2009 PRESS RELEASES
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February 2, 2009
BEAUTIFUL GARDENS™ PLANT INTRODUCTION PROGRAM
Contact: Elaine Lidholm, 804.786.7686
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association (VNLA) invite growers to an informational meeting on the Beautiful Gardens™ plant introduction program. The meeting will take place on March 2, 2009, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Halifax Agriculture Development Center in Halifax, Virginia.
The meeting will introduce growers to the VNLA Beautiful Gardens™ plant introduction program and investigate the potential for Virginia grower participation. Beautiful Gardens™ is a new program that provides a variety of new plants for the public and promotes underutilized plants. The program will stimulate expanded production opportunities for Virginia producers. Growers currently involved in or considering ornamental plant production are encouraged to attend this free informational meeting. Participants should register ahead of time by calling the Halifax Virginia Cooperative Extension Office at 434.476.2147 by February 27.
Featured speakers and topics will include:
- Introduction and Background on the Beautiful Gardens™ Program - Doug Hensel, Chairman of the Beautiful Gardens™ Committee, The Great Big Greenhouse, Richmond
- An Outline of the Structure of the Beautiful Gardens™ Program - Dr Rumen Conev, Executive Director, Beautiful Gardens™ Program, Virginia Tech Department of Horticulture
- Tissue Culture Propagation (an important focal point of the Beautiful Gardens™ program) - Dr Barry Flinn, Institute of Applied Learning and Research, Danville, associated with Virginia Tech
Additional program participants will emphasize liner production and marketing the Beautiful Gardens™ finished products. Rick Baker with VDACS will moderate the evening’s program.
For additional information, contact Bill McCaleb, Halifax County Extension, wmccaleb@pure.net, or Rick Baker, Marketing Chair, Beautiful Gardens™ program, 804.786.3951, rick.baker@vdacs.virginia.gov.