2019 SUMMER MEETING
& TRADE SHOW

August 1, 2019
Fairfax Perennial Farm
7 Blackberry Hill Road
Fairfax, VT  05454

PRE-REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

WALK-IN REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE.

PROGRAM

Our keynote speaker is Larry Weaner.  Larry has been creating native landscapes since 1977. He founded Larry Weaner Landscape Associates in 1982 and has gained a national reputation for combining ecological restoration with garden design traditions. In 2008 he received the top three design awards from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, and his work has been profiled in regional and national publications, including The New York Times. An active guest lecturer and instructor for horticultural and environmental organizations throughout the U.S, he developed New Directions in the American Landscape, a conference series dedicated to advancing the art and science of natural landscape design. Larry will be giving two presentations in the morning.

After lunch we will hold our annual “Summer Auction” which helps us fund our educational initiatives and programs.  Following the auction there will be a presentation “Beekeeping in the Nursery and Beyond” w/Ralph Fitz-Gerald of Horsford Gardens & Nursery. The rest of the afternoon will be open for everyone to participate in the “Fairfax Perennial Farm Amazing Race” where you can test your greenhouse/nursery skills and get a real taste of what “perennial farming” is all about.  The complete schedule/details are below as well as registration.  The pre-registration deadline is July 22, 2019.

SCHEDULE

8:00 – 9:00 am – Trade Show Registration

8:00 -10:30 am – VCH Exam

9:00 -10:00 am –  Keynote Speaker:  Larry Weaner, founder of Larry Weaner Landscape Associates – “Finding Your Niche: Establishing an Ecological Focus for Your Firm”.

Demand for ecologically beneficial landscapes is increasing, and businesses with an ecological focus realize an expanded client base and an invigorated creative atmosphere.  Offering an ecological approach, however, requires knowledge and skills rarely taught in horticulture and design programs.  This presentation guides landscape architects, designers, contractors, and others through what’s needed to establish a respected, visible presence in the fields of ecological landscape design and management.  Participants gain a new understanding of local plant communities, learn about design projects modeled on regional ecosystems, acquire practical design, restoration, and management techniques, and discover new ways grow their skills and businesses.

10:00 – 10:30 am – Visit with Vendors

10:30 – 11:30 – “Living in the Liberated Landscape”, w/Larry Weaner.  

All too often in our gardens and landscapes we think of static compositions of carefully placed and managed plants.  But our approach can be more dynamic—and arguably more rewarding—than that by taking advantage of plants’ natural abilities to reproduce and proliferate.  Learn how designer Larry Weaner combines design with the reproductive abilities of plants as well as ecological processes to create compelling, ever-evolving landscapes that bring new meaning to partnering with nature.  Using examples from his own property as well as diverse client projects, Larry will share how this give-and-take approach can result in compelling, low-maintenance landscapes that free plants to perform according to their natural abilities and liberate people from having to cater to their landscapes’ every need.

11:30 – 12:00 pm – Visit with Vendors/Tour

12:00 – 1:00 pm – Lunch

1:00 – 2:00 pm – VNLA/Green Works Live Auction

Please consider donating a plant, book, tool, or item of your choice for the live auction! Proceeds from the auction fund horticulture-related education awards the Association grants each year. These students are the future of our industry. Bring your wallet!

2:00 – 2:30 pm Visit with Vendors

2:30 – 3:30 pm “Beekeeping in the Nursery & Beyond” , w Ralph Fitz-Gerald, Horsford Gardens & Nursery.

Join Ralph as he shares one of his passions with us- beekeeping! Learn about what it takes to keep bees, including the equipment you need to get started.

3:30 – 4:30 pm – “The Fairfax Perennial Farm Amazing Race”.

Hannah, Dana, and their staff have put together a series of tasks where you can test your greenhouse/nursery skills and get a real taste of what “perennial farming” is all about. We will break up into teams and a friendly competition will ensue, complete with prizes at the end of this Amazing Race! We don’t want to give away too many of the details – be prepared for anything!

SPEAKER PROFILES

Larry Weaner has been creating native landscapes since 1977. He founded Larry Weaner Landscape Associates in 1982 and has gained a national reputation for combining ecological restoration with garden design traditions. In 2008 he received the top three design awards from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, and his work has been profiled in regional and national publications, including The New York Times. An active guest lecturer and instructor for horticultural and environmental organizations throughout the U.S, he developed New Directions in the American Landscape, a conference series dedicated to advancing the art and science of natural landscape design.

Ralph Fitz-Gerald has been with Horsford Gardens & Nursery for 31 years and manages the field growing side of things. In his spare time Ralph spends time tending to his bees.

You can download the brochure here:  VNLA:Green Works 2019 Summer Meeting Brochure Attendees

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION

EXHIBITOR SET-UP:

Set-up time is between 7 am – 8 am Thursday morning. If you would like to make other arrangements please contact Kristina in the office. Registration for attendees begins at 8 am.

EXHIBIT SPACE:

Booth spaces are available outside or inside in one of the greenhouses.

AUCTION:

Please consider donating an item(s) to our annual summer auction which helps raise funds for educational awards the Association sponsors.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Close by are:  Hampton Inn by Hilton, Colchester, VT – 802.655.6177; Inn at Buck Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast, Fairfax, VT -802-849-2400; DoubleTree by Hilton, S. Burlington, VT-802.865.6600, or Holiday Inn, S. Burlington, VT -802-863-6363.

EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION:

You can register below or download the registration form and mail it into the office:  2019 VNLA Summer Meeting Exhibitor Registration