2014 ASHS Annual Conference

Objective(s):
Keynote Speaker: Paul B. Redman Director, Longwood Gardens Public Gardens - Horticulture's Gateway to the Public The horticulture profession is at a crucial moment in its evolution as it seeks to remain relevant in the 21st Century. Public gardens in North America have over 70,000,000 visitors each year, including 1,000,000 children and youth participating in K-12 education programs. Public gardens are horticulture's gateway for connection to the public that can help the horticulture profession to understand and potentially define what horticulture means in the 21st century. Longwood Gardens, located in Chester County, PA has 1.1 million visitors every year and hosts a variety of mission-based horticultural programs, including plant exploration, research & development, and plant trialing and education programs that are focused upon the development of the next generation of horticultural leaders. Longwood is a microcosm of the greater public garden profession and will demonstrate opportunities for strengthening the relationships for collaboration opportunities with academia and private industry to ensure that this profession does remain competitive and relevant in the 21st century and far beyond.