NEW Noteworthy &
Slow Flowers announces summit
Slowflowers. com, the comprehensive online resource that connects consumers with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers, announces the inaugural Slow Flowers Summit, a one-day conference in Seattle, Sunday, July 2, that coincides with the third annual American Flowers Week, June 28-July 4.
Called a“ TED Talk for Flower Lovers,” the lecture series targets creative professionals, thought leaders and pioneering voices in the progressive American-grown floral community, said Debra Prinzing, founder of slowflowers. com.
“ The Slow Flowers Summit will stimulate curiosity as our presenters inquire, inform, include, instigate and inspire. They will examine conventional assumptions and explore conscious and ethical practices in the floral industry,” she said.
The summit marks the 10-year anniversary of Flower Confidential with a keynote presentation by New York Times bestselling author Amy Stewart. Published in 2007, Stewart’ s Flower Confidential is an around-the-world, behindthe-scenes look at the flower industry and how it has sought— for better and worse— to achieve perfection. Stewart’ s presentation:“ Where We’ ve Come From, Where We’ re Heading” will address the many issues that have defined and redefined the American floral landscape in the past decade. Among the other speakers is Riz Reyes, who will participate in a panel that discusses diversity in floral design and horticulture.
Prinzing developed the summit as a new“ live” component to the virtual American Flowers Week campaign. AFW devotes a week of activity via regional events and social media platforms to promote domestic flowers, raise consumer awareness and unite America’ s flower farmers with the U. S. floral industry.
Registration is required and tickets are available at Event Bright.
Three GWA members among Great American Gardeners
The American Horticultural Society had announced the distinguished recipients of the Society’ s 2017 Great American Gardeners Awards. Individuals, organizations and companies that receive these awards represent the best in American gardening and horticulture. Each has contributed significantly to fields, such as plant research, garden communication, landscape design, youth gardening, floral design and teaching.
Among this year’ s winners is William A. McNamara, executive director and president of Quarryhill Botanical Garden in Glen Ellen, California, who is receiving the AHS’ s highest honor, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Award, for his many important contributions to horticulture. The AHS applauds all of this year’ s recipients for their passionate commitment to American gardening and their outstanding achievements within their area of expertise. This year’ s Great American Gardeners Award recipients are:
• William A. McNamara( Glen Ellen, California)— Liberty Hyde Bailey Award
• Thomas G. Ranney( Mills River, North Carolina)— Luther Burbank Award
• Allen Bush( Louisville, Kentucky)— Paul Ecke Jr. Commercial Award
• Brienne Gluvna Arthur( Raleigh, North Carolina)— Emerging Horticultural Professional Award
• Melissa“ Missy” Marshall( Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)— Landscape Design Award
• Vivian Boley( Alexandria, Virginia)— Meritorious Service Award
• Tom Fischer( Portland, Oregon)— B. Y. Morrison Communication Award
• Julian Duval( Encinitas, California)— Professional Award
• Lee Coykendall( Washington, DC)— Jane L. Taylor Award
• Johanna Roman( College Station, Texas)— Teaching Award
• Philadelphia Orchard Project( Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)— Urban Beautification Award
The AHS will honor these recipients June 8 during the Great American Gardeners Awards Ceremony and Banquet, held at the Society’ s headquarters in Virginia. The AHS website has descriptions of each award and brief biographies of this year’ s recipients.
Books sold at festival
Jacqueline Soule reports more than 100 copies of her latest books were sold and signed at the Tucson Festival of Books.
Tucson gardens get high marks
Linda Larson, writer and public speaker, recently attended Frida Friday at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and is now planning on revisiting other gardens. She reports that 18 months can make a major difference in the life of a garden. She offers insights at travelinggardener. com.
Allen Bush
Brienne Gluvna Arthur
Tom Fischer
State recognizes Iowa Master Gardeners
Iowa Master Gardeners, led by statewide coordinator Denny Schrock, and the Iowa Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program- Education team, led by Christine Hradek, were recipients of the 2017 Creativity in Service to All Iowans Award from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The award recognizes interdisciplinary programs that result in measurable impacts while serving Iowans in creative ways. These organizations teamed up to donate 73,465 pounds of produce to Iowa food pantries through 26 county-based, donation gardens and seven home demonstration gardens located at Iowa State University research farms.
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