June 2011 news
- 1. PPA News The Newsletter of the Perennial Plant Association 2010 - 2011 Volume 15 Number 5 See page 2 for the latest legislative news. President John hoffman sent updates on federal activity regarding immigration and employment! Are you ready to FlASh! We have procured a few meet in Atlanta? more rooms at the hy see all those companies that supply your plant material? att. You can register online at http://bit.ly/pp meet designers who request the plants that dictate much of the market? aregistration OR call the hyatt direc tly OR call us. hear world-known experts explain the latest in plants, design, If you were unable to find a room in the last growing techniques, green secrets? days, you can now re- few try. visit renowned nurseries? Earlier newsletters did not contain this visit one of North Americas largest product-merchandise houses? news, so this is ThE MO ST wander trial gardens? recent info! tour private, special gardens not open to the public? Then you are ready for Atlanta! Book that hotel NOW. The cutoff date was June 21. It is better to book and cancelled than never to have booked at all (Yes, I did say that). We can try to help you book rooms at this time but cannot be sure of success. Call us if you need help. There is a huge marketing convention in town at the same time and that convention is using many Atlanta hotels. It will be fun with all the activity in town but rooms will be at a premium or unavailable. Book at: Hyatt Regency Atlanta 265 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-577-1234 http://bit.ly/pparegistration peach of a symposium! See page 3 for an invitation for 20-somethings or teen-somethings Come to Atlanta-it will be a See page 6 for information about your opportunity to support the Perennial Plant Association Foundation Silent Action for PPA Scholarships Symposium-A Thumbnail Sketch of the Week Sunday - July 17 Thursday - July 21 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Registration, Hyatt Regency Atlanta 6:45 am PPA Business Meeting Monday - July 18 7:00 am - 5:00 am Registration, Regency Registration Area 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Registration, Regency Registration Area 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Trade Show - Grand Hall West 8:20 am - 5:00 pm Plants - Design - Pizzazz: A Potpourri of Perennials 8:00 am - 12:30 pm Concurrent Lectures 7:15 am - 6:00 pm The Gardeners Garden Tour - Design-Retail Tour Retail Session- Regency Ballroom VI 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Reception - Regency Ballroom Landscape/Design Session -Regency Ballroom Tuesday - July 19 Grower Session - Regency Ballroom V 6:30 am - 5:00 pm Registration, Regency Registration Area 12:30 pm Lunch on your own 7:45 am -12:30 pm General Session Lectures - Regency Ballrooms 1:30 pm - 5:45 pm General Session Lectures - Regency Ballroom 9:00 am - 5:15 pm Trade Show - Grand Hall West Friday - July 22 12:30 pm Lunch on your own 6:30 am Registration 1:30 pm - 5:45 pm Concurrent Lectures 7:00 am - 9:30 pm Athens Grower Tour Retail Session - Regency Ballroom VI 7:00 am - 9:30 pm Athens Retail, Research and Design Tour Landscape/Design Session - Regency Ballroom VII Saturday - July 23 Grower Session - Regency Ballroom V 6:30 am Registration 5:45 pm PPA Committee Meetings 7:15 am - 9:00 pm South to Callaway Gardens Tour Wednesday - July 20 6:15 am Registration, Regency Registration Area 6:45 am- 6:30 pm Urban Treasures Professional Tour
- 2. Legislative News: E-Verify Law - the Chamber of Commerce of the United States v. Whiting and the Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act President Hoffman alerted the PPA office to activity about employment practices relative to immigration John Hoffman recently forwarded details about a case decided by the US Supreme Court. This communication included information from the American Nursery and Landscape Associations (ANLA) Government Relations. The PPA takes this opportunity to inform members about an issue pertinent to horticulture business. In Chamber of Commerce of the United to be aware of regulations and to make view- States v. Whiting, the issue before the court points known. was whether an Arizona law is preempted by There is some speculation that other states federal law. The US Supreme Court upheld may enact similar laws to require that employ- the Arizona employer sanction law. The Court ees are able to verify legal status to be added to found that the Arizona requirement that em- payrolls. The nursery and landscape industries ployers use the federal E-Verify program as a have proponents with varying viewpoints. It condition of obtaining/maintaining a business will be important to be astute regarding this license is valid. The Supreme Court upheld issue because the scope is very wide and very the 9th Circuits finding that the Arizona law inclusive. The PPA will keep you alerted as is not preempted by federal law. The Supreme we receive information. Courts ruling is that Congress has exclusive The US Citizenship and Immigration authority to regulate and enforce immigration Services website may be found simply by law except when it comes to enacting licens- searching Google for: ing a specific exception set forth in the law. uscis - e-verify The Court specifically limited its opinion to When you reach the Google page, click on these specific issues. Link to the full decision Learn the facts about E-Verify. The entire by going to http://www.supremecourt.gov/ address is very long but the site can easily be opinions/10pdf/09-115.pdf found in the manner just described. The long The green industry is only one of many address is: that is potentially affected by requirements http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menu- represented in this law. It seems that manual item.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?v labor jobs are most affected by the laws and gnextoid=04db32802cbc8210VgnVCM100000 rulings. This subject has been long discussed 082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=04db32802c and, regardless of ones position, this is a time bc8210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD The following is copied from the above mentioned US Citizenship and Immigration About Services web page. This is a division of the US Department of homeland Security. E-Verify What is E-Verify? E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employees Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility. Why E-Verify? Why do people come to the United States illegally? They come here to work. The public can, and should, choose to reward companies that follow the law and employ a legal workforce. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is working to stop unauthorized employment. By using E-Verify to determine the employment eligibility of their employees, companies be- come part of the solution in addressing this problem. Who Uses E-Verify? More than 225,000 employers, large and small, across the United States use E-Verify to check the employment eligibility of their employees, with about 1,000 new businesses signing up each week. While participation in E-Verify is voluntary for most businesses, some companies may be required by state law or federal regulation to use E-Verify. For example, most employers in Ari- zona and Mississippi are required to use E-Verify. E-Verify is also mandatory for employers with federal contracts or subcontracts that contain the Federal Acquisition Regulation E-Verify clause. PPANews June, 2011 Page 2
- 3. 20-somethings or teen-somethings? Are you teen-something or 20-something? Do you have a friend or employee or student or intern or child who is? We want that person to join us for refreshments and conversation during the PPA Atlanta Symposium. Keep posted for details. All are welcome. They can all come, meet the Board, find other young professionals or those interested in perennials. Add that info to your registration form or refer them to ppa@ perennialplant.org or go to www.perennialplant.org. And remember-students register for half price! Opinions for and against the process of E-Verify are all over the Web and in broadcast venues. Legislative News At the heart of the matter are a few key issues including: Continued: 1. Should workers be in the United States without proper employment documentation? Opinions 2. Is it reasonable to expect workers (legally or illegally working here) to carry citizenship proof at all times? 3. Will industry be able to thrive without the (maybe undocumented) workforce presently employed in many areas of the country? That is, does business lose needed labor? 4. Will unemployed US citizens fill vacancies created by missing laborers if those presently employed cannot produce proof of work permit or citizenship? 5. Will employers have to pay higher wages to a properly-documented workforce? 6. Will there be extra management costs to ensure documentation through E-Verify? Texas (and other states) is considering a law similar to the one written in Arizona. The Texas Tribune, an online news source, on June 2 outlined some pros and cons of the E-Verify process. An excerpt from the article entitled E-Verify Bill May Find New Life in Special Session follows: Conservatives said the outcome is a victory for state governments frustrated with what they deem is federal inaction on border security and illegal immigration. . . State Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, the chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, said lawmakers from both sides of the aisle had concerns about the Dont give accuracy of the program and said he would recommend an interim study to evaluate the up-its effectiveness of the system. . . (Go to www.texastribune.org/ and click on Immigration at the top.) a long The Christian Science Monitor presented other opinions on June 2. Here are bits from an article! article entitled Silent raids and E-Verify immigration enforcement are destroying US farms: Other states may follow in Arizonas footsteps after the Supreme Court upheld an earlier Arizona law that requires businesses to use E-Verify and gives the state the right to suspend or rescind licenses from any business that knowingly hires undocumented people. . . This latest enforcement-only legislation mandatory E-Verify will probably pass the House and other state legislatures this year.. . . But these enforcement-only policies will further devastate immigrant communities and ravage labor-intensive agriculture. . .The central economic question for US legislators: Should our country continue to pro- duce fruits and vegetables? If so, our representatives need to protect experienced farm workers who are already here and ensure that growers can hire immigrant laborers to do the seasonal farm-work that Americans dont want to do. (Go to www.csmonitor. com/Commentary. Click on the Opinion article) As PPA members, your mission should be to arm yourself with facts. Many see the E-Verify system as limiting employment and expansion of business because it may be difficult to substan- Member tiate the legality of some or many workers. These people might argue that it is a hardship for Mission individual workers to always carry proper documentation. Others see this process as protecting the United States worker and US citizenship privileges, that those who are citizens are hungry for jobs and should not be undercut by employees that may or may not be illegally in the country, but as the least cannot present proper credentials. Stay informed, this is a big issue for many of our members. If you find this an interesting topic, keep digging and making your opinion known. 速 PPANews June, 2011 Page 3
- 4. Americas Mart速 Yall Are Invited! The 29th Perennial Plant Symposium offers a unique opportunity to visit the AmericasMart速 The Worlds Larg- est Collection of Product. Many retail members of the PPA are familiar with AmericasMart速 and have traveled previously to Atlanta to view and buy merchandise. Floors 9 and 10 contain the largest selection of indoor/outdoor furnishings, gifts and accessories. These floors are the candy shop for finding new products. AmericasMart速 is offering an exciting op- portunity and it is available to all PPA symposium attendees. Every attendee will be pre-registered at AmericasMart速 for Thursday, July 21st and will have access to all Open Daily Showrooms, inclusive of all Living, Indoor/Outdoor速, The Gardens速 showrooms. Additionally, your badge allows you access to The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market (Permanent Showrooms open Wednesday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 20 and Temporary Exhibits open Friday, July 15 - Tuesday, July 19. Your AmericasMart速 show badge will be available when you pick up your PPA symposium credentials. AmericasMart速 is only a block away from the Hyatt. In addition to a shopping experience, attendees will also have an opportunity to hear two presentations on Thursday morning, July 21. Retailing in the New Economy as it Applies to Retailing in Garden Centers and Art of Shopping and Good Customer Service will be presented on the 10th floor of AmericasMart速. Do not miss this opportunity to visit one of the premier merchandise marts in North America. Register today for the 29th Perennial Plant Symposium and receive a complimentary show badge for the AmericasMart速. Members in Print-Recent Publications of our Members Author Ruth Rogers Clausen Book Title 50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants Number of Pages 224 Images 84 color photos Publisher Timber Press ISBN ISBN-10: 1604691956ISBN-13: 9781604691955 Book Description 50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants makes keeping deer away as simple as choosing the appropri- ate plant. Instead of the typical barriers and fencing, expert plantswoman Ruth Rogers Clausen has chosen the 50 most beautiful (and least palatable) annuals, bulbs, ferns, grasses, herbs, perennials, and shrubs. Whether its the charming snow crocuses that bloom each spring or the vibrant, long- blooming Texas Sage, these 50 plants provide gardeners a chance to design a deer-proof garden with- out sacrificing style. Each plant profile includes a deer-resistance scale, tips on growth and care, zone recommendations, and gorgeous color photos showing the plant up close and in the garden setting. This book also includes dozens of companion planting ideas. Availability After June 15-See Timber Press website: www.timberpress.com/books/ List Price $19.95 If you are an author of a book that is currently in print, or you know a member who has published a book, and has not yet been featured in PPA News please contact the PPA office at (614)771-8431 or ppa@perennialplant.org to provide us with the author(s) name(s), number of pages, publisher, ISBN#, a brief description, and availability. Great Facts About PPA! This may become one of those unconventional or irrelevant or irreverent features that pop up in the newsletter but some content shows great work or creativity or determination on the parts of our members. Send us not-to-be-missed notes and we will publish them here. Only a sentence or two. This issue, we note the accomplishment of some of our larger grower members. Fact: Many of the largest growers in North America are PPA members. We all interact with We are all sizes of operations. That is one of the beauties of belonging to PPAwe are all friends and we the TOPS! are all in this together! PPA members among those top 100 identified by Greenhouse Grower magazine are: Aris, Ohio; Bailey Nurseries, Inc., Minnesota; Garden State Growers, New Jersey; Hines, Cali- fornia; N.G. Heimos, Illinois; Northwest Horticulture, Washington; Petitti Garden Center, Ohio; Smith Gardens, Inc., Washington; Stacys Greenhouses, South Carolina; Willoway Nurseries, Ohio. Congratulations to all on a job well done, especially in this economy! PPANews June, 2011 Page 4
- 5. Thank You to our 2011 Symposium Sponsors! Tote Bag Sponsor- They provide our re-usable, collectible totes! Beverage Break Sponsor- Rijnbeek is hosting a beverage break! Water Bottle Sponsor- Sponsor of eco-friendly water bottles to use during the meeting and to take home! Advertising Sponsor- R. N AT U R A Country Folks Grower has spread the word M L TS nation-wide about the SU UC PE R Since 1988 D IO O R S IL PR 29th Perennial Plant Symposium! O Saul Nurseries, Inc. Beverage Break Sponsor- The Vitamin Institute is hosting a beverage break! Remember to Support these Fine Sponsors of the 29th PPA Symposium They are loyal investors in the industry! PPANews June, 2011 Page 5
- 6. Neighbor News Perennial Plant Association Foundation Silent Action in Support of PPA Scholarships Have you packed your PPA Foundation donations into that Atlanta-bound suitcase? Remember to add your favorite item to this years auction. There will be NO containers at this years symposium so we are in great need of donations for the PPA Foundation Auction. Popular auction contributions include garden books from our talented authors, seeds, garden art, containers, tools, or services such as garden consultations or lectures. Gift certificates are always in good taste! Of course, we all enjoy plants. Some vendors donate the contents of booths or display containers. Items are limited only by your imagination! Call us if you need more information. ISU The ISU (International Stauden Union) sent us an update from our sister organization that serves primarily the Euro- pean growers much as the PPA does its members. Perennial Plant Association members are invited to join the ISU. Dues for North Americans are $95 IF the members join through the PPA. There is an agreement between the two organiza- tions that this reduced rate will be honored if members join by becoming a PPA Group Member. Many PPA members are already ISU members and will soon be invoiced for the most recent dues. Call us at 614-771-8431 or write ppa@perenni- alplant.org for more information. Nico Rijnbeek sent a recent newsletter from ISU and we have excerpts from it below: This and more is available via email to PPA members who have joined the ISU. August 17-21, 2012 From Nicos communication: STILL 14 MONTHS TO GO Still 14 months to go and then the next ISU congress will be held in the Netherlands. Two Dutch organizations, De Vereniging van Vasteplantenkwekers (the Dutch Perennial Growers Associa- tion) and Anthos (the Royal Dutch Trade Association for Flowerbulbs and Nurserystock) have been asked to organize the congress. They started an official committee on the 12th of April 2011, named Stichting ISU congress 2012. The members are: Aad Vollebregt, chairman Hein de Boer, secretary Nico Rijnbeek, treasurer Gerard Heemskerk and Matthijs Mesken. Henk de Jong of Rabobank Hillegom is the advisor of the committee. The congress program The official congress will be held on Friday August 17 (arrival), Saturday August 18, Sunday Au- gust 19, Monday August 20 and Tuesday August 21. Even though the programm is not complete yet, visiting colleagues, visiting gardens, visiting Floriade 2012 ( www.floriade.nl) will be part of it. On Wednesday August 22nd there will be a possibility to visit TheTrade Fair and Plantarium in Boskoop (www.plantarium.nl). On Plantaruim 300 businesses from all over the world will present a collection of nursery stock for the consumer market. Visiting Plantarium is not part of the official congress, but the committee will make it possible for you to visit it. ISU members and PPA members of ISU will receive newsletters on a regular basis from the committee to keep you informed. ISU/PPA members will be kept current on ISU happenings. We will publish highlights in the PPA News. The committee will keep the PPA informed about the 2012 Congress. PPANews June, 2011 Page 6
- 7. Members Add these members to your membership list. Some have just renewed and some have joined for the first time! Students are invited to attend the Perennial Plant Association Symposium at half price. This is a good way to boost our membership: Bring a student. Student membership is $20 per year and the symposium is half price. What a deal! We have one correction-Eric Grofts name was misspelled in the last newsletter. It is correct here. Sorry, Eric. We are happy to have you aboard. Patricia Bigelow Larry Fransen Jeff Mason Bigelow Nurseries, Inc. Red Oak Garden Center & Landscaping Mason House Gardens 455 West Main St./PO Box 718 4100 Steiner St. 3520 Durham Rd. #1, RR#4 Northboro MA 01532 St. Bonifactus MN 55375 Uxbridge ON L9P 1R4 Canada Hannah Blum Mike Gibbs ProPlants Summit Plastic Co. Jenny Napier 4840 Eastgate Mall 9740 E. Hwy. 318 Fixler Corner Gardens San Diego CA 92121 Citra FL 32113 2480 Fixler Rd. Wadsworth OH 44281 Joyce Brown Dominic Gillooly Willow Creek Nursery, LLC 2813 Kilgore Ave Joshua Pecukonis 10630 Hwy. 58 Raleigh NC 27607 49 Cove Lane Ooltewah TN 37263 Great Falls MT 59404 Eric Groft Pamela Carter Oehme, Van Sweden & Associates, Inc. Scott Rothenberger Deer & Gardens LLC 800 G St. SE PLACE 2645 S Hickory Ridge Trail Washington DC 20003 86 Laura Dr. Milford MI 48380 Barto PA 19504 Michael Iarvow Kedong Da Holly Hill Farms Greg Steele Dan River Plant Propagation 815 Pond Neck Rd. Willow Ridge Garden Center 150 Slayton Ave Earleville MD 21919 97 Oak Ridge Turnpike Danville VA 24540 Oak Ridge TN 37830 Bobbie Jo Jarvis Michael Dobres UF Cooperative Extension (Pasco) Julia Viel NovaFlora 36702 State Rd. 52 Holden Arboretum 25 Lewis Rd Dade City FL 33525 9500 Sperry Rd. West Grove PA 19390 Kirtland OH 44694 Sarah Leach Martha Dupuis Williams 2351 Stevens Road Sandra Weber Trading Post Raleigh NC 27610 Sandra Weber Garden Design 556 Wareham Street 3 Nimitz Place Middleboro MA 02346 Katherine Macdonald Old Greenwich CT 06870 Massachusetts Horticultural Society JoAnne Fischer 900 Washington Street Carmel Womack In The Garden Wellesley MA 02482 Gardens from the Heart 1325 Bellwood Ave. 13279 Meadowside Drive Louisville KY 40204 Dallas TX 75240 PPANews June, 2011 Page 7
- 8. England Tour in August-September: The Places You Will Go! The Perennial Plant Association is offering a tour to England to experience gardens and nurseries there. The tour will originate and end at Heathrow Airport, London. The 13-day tour starts at 12 noon, August 22 at Heathrow Airport Selected Highlights and ends on September 3 back at Heathrow. Wisley Gardens london This is a special trip-and at this economic time, this Great Dixter is a great rate for traveling, considering the value of the Bressingham Gardens Cornwall English pound. Isle of Jersey Another real advantage to the England tour is that Isle of Guernsey we are traveling with others interested in perennials. Cornwall Gardens There is never a stranger in this group. Tourees have as much or as little companionship as they want. Every- one really enjoys discovering new plants and new plant Guernsey uses. We will visit a few noted gardens outside London Jersey before travelling southwest to cross to the beautiful Channel Islands for three days. The tour concludes with four days Surrey in the Cornwall area. Lodging, first class ground transpor- Suffolk tation, several dinners and all breakfasts are included. Tourees are responsible for their own transportation between home and Londons Heathrow Airport. Give us a call for details (614-771-8431) or look on the Kent web www.perennialplant.org hampshire See you in Atlanta! Call us if you need any assistance! PPANews June, 2011 Page 8