GrassSolutions for February: New head grower, curb appeal, and more!

In this issue:

Growing Pains
Our New Head Grower
9 Ways to Create Curb Appeal with Grasses
Good-Natured Grasses for the Winter Garden
Gardening in a Post-Wild World
Upcoming Events

Growing Pains

Charlotte, North Carolina is one of the 10 fastest-growing cities in the country. With all that new development, stormwater is a big issue. The way forward for this growing city is green infrastructure.

They get a lot of rain--as much as Seattle, Washington, but it tends to come in bursts with sudden thunderstorms. And Charlotte lies on heavy clay soils, which slow water infiltration and are vulnerable to erosion. On top of that, their existing infrastructure is aging and rapidly falling apart.

A recent article in Stormwater magazine explains how going green is working for Charlotte.

Read the article (starts on p. 26).

Our New Head Grower

Bill Hall has joined Hoffman Nursery as head grower. With more than 30 years in the horticulture world, his goal is to foster a team that's deeply passionate about the plants and about growing top quality liners.

For our customers, Bill’s years of experience growing finished products are a big plus. He brings a fresh perspective on what’s important to growers.

Read more about Bill.

9 Ways to Create Curb Appeal with Grasses

Grasses have great versatility, and this post from Gardenista lets them shine. They're garden sculptures, front-lawn fixes, punctuation marks, and so much more. Let these lush photos and gorgeous landscapes brighten up your February.

Read more
www.gardenista.com

Good-Natured Grasses for the Winter Garden

This month, we welcome a guest post from Adrienne Roethling, Garden Curator at the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden in Kernersville, North Carolina. She discusses the advantages of grasses in the winter garden and highlights a few favorites.

Read the post on grasses for the winter garden.

Gardening in a Post-Wild World

How do we address increasing development and the loss of green spaces? The Pacific Horticulture Society recently talked with Thomas Rainer, co-author of “Planting in a Post-Wild World.” The first conversation resulted in this must-see video.

Read more
www.pacifichorticulture.org

Upcoming Events

Perennially Inspired

Towson, MD

Sat. Feb. 25, 2017

Hosted by the Perennial Plant Association and the Horticultural Society of Maryland, this day-long seminar brings together an exciting roster of horticultural speakers. Marketing Director Shannon Currey will speak on grasses and sedges during the morning sessions.

National Collegiate Landscape Competition

Provo, UT

March 15-1. 2017

This annual, three-day competition and networking event brings together horticulture students from across the country. It's hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals and a different college each year.

At this year's competition at Brigham Young University in Utah, Hoffman Nursery will sponsor the annual & perennial identification event. We've been involved with this event for several years and continue to marvel at the enthusiasm and interest we see from students. See you there!

Horticulture students from North Carolina State University and Alamance Community College spend workdays with staff and volunteers at Hoffman Nursery. This workday project helps the horticulture programs earn money for travel to the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.