Phipps recommends:
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

Featured

Learn from the experts, gather inspiration, and shop for unique plants.

Join Phipps, Penn State Extension and Shady Side Academy for a day of insightful discussions and presentations from several special guests, as well as opportunities to shop for unique plants and accessories, at Shady Side Academy’s Hillman Center for Performing Arts in Fox Chapel.

Register by contacting us at sbertovich@phipps.conservatory.org or 412/441-4442, ext. 3925. Tickets cost $99 per person before April 1, 2013 and $115 after; includes continental breakfast and lunch. A limited number of scholarships are also available. Call 412/441-4442, ext. 3925 for an application.

Garden Marketplace is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., offering annuals, perennials, shrubs, vegetable seeds and much more.

SCHEDULE (Full Audience)

Garden Marketplace
Shady Side Ice Skating Rink
8 – 8:45 a.m.

Growing Alpines and Miniature Plants
Joseph Tychonievich
8 – 9 a.m.
Early Bird Workshop (additional $12 fee; limited enrollment)
Miniature and alpine plants are perfect for containers and small space gardens and are becoming ever more popular. Joseph will share his expertise on growing these plants in containers and in the ground, and will provide information about some of his favorite and most unusual specimens. Workshop attendees receive a free plant.

Registration/Continental Breakfast
Hillman Center for Performing Arts
8:30 – 9 a.m.

Welcome/Introductions
Hillman Center for Performing Arts
9:15 a.m.

The Perennial Plant Collector’s Corner
Kerry Mendez
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
This talk is for plantaholics seeking unusual, fun, outrageous or underused perennials that will have heads turning and onlookers mumbling, “What is that?” As an avid collector, Kerry has walked miles in her muck boots to find plants that transform ho-hum gardens into extraordinary spaces.

(Choose a track for the following portion of the day’s schedule.)
Track A

Contemporary Planting Design Using Native Plants
Thomas Rainer
10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
While native plants grow in popularity, there is surprisingly little information about how to design with them in gardens and landscapes. As a result, native gardens often end up looking messy and wild. This talk offers a critique of the current approach to designing with native plants and suggests an alternative: composition based on artful interpretations of native plant communities. Thomas will examine how to read native communities, identify patterns, and artfully replicate those patterns in gardens. Above all, the lecture will focus on creating bold, modern designs that celebrate the beauty of natives.

Garden Marketplace & Ten Minute Tips Sessions
Noon – 12:45 p.m.

Lunch
 12:45 – 1:30 p.m.

Track B
Garden Marketplace & Ten Minute Tips Sessions
10:45 – 11:30 a.m.

Lunch
 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Branch Out with Flowering Shrubs
Kerry Mendez 12:30 –1:30 p.m.
Do you want to add drama, winter interest and colorful flowers to your gardens while reducing maintenance time? Kerry will introduce some spectacular flowering shrubs and discuss their care.

(Full Audience)

Natural Enemies of Landscape Insect Pests
Whitney Cranshaw
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
This image-rich talk will focus on the primary species involved in the biological control of pests, insects and mites, discussing what they look like, what they can do, and how to encourage their activities.

Chanticleer, A Pleasure Garden
Bill Thomas
2:50 – 4 p.m.
Join Chanticleer Executive Director and Head Gardener Bill Thomas for a visual tour and behind-the-scenes look at what the Washington Post calls “one of the most interesting and edgy public gardens in America.” Open to the public only since 1993, Chanticleer is known for its plant combinations featuring foliage textures and colors, its wide variety of containers, and its imaginative homemade furniture. While discussing the design principles that have led Chanticleer over the last century, Bill will explore the passions that inspired its owners and gardeners.

Concluding Remarks/Drawing
 4 p.m.

This conference qualifies for Landscape Architecture CEUs, four recertification credits for Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist, two pesticide credits (PC, 06, 07, 18, 23), and elective credits for Phipps' Sustainable Horticulture and Landscape & Garden Design certificate programs.

SPEAKERS

Whitney Cranshaw, a Colorado State University professor, specializes in pests and problems affecting Rocky Mountain region plants, educating students on various entomological topics. His books include Garden Insects of North America, Pests of the West and the forthcoming Bugs Rule!

Kerry Mendez, a N.Y.-based expert on low-maintenance perennial gardening and landscaping, works as a marketing professional, consultant, designer, writer, teacher and lecturer. She is the author of The Ultimate Flower Gardener's Top Ten Lists and Top Ten Lists for Beautiful Shade Gardens.

Thomas Rainer, a landscape architect, teacher and writer from Va., advocates for designs that interpret nature and feature native plants. He has designed garden landscapes nationwide, including those at the U.S. Capitol, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and The New York Botanical Garden.

R. William Thomas, executive director of Chanticleer near Philadelphia, leads the continued development of the young garden using an environmentally sensitive and multi-century approach. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in ornamental horticulture from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Joseph Tychonievich, nursery manager for Arrowhead Alpine in Mich., has a love of plants that once sent him to Japan to work for Akira Shibamichi. He is the author of Creating New Heirlooms: A Gardener's Guide to Breeding Plants and holds a B.S. in horticulture from Ohio State University.



Other Featured Exhibits & Events

Summer Flower Show:
Glass in the Gardens
April 27 – Oct. 6, 2013
The dazzling glass creations of artists working in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania will make our gardens shimmer and shine all summer long. Highlights include lifelike floral forms, whimsical long-legged birds, rotating stained-glass towers, and a large, articulated woolly mammoth skeleton.
Butterfly Forest
April 20 – Sept. 2, 2013
Like flowers that fly, our butterfly residents will enchant nature-lovers of every age. Watch as gorgeous species such as Monarchs and Zebra Longwings emerge from their chrysalises to flutter among cheerful, bug-friendly blooms.
Party in the Tropics
Select Fridays in 2013, starting Feb. 8
7 – 11 p.m.
Ages 21+
Gather your friends and get ready to dine, drink and dance the night away at Phipps! Make our paradise your own as you indulge in sweet and savory morsels, taste unique cocktails, and dance to the beats of a live DJ in our Tropical Forest Conservatory. Entry is free with Conservatory admission.
Butterfly Weekend
June 1 and 2, 2013
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
In celebration of one of nature’s most important pollinators, Phipps and Carnegie Science Center are hosting Butterfly Weekend on June 1 and June 2. This two-day celebration will give visitors a chance to learn about the life cycle of butterflies and discover why these amazing insects have a remarkable ability to navigate, orient and migrate.
Farmers at Phipps
Wednesdays, June – October 2013
2:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Refresh your food shopping experience! Visit our sustainably managed front lawn to browse organic and Certified Naturally Grown fruits, vegetables and more from local farms.
Inspire Speakers Series
Second Thurs. of every month, Oct. 2012-June 2013
5:30-8:30 p.m., except where noted
Green Building Alliance (GBA) and Phipps are collaborating to host a monthly speaker series at the new Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) on our Oakland campus. Join us to enjoy captivating presentations from local and national experts  on the subject of healthy, high-performance green buildings. Registration with GBA is required.
Floral Notes: Jazz in the Garden
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
6:30 – 9 p.m.
Ages 21+
As the summer heats up, enjoy an evening of cool jazz surrounded by colorful flowers and lush plants. Relax in our Outdoor Garden with the live music of Pittsburgh’s own Elevations and Velvet Heat as you savor small bites and delicious drinks.
Garden Variety:
A Farm-to-Phipps Dinner
Sunday, July 21, 2013
6:30 – 9 p.m.
Enjoy a rustic yet elegant farm-to-table dinner experience with fresh, handpicked selections from our region’s farms. If you love a food adventure, you won’t want to miss this chance to join local growers and artisans for this one-of-a-kind meal.
Tropical Forest India
Now Open
Explore our new exhibit showcasing one of the most botanically rich regions of the world. Highlights include an Ayurvedic healing garden, spice and tea market displays, a stunning temple facade on Special Events Hall, and more!