Green Roofs Growing? 

Do green roofs have big potential for growers? You bet, according to an interview on GreenhouseGrower.com with Scott Hutcheon, western manager for Bright Green, a company with a green roof and a living wall system. We've sold Hoffman Nursery grasses for a number of green roof projects, and the demand does seem to be increasing. Although the initial investment is higher, the long term payoff makes green roofs a smart solution. Actually, we'd call them a GrassSolution™.  

Switchgrass harvesting in eastern Tennessee

Super Switchgrass 

We love Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) for its beauty, low maintenance needs, and adaptablilty. Researchers look at switchgrass and see bio-fuel potential, which has been in the public eye quite a bit. So a recent article, reported on Science Daily®, caught our attention. The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation has developed a new Switchgrass strain that boosts biofuel yield by more than one-third. The new strain has less lignin, which is the material that must be broken down when making fuel. With less lignin, biomass from this strain is more easily converted to biofuels. This finding was confirmed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There's much more happening with grasses for biofuels, and we hope to write more about them in future issues. 

Pink Muhly at Hoffman Nursery captured on the cover of February 2011 Carolina Gardener

Kudos to Grass Writers! 

Congrats to Rita Randolph for her article in Greenhouse Management (February 2011, page 20) , "Grasses and Grass-like Plants". Rita highlights key grasses and offers useful tips for both tender and hardy varieties. Photos show eye-catching container combos with Nassella tenuissima and Festuca glauca, and a landscape shot of Melinus nerviglumis with a mind-blowing number of pink plumes.  

And more kudos go to local writer and gardening coach, Helen Yoest, for her article in the February issue of Carolina Gardener (p. 16). Helen, the force behind Gardening with Confidence, writes about movement in the garden, which includes a healthy dose of ornamental grasses. The magazine cover features Pink Muhly here at the Nursery, with other photos from the Nursery in the main article. Way to go, Helen! 

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Understanding Perennials with Bill Cullina
The Cullina conversations continued in February, with Bill Cullina coming to North Carolina. Bill was with the New England Wildflower Society for many years, and is currently Director of Horticulture and Plant Curator at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Before all that, he spent a bit of time here in the Triangle area at Niche Gardens. He returns to North Carolina periodically, this time giving two well-attended talks at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. It was a fun, informative day for all, and we followed it with a night on the town. Owners John and Jill Hoffman, along with Shannon Currey, Sales & Marketing Director at the Nursery, visited with Bill that evening over good food and locally brewed beer.

Back to School (sort of)

John Hoffman, in his role as President of the Perennial Plant Association, will be back on the road in March.  He'll be talking with students at PLANET Student Career Days in Illinois. This rollicking educational event keeps green industry professionals in touch with younger generations and gives students a chance to talk to and learn from experienced professionals in the industry. Horticultural faculty from all over the country will converge on Joliet Junior College with their students, ready to compete in multiple events.   

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