Perennial Plant Conference Schedule

7:30 am - 9:00 am

Registration and Coffee

7:45 am - 8:45 am

Explore the Scott Arboretum & Gardens on guided tours with horticulture staff.

9:00 am - 9:15 am

Jeff Jabco, Interim Executive Director of Scott Arboretum & Gardens and Grounds

9:00 am - 9:05 am

Live Stream opens for those joining us virtually.

9:15 am - 10:15 am

In the post-wild countryside of Ontario, Canada, Tony Spencer is conducting a series of open experiments to combine naturalistic planting design with Blue-Green Infrastructure into a fluid ecological art form. Working on the local level, he cultivates his universal concept of Wildscaping. This is about using plant-driven landscape design to create and sustain dynamic garden spaces, filled with beauty and wildlife, to rekindle our relationship to the natural world. The focus of this talk is how to link home to landscape in a symbiotic loop to build new nature and adapt to the inevitable extremes of the new climate.

10:15 am - 10:45 am

In-person participants: Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group. Purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

10:45 am - 11:35 am

Vernonia and Solidago, commonly called ironweeds and goldenrods, are iconic and horticulturally invaluable subjects of Mt. Cuba Center’s latest native plant trials. The recently published results of the ironweed trial and yet-to-be published results of the goldenrod trial illustrate the tremendous ornamental qualities of these plants as well as their extraordinary capacity to support wildlife in cultivation. Mt. Cuba’s Manager of Horticultural Research, Sam Hoadley, will be your guide in unpacking the conclusions from the Vernonia trial and will give a first look at the results of the three-year Solidago trial, highlighting top-performing species and cultivars that will make beautiful and ecologically valuable additions to gardens of the Mid-Atlantic region.

11:35 am - 12:25 pm

Flummoxed by the idea of non-climbing clematis? Author and Clematis Curator Linda Beutler offers new tips and tricks of growing that most stylish clematis group, the chic, non-climbing herbaceous perennials. She'll include first images of the runway-like Entry Border at the Rogerson Clematis Garden, including amazing accessories—more commonly known as companion plants.

12:25 pm - 1:25 pm

In-person participants: Explore the Arboretum and talk to horticulture staff stationed in designated gardens. Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group. Purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

1:25 pm - 2:15 pm

Meadows, Gardens, and Meadow Gardens: Managing Native Perennial Meadow Landscapes at Any Scale with Kristie Lane Anderson; Practical Gardening: Staking Methods for Perennials with David Mattern

2:15 pm - 2:45 pm

In-person participants - Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

2:35 pm - 2:40 pm

2:40 pm - 3:45 pm

Harland Patch will explore the science behind pollinator and plant communities and how landscapes can be designed and managed to support biodiversity now and in a future of change.

3:40 pm - 4:00 pm

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join the reception with speakers for an additional $20 (in-person participants only).

7:30 am - 9:00 am

Registration and Coffee

7:45 am - 8:45 am

Explore the Scott Arboretum & Gardens on guided tours with horticulture staff.

9:00 am - 9:15 am

Jeff Jabco, Interim Executive Director of Scott Arboretum & Gardens and Grounds

9:00 am - 9:05 am

Live Stream opens for those joining us virtually.

9:15 am - 10:15 am

In the post-wild countryside of Ontario, Canada, Tony Spencer is conducting a series of open experiments to combine naturalistic planting design with Blue-Green Infrastructure into a fluid ecological art form. Working on the local level, he cultivates his universal concept of Wildscaping. This is about using plant-driven landscape design to create and sustain dynamic garden spaces, filled with beauty and wildlife, to rekindle our relationship to the natural world. The focus of this talk is how to link home to landscape in a symbiotic loop to build new nature and adapt to the inevitable extremes of the new climate.

10:15 am - 10:45 am

In-person participants: Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group. Purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

2:15 pm - 2:45 pm

In-person participants - Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

10:45 am - 11:35 am

Vernonia and Solidago, commonly called ironweeds and goldenrods, are iconic and horticulturally invaluable subjects of Mt. Cuba Center’s latest native plant trials. The recently published results of the ironweed trial and yet-to-be published results of the goldenrod trial illustrate the tremendous ornamental qualities of these plants as well as their extraordinary capacity to support wildlife in cultivation. Mt. Cuba’s Manager of Horticultural Research, Sam Hoadley, will be your guide in unpacking the conclusions from the Vernonia trial and will give a first look at the results of the three-year Solidago trial, highlighting top-performing species and cultivars that will make beautiful and ecologically valuable additions to gardens of the Mid-Atlantic region.

11:35 am - 12:25 pm

Flummoxed by the idea of non-climbing clematis? Author and Clematis Curator Linda Beutler offers new tips and tricks of growing that most stylish clematis group, the chic, non-climbing herbaceous perennials. She'll include first images of the runway-like Entry Border at the Rogerson Clematis Garden, including amazing accessories—more commonly known as companion plants.

12:25 pm - 1:25 pm

In-person participants: Explore the Arboretum and talk to horticulture staff stationed in designated gardens. Browse and purchase books sold by the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group. Purchase raffle tickets to win items donated by sponsoring organizations. Visit the Perennials Showcase, featuring cut specimen plants of interest from sponsoring organizations.

1:25 pm - 2:15 pm

Meadows, Gardens, and Meadow Gardens: Managing Native Perennial Meadow Landscapes at Any Scale with Kristie Lane Anderson; Practical Gardening: Staking Methods for Perennials with David Mattern

2:35 pm - 2:40 pm

2:40 pm - 3:45 pm

Harland Patch will explore the science behind pollinator and plant communities and how landscapes can be designed and managed to support biodiversity now and in a future of change.

3:40 pm - 4:00 pm

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join the reception with speakers for an additional $20 (in-person participants only).