In this Issue Sedges Make Sense Growing the Ornamental Grass Market Emily Neas Named to GPN's 40 Under 40 Conserving and Restoring Grasslands Green Infrastructure Creates Value Grasses, Native Plants, and Pollinators Cheering on the Next Generation Upcoming Events

There’s a lot to love about Carex. Commonly called sedges, they’re go-to plants for all kinds of projects. This month we began a series of posts on sedges. You'll learn about sedges for a range of uses, from rain gardens to colorful containers. You’ll understand why they make sense for your growing program and for anyone interested in green infrastructure and the ecological landscape market. Join us!

Sedges for Rain Gardens Rain gardens (and the larger sites called bioretention) are designed to provide storage, evapotranspiration, and treatment of storm water runoff. Carex have features that help hold soil, slow runoff, and increase the amount of water that soaks into the soil. Many are suited to the variable conditions found in these sites. Read more.

Sedges for Meadows/Prairies Meadow and prairie plantings create low-maintenance areas with added ecological value. Densely planted areas like these reduce and filter storm water runoff, increase infiltration, support a rich variety of wildlife, and add green space in urban areas. See which sedges lend themselves to these plantings. Read more.

Diversity is Key to Growing the Ornamental Grass Market "There is almost no doubt that ornamental grasses...will continue to grow as a consumer and trade category." Plantsman and author Kelly Norris discusses the upside and challenges to enhancing diversity in the grass market. Read more www.greenhousegrower.com

Emily Neas Named to GPN's 40 Under 40 Each May, Greenhouse Product News (GPN) recognizes a group of industry professionals under the age of 40 who are making great strides in the industry. We're thrilled that our Plant Health Specialist Emily Neas was named to this year's class.   Emily's efforts let us address pest problems early and use the safest remedies possible. She helps make sure our customers receive clean, pest-free plants grown with minimal environmental impact. She also pitches in to help organize nursery activities and bring our team together.  Emily and other members of this year's class are making significant contributions to their companies and communities. We're sure they'll continue making news.  Congratutions to Emily and all the members of GPN's 40 Under 40 Class of 2017! Meet the entire class

Conserving and Restoring Grasslands

A Guide to Grasslands of the Mid-South Grasslands in the Southeast hold tremendous biodiversity, but they're disappearing rapidly. Dr. Dwayne Estes of Austin Peay State University and colleagues developed this guide as a building block for research and conservation. It's fascinating! Read more issuu.com

Pocket Prairies Serve Horticulture and History In Fargo, North Dakota they're planting pocket prairies. "Pocket prairies are little less maintenance and a better habitat for our bees and other wildlife." Native grasses play a key role. Read more www.inforum.com

Green Infrastructure Manages Stormwater and Enhances Value Green infrastructure can create value for real estate projects by improving operational efficiency as well as serving as an attractive amenity. This report, which includes case studies, explains why green infrastructure brings new opportunities. Read more urbanland.uli.org

Grasses, Native Plants, and Pollinators

Ornamental Grasses and Sedges in Pollinator Gardens This Greenhouse Grower article discusses how grasses and sedges fit the growing market for plants for pollinator gardens. Their role may be less obvious, but they are an important part of a beautiful and functional garden. Read more www.greenhousegrower.com

Horticultural Science Students Design Pollinator Garden North Carolina State University's Gregg Museum touts a collection of 34,000 objects of art and design. Now it has a new artful garden designed by horticulture students to attract pollinators. Hoffman Nursery donated plants for this exciting project. Read more cals.ncsu.edu

Choosing the Best Native Plants for Pollinator Gardens Pollinator gardens are hot, which is part of what's driving the market for native plants. Greenhouse Grower addresses questions that come up in choosing plants for this market. Hoffman Nursery chimed in on our approach. Read more www.greenhousegrower.com

Cheering On the Next Generation Greenhouse Grower recently profiled our involvement in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition. John and Jill Hoffman attended to support students as they competed in real-world events such as annual and perennial plant identification. Read more www.greenhousegrower.com

Upcoming Events

You can always find out where we'll be and what's going on with our Upcoming Events page.

The North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina Chapters of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) will be hosting the Southeast Regional Conference in early June. The conference will feature talks, workshops, and activities to educate, engage, and ignite discussion within the landscape architecture community.  Hoffman Nursery's Shannon Currey will be there with two talks focusing on our favorite plants: Thursday, June 8, 9:00am - "Grasses & Sedges from the Ground Cover Up," with a focus on functionality, learn about grasses and sedges for every layer in a landscape and discover where they do their best work. Friday, June 9, 2:00pm - "Let Sedges Do the Work," and learn how these increasingly popular plants can serve as the foundation for beautiful and functional landscapes. Get more info and register here

Thursday, June 22, 8:00am - 5:00pm McKimmon Center, Raleigh, NC The North Carolina Green Industry Council continues to bring informative and engaging speakers to its annual water symposium. This year's lineup includes experts in the fields of turf grass, irrigation, landscape architecture, and more. The symposium is designed to stimulate discussion and introduce attendees to new concepts and ways of thinking. Hoffman Nursery received last year's Blue-Green Innovator Award, and we are proud to serve as Honorary Chair for this year's symposium. Join us for a day focused on water and the green industry's future. Learn more and register here

A renovation at the Greater Columbus Convention Center has everyone excited—new space, new events, and new spots for all the exhibitors. Don't miss this massive show and educational event. Find us in our new location at Booth 3013. Marketing Director Shannon Currey will be speaking several times during the educational sessions: Sat., July 15, 2:45pm-3:45pm: "Growing with Green Infrastructure" Sun., July 16, 10:30am-10:50am: "Upgrade Mulch with a Grass & Sedge Package" Tue., July 18, 9:30am-10:30am: "Let Sedges Do the Work" To continue with the green infrastructure theme, don't miss the session, "Successful Planting Strategies for Green Infrastructure," by Claudia West of North Creek Nurseries at 10:45am on Tue., July 18. And to see a great list of talks related to green infrastructure, biophilia, and other current topics, go to the Cultivate'17 search for Trends. Explore this big event and get registration information here.

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