GrassSolutions - May 2019

In this issue:

David Hoffman in GPN's 40 Under 40
Living Architecture Monitor in 20th Year
Minnesota Storm Water Seminar Series
A New Course for Grassland Conservation
Wildscaping: A Post-Earth Day Dream
Design+Build at North Carolina State Improves Campus
An Online Costing Course Improved the Bottom Line
The Magic of Warm-Season Grasses
Upcoming Events

GPN 40 Under 40

David Hoffman Included in GPN Honor

We are excited to announce that David Hoffman, our Chief Customer Experience Officer, has been named to GPN's 40 Under 40 Class of 2019.

Each May, GPN recognizes 40 industry professionals under the age of 40 who are helping shape the future of the horticulture industry. They are today’s movers and shakers and are already setting the pace for tomorrow. Read more about David in GPN's write-up.

We are very proud of David and his efforts here at the nursery. He's brought a fresh perspective and exciting ideas to us and our customers. The next time you see David, be sure and tell him congratulations!

Green Infrastructure

Living Architecture Monitor in 20th Year

The Living Architecture Monitor, a premiere publication covering green roofs and living walls, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The anniversary edition is packed with stories on the plants, people, and technology that are shaping the industry. You might recognize a few from the horticultural world:

Ed Snodgrass, Owner of Emory Knoll Farms and Green Roof Plants
Dave MacKenzie, founder of Hortech, Inc., LiveRoof, LLC, and LiveWall, LLC
Dr. Brad Rowe, Michigan State University's Dept. of Horticulture and Green Roof Research Program

Read the full issue here.

Minnesota Stormwater Seminar Series

This series from the University of Minnesota, is dedicated to stormwater and green infrastructure. It emphasizes lessons learned from real-world projects. While aimed at professionals, it offers good info for those growing for green infrastructure.

Read more
www.wrc.umn.edu

Grasses in the Landscape

A New Course for Grassland Conservation

They call him, "The Prairie Preacher," and he'll definitely make you believe. Dr. Dwayne Estes, Executive Director of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative (SGI), spoke to a full house last month at the North Carolina Botanical Garden. He shed new light on the history and importance of Southeastern grasslands. Yet, most of us aren’t aware that grasslands covered a large portion of the Southeast.

It was fascinating to hear the legacy of our grasslands and exciting to contemplate bringing them back. That's a HUGE task, and we can all play a part. Find out more about SGI, which is partnering with institutions and companies like Google to conserve this ecological legacy.

Read more in our blog post.

Dr. Alan Weakley (L) and Dr. Dwayne Estes (R) of the Southeastern Grassland Initiative. Dr. Estes gave the Fitch Lecture at the North Carolina Botanical Garden last month.

Wildscaping: A Post-Earth Day Dream

In this beautiful, thoughtful article, writer and landscape designer Tony Spencer offers wildscaping. Its plant-driven garden landscapes that express a wilder beauty while fulfilling ecological imperatives to spark biodiversity and feed the soul.

Read more
www.thenewperennialist.com

Design+Build at North Carolina State Improves Campus

It was another great project. For several years, Hoffman Nursery has donated and/or discounted plants and provided advice for student projects at North Carolina State University. An innovative course in the landscape architecture program takes students through d esign and construction implementation of sustainable construction practices. They create a low-impact landscape system that addresses degraded environmental conditions on campus.

This spring's project addressed a large area surrounding a dormitory and walkway. The previous semester had covered a portion of the site, and this class completed it. They reworked drainage systems, installed rain garden elements, and converted turf grass areas to planting beds.

Congrats to the students on a fantastic project--we can't wait to see it mature into a fabulous space!

Read Up with Hoffman Nursery

An Online Costing Course Improved the Bottom Line

Slim profit margins are one of the biggest challenges in the greenhouse and nursery industry. For us to continue to succeed, we need a better understanding of true costs. In this article, Jill Hoffman discusses how Hoffman Nursery is getting there.

Read more
www.greenhousegrower.com

The Magic of Warm-Season Grasses

Working with grasses, marketing director Shannon Currey knew about the distinction between warm season and cool season. She had written about it and included it in presentations. But a webinar helped her understand how magical that distinction is.

Read more
www.greenhousegrower.com

Upcoming Events

Native Plants in the Landscape Conference

June 5-8, 2019

Millersville University, Millersville, PA

This annual conference, hosted by Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, focuses on plants and plant communities native to the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. It aims to build human communities, too. Formal and informal networking activities are at the heart of this multidisciplinary conference.

Hoffman Nursery's Shannon Currey will be on the program with two presentations. On Thursday, she'll give a plenary talk that offers A Fresh Look at Grasses and Sedges. In a concurrent session on Friday, she'll discuss how Native Sedges Steal the Show.

Cultivate'19

July 13-16, 2019; Columbus, OH

It's become the biggest, and everyone's invited to this horticultural party! Join us at Cultivate'19 for days filled with presentations, networking, and great conversations. We'll be there in Booth 3013 with our team.

Bill Hall, our Head Grower, will be on the education stage for a joint presentation on Perennial Production: Better Baptisia and Problem-Free Panicum.

National Perennial Plant Symposium

July 28-August 2, 2019; Chicago, IL

The Perennial Plant Association's annual symposium brings together all kinds of professionals devoted to perennials. In Chicago this year, it will be held for the first time in conjunction with All-American Selections and the National Garden Bureau. Our Marketing Director Shannon Currey will be speaking on Success with Sedges.

Early bird rates are available through June 21. The tours fill up quickly, so register soon to get your preferred choices. See you there!