The 2010 Garden Center Symposium is in the books and by all accounts it was another successful event. If you weren't able to make it, copies of the handouts can be found at www.gardencentersymposium.com.
There is also a list of Tricks of the Trade - ideas from garden centers on how they generate new or keep old customers.
On the same site there is a Comment page. If you have questions, ideas or general comments, please send them on.
In the near future I hope to post several video shorts. Keep an eye open. |
| Garden Expo - Wisconsin Public Television |
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| February 12 - 14 mark the dates for this year's Garden Expo at the Alliant Energy Center. It's always a good place to look around, chat with colleagues and see what everyone is doing.
The list of speakers looks excellent with a number of UW Extension personnel presenting as well as some new speakers on a broad range of topics. You can find the whole list at http://www.wpt.org/gardenexpo/
Additionally the Madison Chapter of the WLCA always does an excellent job of setting up a center display with live plant material that lets us know it won't be long before the snow will be gone.
If you are in the area, stop in. |
| 24th Annual Midwest Perennial Conference |
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| February 16, 2010 is the date for this year's Midwest Perennial Conference sponsored by Shady Acres Perennial Nursery and W. & E. Radtke, Inc. Speakers scheduled are:
- Richard Hawke of the Chicago Botanic Garden speaking about Proven Perennials from their Trials
- Ed Lyon, Manager of the Allen Gardens at the University of Wisconsin - Madison will cover Made-in-the-Shade Perennials and "The Missed Middle Landscape"
- Kurt Fromherz will share strategies for utilizing social media marketing and simple, easy ways for your business to research and reach potential new customers.
- Neil Diboll will present Prairie Plants for Problem Places.
The conference is being held at the Country Springs Hotel and Conference Center in Pewaukee. Space is limited so reserve your spot soon.
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| 2010 Cut Flower Growers School |
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| The Wisconsin Cut Flower Growers School is a two-day workshop designed to help new and beginning growers learn the ins and outs of producing and marketing cut flowers. For more information and a registration form, download the flier. The dates are March 13-14, 2010 at the UW Madison Campus. |
| On-line "Flip" versions of trade publications. |
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Both Green Profit and Grower Talks can be found online where they allow you to flip through the pages electronically.
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| Perennial Plant Association Annual Conference |
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The 28th Perennial Plant Association Symposium will be held in Protland, Oregon, July 18-24, 2010. Link here for registration information. |
