Erik Runkle
Horticulture

The sixth annual Michigan Garden Plant Tour is right around the corner: August 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). 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. This year, seven leading companies are participating with MSU: C. Raker and Sons, Duwayne's Greenhouses, Four Star Greenhouse, Mast Young Plants, Pell Greenhouses, Walters Gardens, and Zylstra Greenhouses.

Companies are open Monday through Friday during normal business hours, and there is no fee to visit the companies. Participants are asked to contact the sites in advance so that they know you are coming. The MSU Horticulture Gardens are open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. Please 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.

In coordination with the Michigan Garden Plant Tour, MSU is hosting the Garden Plant Showcase on Tuesday, August 4. This half-day program features unbiased comparisons of ornamentals in a landscaped setting and an educational program featuring:

• Landscapes for the Future – Plants, People, and Ecosystems (Bob Schutzki)
• Top Trial Performers in 2009 (Chris Noffsinger)
• Favorite Annual and Perennial Plants for the Midwest (Art Cameron)
• Managing Greenhouse Temperature in an Energy-Efficient Manner (Erik Runkle)

The $35 fee per person for the MSU Garden Plant Showcase includes the program, a trial booklet, parking, and lunch. Click here to register. We hope you can join us and your colleagues for this informative and fun event.