REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE 2018 P.L.A.N.T. Seminar to be held on January 14.
2017 P.L.A.N.T. Seminar:
"Inspirations & Perennials"
Presented by the Perennial Plant Association and Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.
HEAR 6 PERENNIAL EXPERTS * STILL ONLY $80!
8:15 AM to 4:30 PM
Where
Greater Columbus Convention Center
400 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
614-771-8431
ppa@perennialplant.org
Registration has held steady at ONLY $80/person for many years. What a bargain for a full-day's education!
7:30 am – 8:15 am – REGISTRATION
8:15 am – WELCOME
Dr. Steven Still, Emeritus Professor, Ohio State University
8:30 am -OVERACHIEVERS 
Andy Pulte, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
This talk will help you sort through the endless stream of new plants on the market and focus on the important fac- tors of personal style, and the mood you wish to create in your garden. You will learn about some of the most garden worthy plants, explore some gardening history, and get clued into what the scienti c name of a plant can tell you about their garden worthiness.
9:30 am -PERENNIAL COMMUNITIES AND THE 'KNOW' MAINTENANCE APPROACH 
Roy Diblik, Northwind Perennial Farm, Burlington, Wisconsin
Roy’s thoughtful way to design perennial plantings welcomes fresh contemporary styles and plant diversity integrated with responsible concerns. By using regionally dependable perennials and native plants, endless natural plant patterns can be constructed, each relating to time and cost to maintain. Roy will discuss the developing partnership between the gardener, the plants, and nature, always knowing the beauty is in the doing.
10:30 am - BEVERAGE BREAK
11:00 am - COLOR COMBINATIONS FOR THE SHADE GARDEN
Gene Bush, Shade Garden Expert, Depauw, Indiana
This talk greatly expands upon the concept of great garden companions and their behavior over the full gardening season. Subtle, and not so subtle, combinations bring out the best in each other and prove that there is no shortage of color for shade gardens.
12 noon – LUNCH ON YOUR OWN
Kerry Ann Mendez, Perennially Yours, Kennebunk, Maine
Creating a three-dimensional garden elevates beauty in any landscape, small or large. Discover gorgeous owering vines - annual, woody and perennial - that carry the eye skyward. Learn the different ways that vines climb as well as the best supports to use. Inspiring design ideas will include screening eyesores, enhancing privacy and creating shade.
2:00 pm – BEVERAGE BREAK
2:20 pm - MOVING BEYOND PRETTY - PLANTS WITH BONUS POINTS
Susan Martin, Gardener Sue's News, Holland, Michigan
When the plant catalogs begin to arrive, our eyes are
lled with botanical eye candy of every color, shape and size. We want them all, of course. The challenge is to look beyond the pretty owers and actively seek out plants that deliver more - more color in shade, food for pollinators, greater durability, and visual interest through all four sea- sons. As you begin to see plants from a new perspective, consider resisting impulse buys and instead select plants in a more intentional way. We’re moving beyond pretty and into the realm of more.
3:20 pm - TROPICAL PERENNIALS
Irvin Etienne, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
Perennials are the mainstays in most of our gardens these days. And no small wonder as they are winter hardy and come in a variety of types, colors, and sizes. But even the best perennial bed can have some lackluster moments during the long Midwest summer. What’s a gardener to do? Why not toss in a few luscious tropicals to help the garden and the gardener get through the dog days of summer? We will look at some designs and then look at some of the best (and easiest) tropicals to use in your own garden.