June 4, 2009 — Mark your calendars – the sixth annual Michigan Garden Plant Tour will be held Aug. 3 to 14. Greenhouse growers, landscapers, plant retailers, breeders, nurserymen and plant enthusiasts are invited to attend this two-week coordinated open house of young plant producers and Michigan State University (MSU).
Seven leading companies are participating with MSU:
• C. Raker and Sons
• Duwayne’s Greenhouses
• Four Star Greenhouse
• Mast Young Plants
• Pell Greenhouses
• Walters Gardens
• Zylstra Greenhouses.
 |
Mast Young Plants (PHOTO COURTESY MSU)
|
Each young plant producer showcases their plant specialties and product lines in their outdoor gardens. It’s a great way to evaluate garden plant performance in a variety of outdoor settings and in containers.
Companies are open weekdays during normal business hours. The MSU Horticulture Gardens are open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. Participants are asked to contact the sites in advance so they know you are coming. Visit the Michigan Garden Plant Tour website at www.hrt.msu.edu/planttour, or call Sandy Allen at 517-355-5191, ext. 1339 for more information.
The website contains highlights of each company’s open house, contact information, and interactive maps to help navigate from one location to the next. There is no fee to visit participating companies.
The MSU Garden Plant Showcase educational program on Tuesday, Aug. 4th costs $35 per person and includes lunch. This year, the presentations at the MSU Garden Plant Showcase include:
• Landscapes for the Future – Plants, People, and Ecosystems (Bob Schutzki).
• Top Trial Performers in 2009 (Chris Noffsinger).
• Favourite Annual and Perennial Plants for the Midwest (Art Cameron).
• Managing Greenhouse Temperature in an Energy-Efficient Manner (Erik Runkle).
|
