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| Perennial Plant Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Perennial Plant Association |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Region served | North America |
| Focus | Horticulture, Conservation International, Royal Horticultural Society |
Perennial Plant Association is a nonprofit horticultural organization founded in 1988 dedicated to promoting perennial plants, ornamental gardening, and professional horticulture. The association engages gardeners, nursery professionals, landscape architects, and educators through awards, publications, conferences, and outreach programs. It collaborates with industry groups, botanical institutions, and conservation organizations to advance plant selection, landscape design, and sustainable practices.
The organization traces roots to meetings among nursery professionals, garden writers, and educators influenced by figures associated with Missouri Botanical Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden, The New York Botanical Garden, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and United States Botanic Garden. Early leadership included members connected to American Horticultural Society, Garden Writers Association, and university programs at Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and Cornell University. Over successive decades the association expanded networks with institutions such as Smithsonian Institution, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Horticultural Society, Montreal Botanical Garden, and regional groups like Florida Native Plant Society and California Native Plant Society.
The association’s mission aligns with priorities championed by organizations including National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Programs emphasize plant trials, demonstration gardens, and educational outreach modeled after initiatives at Longwood Gardens, Monticello, and Wave Hill. Signature programs support plant trials similar to those at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and cooperative projects with university extension services such as University of Minnesota Extension and Penn State Extension. Conservation-minded campaigns mirror partnerships seen with Audubon Society and National Park Service interpretive programs.
Membership comprises professional growers, landscape designers, garden writers, nursery owners, and educators with ties to institutions like Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Chelsea Flower Show participants, and faculty from Michigan State University, University of Georgia, and Colorado State University. Regional chapters interact with organizations such as Master Gardener Program networks, Society for Ecological Restoration, and local botanical gardens including Denver Botanic Gardens and Atlanta Botanical Garden. The community fosters mentorship programs akin to those at American Public Gardens Association and connects members to trade events like Farwest Show and Green Industry & Equipment Expo.
The association administers annual plant awards and honors that parallel accolades given by Royal Horticultural Society, All-America Selections, and American Horticultural Society Book Awards. Awards recognize outstanding perennials, distinguished service, and lifetime achievement, echoing commendations from entities such as Garden Writers Association and American Public Gardens Association. Recipients often include hybridizers, nurseries, and researchers affiliated with Monrovia Nursery Company, Ball Horticultural Company, and university breeding programs at North Carolina State University and University of Wisconsin–Madison.
The association publishes guides, trial reports, and plant profiles distributed to members and partner institutions including Brooklyn Botanic Garden, United States National Arboretum, and university presses at University of California Press. Research collaborations occur with plant science departments at Rutgers University, Texas A&M University, and University of Tennessee, and with conservation researchers from The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International. Its publications mirror formats used by Horticulture Magazine, Fine Gardening, and scholarly outlets connected to American Society for Horticultural Science.
Annual symposia and conferences rotate among host cities with venues comparable to those used by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew events, Chicago Botanic Garden symposiums, and conferences held by American Horticultural Society. Programs include field tours to demonstration gardens such as Longwood Gardens and academic workshops in partnership with Land Grant Universities including Iowa State University and Cornell University. Featured speakers have historically included professionals associated with Chelsea Flower Show, authors published by Timber Press, and designers who have worked with institutions like New York Botanical Garden.
Partnerships extend to botanical institutions, conservation organizations, and industry associations such as AmericanHort, Association of Professional Landscape Designers, and International Plant Propagators' Society. Outreach efforts coordinate with environmental education programs at National Audubon Society centers and municipal parks departments in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Collaborative initiatives include native-plant promotion campaigns similar to those by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and restoration projects akin to those led by Society for Ecological Restoration.
Category:Horticultural organizations Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States