Boston Flora

Tag: Iowa State University

  • Monday, July 28 – Thursday, July 31 – Perennial Plant Association National Symposium

    Prepare to be captivated by the 2025 Perennial Plant Association National Symposium taking place from July 28 – 31, in Des Moines, Iowa, the heart of the Midwest. It’s the premier event for perennial plant industry professionals seeking unparalleled education, networking, and inspiration. Join us to connect with industry leaders and deepen your horticultural knowledge.

    At the heart of the symposium is an unrivaled educational experience. Learn from industry leaders through a curated lineup of insightful presentations and panels. Gain exclusive access to tours tailored specifically for horticulture professionals, featuring tours of private and public gardens, growers, retailers, and more. The Midwest’s rich agricultural heritage and thriving horticulture scene provide the perfect backdrop for this immersive learning experience.

    The 2025 National Symposium is more than just a conference – it’s a celebration of the perennial plant community. Join us for the trade show social, where you’ll mingle with like-minded individuals and forge valuable connections. Monday will kick off with tours all concluding at The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden for refreshments. Cap off Wednesday’s tours with a dinner party at the renowned Reiman Gardens, at Iowa State University, showcasing one of the Midwest’s vibrant public gardens.

    Throughout the event, you’ll have the chance to engage with industry vendors during the trade show and explore the latest innovations and developments shaping the world of horticulture. Discover new plants during the New to the Market Forum and get a glimpse into award winning landscape design projects.

    Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this year’s PPA Family Reunion! The 2025 National Symposium promises exceptional education, unmatched networking, and unforgettable memories.

    Click here for event details including the schedule, speakers, and registration. Final registration deadline July 15.

  • Michael Dosmann Named Keeper of the Living Collections of the Arnold Arboretum

    The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is pleased to announce that it has named Dr. Michael S. Dosmann as Keeper of the Living Collections, a rare and (nearly) singular honor bestowed by the institution. Curator of the Living Collections at the Arboretum since 2007, Dr. Dosmann’s new title reflects his outstanding stewardship of the Arboretum’s renowned collection of woody plants over the past decade.
    Dr. Dosmann is only the second “Keeper” in the 145-year history of the Arnold Arboretum. The first was Ernest Henry Wilson, the Arboretum’s famed plant explorer best known for his pioneering expeditions in early-twentieth-century China. Wilson held the title of “Keeper” from 1927 to 1930. Dr. Dosmann assumes the title as the Arboretum reinvigorates Wilson’s legacy and the institution’s role as a leader in global plant exploration.
    Recognized as a leading authority on collections management of botanical collections and a tireless advocate for public gardens, Dr. Dosmann curates more than 15,000 living accessioned plants on the grounds of the Arboretum. Under his leadership, the Arboretum has vastly improved systems and protocols for mapping, documenting, and inventorying Arboretum plants, which has influenced standards at botanical institutions nationwide. Since 2015, and in collaboration with Professor William (Ned) Friedman, the eighth Director of the Arnold Arboretum, Dr. Dosmann has led the Arboretum’s efforts to accelerate efforts to explore, inventory, and collect vanishing biodiversity worldwide—the Campaign for the Living Collections—mounting or participating in multiple collecting expeditions in Asia and North America.
    Dr. Dosmann received his undergraduate degree in Public Horticulture from Purdue University (1996), and his Master’s degree (1998) and his Ph.D. (2006) from Iowa State University, and Cornell University, respectively, in Horticulture. He is the author of over 60 published articles, including 20 found within the covers of Arnoldia, the journal of the Arnold Arboretum. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Public Gardens Association, is an elected member of the Horticultural Club of Boston, and in 2014 was the on-air host of the three-part documentary Chinese Wilson produced by Central China Television. Photo courtesy of Harvard Magazine.

  • Wednesday, February 4, 11:00 am – 12:00 noon – Chic Plants for Modern Gardens: A Commentary on New Plants

    Plantsman Kelly Norris will share his views on the current state of ornamental horticulture and will provide an overview of new varieties in some of today’s hottest perennial categories…all while encouraging his audience’s feedback and sass—that’s right, some new plants just aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Jump into a rousing discussion on what makes a great garden plant and why we all need to demand more from the people who make them.

    Kelly Norris is a 20-something, award winning author and plantsman from Iowa and the horticulture manager at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. He’s well known for his book, A Guide to Bearded Irises: Cultivating the Rainbow for Beginners and Enthusiasts, which won the 2013 American Horticultural Society Book Award. Kelly’s unique 10 years of industry experience began at age 15 when he talked his parents into buying a nursery (Rainbow Iris Farm), and in that time he has become one of the few gurus on marketing horticulture to emerging demographics. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture from Iowa State University. He was the youngest person to receive the Iowa State Horticultural Society’s Presidential Citation, Award of Merit and Honor Award. In 2011 he received the Perennial Plant Association’s Young Professional Award, and in 2013 he won the Iowa Author Award for Special Interest Writing. The lecture, part of New England Grows!, will take place Wednesday, February 4 from 11 – 12 in Ballroom West, Level 3. For information and fees, visit www.newenglandgrows.org.