 40014
Let’s make this year’s auction our best yet!
| |
New Plant Forum – Show Off Your Favorites
Have a new plant introduction or exciting selection to share? Participate in our always-popular New Plant Forum! This is your chance to showcase what’s fresh, unique, or trial-worthy in the world of plants. Whether you're a breeder, grower, or enthusiast—we want to see what you've got!
Questions? Email Rachel Conley at rconley@brokenarrownursery.com
| |  |
Poster Session – Students & Members Welcome!
We're inviting all members to participate in our Conference Poster Session, with a special cash prize opportunity for students! Share your research, projects, or propagation trials—anything that helps us seek and share. It’s a great way to gain visibility, connect with others, and contribute to the conversation.
Questions? Email Lincoln Gillon at the1stplantmaster@gmail.com
| | |
New Member & Student Dinner – Save the Date
New to IPPS-ER or attending your first conference? You’re invited to a special New Member & Student Dinner during the week of the Louisville conference! It's the perfect opportunity to network, ask questions, and make connections.
Date and location will be announced soon, so stay tuned!
| | | | New Zealand Tour 2025: A Tapestry of Plants, People, and Places - Part I | | |
Two IPPS Eastern Region members, Dr. Robert Geneve and Bill Barnes, recently returned from the IPPS International Tour in New Zealand—and their reflections are a must-read.
“If time allows, you’ve been missing out,” Barnes writes.
“It’s worth the effort, and you will be rewarded handsomely.” Dr. Geneve described it as “an experience I always look forward to each year,” with highlights that included the iconic Hobbit on set, world-class botanic gardens, innovative nurseries, and the fascinating people who make the horticulture industry thrive across the globe.
Read the full reflections and see photos from the tour on our website.
| | Pictured above: Images from IPPS New Zealand Tour. | |
Upcoming Events
July 14, 2025 (Monday)
Cultivate Conference Hyatt Regency Hotel
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Columbus, Ohio
October 13-17, 2025 (Tuesday - Friday)
Eastern Region Annual Conference Seelbach Hilton Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
| |
Gardening booming despite economic uncertainty, Garden Media Group says
Amid tariffs, economic worries and cold snaps, gardening is America’s bright spot, according to Garden Media Group.
By Lauren Cohen, Intern
Published June 13, 2025
When the world feels uncertain, Americans get planting. That’s the core message of Garden Media Group’s new report, “Garden Pulse: Spring 2025 Analysis.”
While other industries report slowing traffic and declining sales, gardening is holding strong — and growing — despite cold weather, consumer caution and tariff-fueled economic anxiety. Even with poor early spring weather, garden center sales in 2025 are only 3.9% behind 2024 and still far ahead of the same period in 2020.
| | | | | |
