2026 PPA National Symposium: Full Schedule

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8:00am EDT

PPA Business Meeting

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT

Big Ten A

All members welcome to attend to learn more about board activities and association financials.

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT
Big Ten A

Meetings

8:30am EDT

Design Track | Manifesto Destiny

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Auditorium

Apiary Studio is driven by the challenge of giving disused spaces and recycled materials a second life through thoughtful craft and experimentation. Despite being in business for more than a decade, we find that we are still figuring out who we are, and that our portfolio of built work serves as a physical manifestation of our evolving ideas about design. This presentation will focus on how our daily confrontation with waste and excess in construction has informed our values around affordability and sustainability, as well as our commitment to ensuring that all of our projects are both good and weird.

Speakers

Martha Keen

Partner + Horticulture Manager, Apiary Studio

Martha Keen is responsible for Apiary Studio’s horticulture arm, including gardening installation and maintenance, propagation and nursery procurement, and planting design. She is a graduate of the Professional Gardener Program at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, holds a... Read More →

Hans Hesselein, RLA

Principal, Apiary Studio

Possessing hands-on knowledge of construction, landscape installation, and nursery production, Hans Hesselein’s design sensibilities are rooted in the physical experience of working directly with plants and materials. Hans holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from North Carolina... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Auditorium

Core Education, Thurs Design Track

APLD Credits 1

8:30am EDT

Grower Track | The Power of Light: Controlling Flowering and Height in Perennial Production

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT

Big Ten A

In this talk, Dr. Lopez will highlight how light quality, intensity, and duration can be strategically managed to control flowering time and plant height in herbaceous perennials. Attendees will learn the latest behind spectral manipulation, and how these factors interact with temperature and plant genetics. Practical examples will demonstrate how growers can use LEDs to improve crop uniformity, reduce chemical growth regulator use, and hit market windows more precisely. The session will translate MSU research into actionable production strategies, helping perennial producers optimize growth, flowering consistency, and overall crop quality while improving sustainability and profitability goals.

Speakers

Dr. Roberto Lopez, PhD

Associate Professor, Michigan State University

Dr. Roberto Lopez is an associate professor and controlled-environment and floriculture extension specialist with a 45% research, 30% teaching, and 25% extension appointment in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University. His research focuses on propagation and production... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education, Thurs Grower Track

APLD Credits 1

9:30am EDT

Design Track | Sustainable Public Gardens and Landscapes at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Auditorium

Together with partners, PHS helps to build beauty in key public spaces across Philadelphia by managing landscapes and gardens using environmentally and ecologically responsible methods, plants and approaches. Join Andrew Bunting, PHS’s Vice President of Horticulture, for a deep dive into how PHS designs and maintains some of Philadelphia’s most iconic gardens including the Logan Square’s Swann Memorial Fountain, The Rodin Museum, The Navy Yard, Eastern State Penitentiary, the campus of Subaru of America and the innovative work at Meadowbrook Farm as well as others all while using sustainable practices.

Speakers

Andrew Bunting

Vice President of Horticulture, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture and leads the utilization of planting and design to promote environmentally sound gardening practices at PHS. Andrew has elevated each of the departments he oversees and has increased the brand and visibility of PHS through their respective... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Auditorium

Core Education, Thurs Design Track

APLD Credits 1

9:30am EDT

Grower Track | Technology Advances for Weed Identification + Diagnosing Herbicide Injury

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Big Ten A

This session brings together two unique services from MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics: plant identification and herbicide injury diagnosis. Smartphones can be powerful tools for plant ID—but when should you trust plant identification apps, and when should you be cautious? After eight years of reviewing these technologies, we’ll share the essential “dos and don’ts.” In addition, we’ll showcase real-life examples of herbicide injury to help you protect your crops and ask the right questions when problems arise.

Speakers

Dr. Erin Hill, PhD

Weed Science Diagnostician, Michigan State University

Dr. Erin Hill serves as the weed science diagnostician for Michigan State University Plant and Pest Diagnostics. She is responsible for plant identification, assessing abiotic plant injuries, and screening for herbicide resistance for the diverse plant industries and clients across... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education, Thurs Grower Track

APLD Credits 1

10:35am EDT

Trade Show & Break

Thursday July 30, 2026 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Big Ten BC

Visit our Trade Show Exhibitors!
Coffee, Tea and Snacks Available.

Sponsors

American Beauties Native Plants

Neonic Free and America's 1st Native Plant Brand!

Creek Hill Nursery

Creek Hill Nurseries sell liners of 21-cell, 50-cell and 72-cell trays for wholesale industry only. We focus on plants hardy to zone 6 or colder, grown in our facilities in Leola, PA.

Gro 'n Sell

Gro ‘n Sell is known industry wide as a wholesale grower of high-quality starter plants. Located in Chalfont, PA, our three acre facility houses a large variety of plug and liner trays, annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, and specialty products. We provide quality starter plants... Read More →

Mariani Plants

We strive to be a complete source of perennials for landscapers, retailers, and re-wholesalers, and quality is our top priority for every customer. To ensure the highest quality perennials, our growers follow a strict preventative fungicide program and continuously scout our perennial... Read More →

Midwest Trading

Midwest Trading is a wholesale supplier leading the Green Industry in Chicagoland with sustainable products for over 40 years. We specialize in greenhouse and nursery mixes, custom-engineered soils for green roofs, bioswales and rain gardens. We also provide landscape mulches, soil... Read More →

Must Have Perennials

Must Have Perennials® was originally founded under the name Blooms of Bressingham. It has been providing exceptional quality perennials for over 25 years.

We are an organization geared towards representing and supporting breeders. We have attracted some of the best talent in the... Read More →

Plantworks Nursery

Plantworks is exlusively a wholesale supplier of herbaceous plants to the industry. We offer a wide range of annuals, daylilies, ferns, groundcovers, herbs, hosta, ornamental grasses, perennials, succulents, tropicals and vines. Plantworks is growing neonicotinoid free.

Tennessee Wholesale Nursery

TN Nursery is a trusted online plant nursery offering various trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns, and ground covers. We specialize in high-quality, affordable plants grown in environmentally friendly conditions.

Unex Inc.

Unex Inc. exports high quality flower bulbs and perennials, which are grown and cultivated in The Netherlands. As one of the leading Dutch exports, we specialize in high quality products for the North American, European and Asian market.

Van Berkum Nursery

A family-owned wholesale perennial nursery, proudly growing since 1987.

Thursday July 30, 2026 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Big Ten BC

Trade Show

11:20am EDT

Design Track | Building Pollinator Gardens: Collaboration, Design, and Impact

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:20am - 12:20pm EDT

Auditorium

Pollinator gardens are a hot garden design concept. But what does this really entail and how do you get designers, suppliers, organizations, and consumers all working together to create these places? From my first small pollinator garden design in 1995, to working on a grant with the Ohio State University and the University of Michigan for the past two years and creating templates for pollinator gardens across the state of Ohio, a lot has changed. Collaboration, connection, and a different aesthetic are essential for creating and managing these gardens. Let’s talk…

Speakers

Debra Knapke

Owner, The Garden Sage, LLC

After two other careers, in 1992 Debra turned her avocation of plant study and gardening into her full-time life path when she showed up at Dr. Steve Still’s office at Ohio State and asked him to be her advisor. He was initially hesitant as her degrees and jobs in music and Speech-Language... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:20am - 12:20pm EDT
Auditorium

Core Education, Thurs Design Track

APLD Credits 1

11:20am EDT

Grower Track | Making Biostimulants Work for You: Tips for Success

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:20am - 12:20pm EDT

Big Ten A

Biostimulants can be used to promote plant growth and enhance stress tolerance, but do these products do all that they claim? What type of biostimulants are available and what should you consider before choosing a product? In this seminar you will learn about the types of biostimulants and how their efficacy may be affected by growing environment, substrate properties, plant species, and fertilizer applications. Learn about successes, challenges, and the importance of conducting in-house trials.

Speakers

Dr. Michelle Jones, PhD

Professor and Associate Chair for Research, Ohio State University, Horticulture and Crop Science Department

Dr. Michelle Jones studied Agricultural Biochemistry at Iowa State University for her BS and received her PhD in Horticulture from Purdue University. Her love of Floriculture stems from an undergraduate honors research project evaluating the effect of ethylene on carnation vase... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 11:20am - 12:20pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education, Thurs Grower Track

APLD Credits 1

12:25pm EDT

Trade Show & Lunch Break

Thursday July 30, 2026 12:25pm - 2:00pm EDT

Big Ten BC

The meal ticket available for purchase during registration can be used at Brody Square, across the street from the Kellogg Hotel. If you did not purchase the meal ticket, we encourage you to dine at the State Room at Kellogg.

Last chance to check in with exhibitors before the trade show closes!

Thursday July 30, 2026 12:25pm - 2:00pm EDT
Big Ten BC

Trade Show

2:00pm EDT

Growing Ecological Literacy

Thursday July 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT

Big Ten A

Refugia Design, based in Greater Philadelphia since 2015, embraces the ethos of designing landscapes that support native ecosystems to create biological corridors of refuge for plants, people and wildlife. Join founder Jeff Lorenz and Sarah Leaskey (RLA) to learn more about their award-winning design-build-stewardship approach and the potential for high impact, low input landscapes in building connectivity, restoring natural systems and growing ecological literacy in neighborhoods. Passionate about planting a new paradigm and educational opportunities that pique curiosity, find out how an awareness of sound, movement, responsibly sourced materials and the built environment can create immersive, expansive outdoor spaces in which to explore, learn and unwind.

Speakers

Sarah Leaskey, RLA, ASLA

Chief Operating Officer, Refugia Design

Sarah is a licensed Landscape Architect and Refugia’s Chief Operating Officer. Her portfolio of prior work after nearly two decades at OLIN features a variety of complex corporate and institutional campus projects. Sarah is passionate about planting design and her work re-imagines... Read More →

Jeff Lorenz

Refugia Design, Founder

As founder of Refugia Design, Jeff Lorenz combines his decades of experience in landscape design and stewardship with a desire for innovation. His sensibility is for immersive outdoor sanctuary spaces that seek to coexist with nature. Jeff is the creative thinker behind Refugia’s... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education

APLD Credits 1

3:00pm EDT

Landscape Design Awards

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Big Ten A

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education

3:30pm EDT

Break

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT

Big Ten A

Coffee/tea available.

Sponsors

American Beauties Native Plants

Neonic Free and America's 1st Native Plant Brand!

Gro 'n Sell

Mariani Plants

Must Have Perennials

Plantworks Nursery

Tennessee Wholesale Nursery

Unex Inc.

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education

4:00pm EDT

Outgoing Board & 2027 National Symposium Announcement

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

Big Ten A

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education

4:15pm EDT

Special Recognition Awards

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT

Big Ten A

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education

4:30pm EDT

Designing with Perennials for Beautiful Gardens in a Changing Climate

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT

Big Ten A

As climate conditions grow more challenging, gardens must do more than look good—they must function with less, adapt over time, and support the complex web of life that’s still around us. In this lecture, Jeff Epping explores how herbaceous perennials, combined with trees and shrubs, form the foundation of living landscapes that balance beauty, adaptability, and ecological performance.

His presentation examines how perennials are integrated into mixed borders, naturalistic meadows, and gravel gardens to create landscapes that thrive with limited irrigation and reduced chemical and energy inputs. Examples are drawn from residential, municipal, and commercial projects he designed and consulted on throughout southern Wisconsin, including his work with the City of Madison and healthcare giant Epic Systems.

Rather than viewing gardens as static compositions, this session frames landscapes as living systems designed to evolve. Attendees will gain insight into how perennials can serve as long-term design partners—creating resilient, responsive gardens capable of thriving amid climatic uncertainty.

Speakers

Jeff Epping

Owner, Epping Design & Consulting, LLC

Jeff’s passion for plants and gardening is reflected in his 35-year career as an award-winning horticulturist and garden designer. During his 28 years as Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, he transformed a lawn-laden landscape into a nationally acclaimed public... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm EDT
Big Ten A

Core Education

APLD Credits 1

6:00pm EDT

The Broad Perspective: Art, Plants, & People

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:00pm - 10:00pm EDT

Broad Art Museum

Separately ticketed dinner. Tickets are $145 per person and include the full dining and program experience.

Enjoy an inspiring evening at the MSU Broad Art Museum featuring dinner, drinks, and inspiring conversation. Guests will hear a short presentation by Maeve Bassett of the Michigan State Horticulture Gardens, offering insights into the beauty and impact of cultivated landscapes.

"Bizarre Botany: The Drunken, Deadly, and Delicious"
Join Maeve Bassett, Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Director of Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum, for a deep dive into the scandalous, intoxicating, and downright weird history of the plants we think we know. This presentation examines the profound cultural and chemical impact of our favorite flora, from the high-stakes world of boozy botanicals and the seductive secrets of chocolate to the lethal legacy of the nightshade family. From ancient myths to modern vices, unearth the strange stories hidden in every leaf and petal.

The Broad Art Museum is located on the edge of Michigan State University’s campus in an iconic building designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid. The building was even featured in the Batman v. Superman movie!

Speakers

Maeve Bassett

Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Director, Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum at Michigan State University

As an Applied Ethnobotanist and Education Director of Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum at Michigan State University, Maeve Bassett uses the dark, funny, weird, gross, and fascinating history of plants to facilitate connections between people, the natural world, and contemporary... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 6:00pm - 10:00pm EDT
Broad Art Museum

Ticketed Dinner

8:00am EDT

8:30am EDT

8:30am EDT

9:30am EDT

9:30am EDT

10:35am EDT

11:20am EDT

11:20am EDT

12:25pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

3:00pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

4:15pm EDT

4:30pm EDT

6:00pm EDT

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