The Desert Botanical Garden - American Public Gardens Association

PUBLIC 

GARDENS 

have continued to 

evolve through 

both ideal and 

challenging 

conditions. 

They manage to adapt, to grow, to stay 

alive and relevant. Join us in the Sonoran 

Desert, teeming with plants that 

have been shaped by 

evolution and natural 

selection to not only 

survive, but to thrive. 

E 

Examine our 

evolution at the 2013 

Garden Evolution 

Conference.

Phoenix 

was founded in 1861 near the 

confluence of the Salt and Gila Rivers. 

Taliesin West 

Kierland Commons 

Downtown Phoenix 

Our history, however, goes back more than 2,000 

years to when the Hohokam peoples first occupied 

these lands and built more than 135 miles of canals to 

make the desert arable. Since then, people have adapted, 

survived, and thrived as Phoenix grew to become the nation’s 

sixth largest city. 

Although a trip to Phoenix is not complete without a 

visit to the Desert Botanical Garden, there are other 

cultural treasures not to be missed, including the 

Musical Instrument Museum, Heard Museum, and 

Taliesin West. If you are in the mood to shop, try the 

enclosed Scottsdale Fashion Square with its luxury 

retailers and department stores. 

Looking for outdoor shopping? Then Kierland 

Commons, Old Town Scottsdale, and Melrose on 7th 

are the places for you. 

From retro to nouvelle, we’ve got award-winning 

restaurants. The historic El Chorro Lodge and Durant’s 

will take you back to the days of big Cadillacs and red 

leather booths. Vincent’s on Camelback brings French 

techniques to Southwestern flavors. Chris Bianco’s 

famed Pizzeria Bianco serves what is considered the 

best pizza in America. For authentic Mexican and 

Southwestern food, try Barrio Café for top-notch preparations 

of traditional Mexican dishes or Kai, the only 

Five Diamond Native American restaurant in the world. 

We hope that you 

will take advantage 

of your time here 

and enjoy as much 

as possible of all that 

Phoenix has to offer. 

Scottsdale Fashion Square 

3

McDowell Sonoran Preserve 

Spend an evening at one of our many performing arts 

venues. The Scottsdale Center for the Performing 

Arts, Gammage Auditorium, Ballet Arizona, and 

Arizona Opera just scratch the surface of what is 

available. Sample the Valley’s lively art scene at the 

galleries of Old Town Scottsdale and Phoenix’s 

Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue. 

However, stunning scenery and sunshine are our 

biggest attractions. We’ve got a lot of both and are happy 

to share them with you. The Phoenix Mountain 

Preserve and the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve 

offer easy access to the desert for hikes and 

exploration. If you like to golf, there are 119 public, 55 

private, 24 semi-private, four executive, and 38 resort 

golf courses – you get the idea. 

Welcome! We hope that you will take advantage of your 

time here and enjoy as much as possible of all that 

Phoenix has to offer. One more thing – make sure you 

make time to watch a fabulous Arizona sunset. We’ve got 

a different one each night especially for you! 

On behalf of the 2013 Host and Program 

Selection Committees, we are pleased to 

share the tracks for this year: 

Sponsored by: 

Desert Botanical Garden 

Arizona State Parks 

Applied Ecological Services 

Blackbaud 

Mt. Cuba Center 

Four Seasons Pinnacle Golf Course 

El Chorro Courtyard 

4

Schedule at a Glance 

Sunday, May 19, 2013 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

APGA Welcome/Registration Desk Open 

4:00 p.m. – 7:00p.m. 

Monday, May 20th, 2013 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Optional Full-Day Tours 

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and 

Saguaro National Park 

Tohono Chul and 

Tucson Botanical Gardens 

6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Optional Full Day Workshops 

Irrigation and Water Use Efficiency 

Workshop 

Presented in Partnership with Rain Bird 

6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

GIS for Public Gardens: Getting Started 

Presented in Partnership with ESRI and the Alliance for Public Gardens GIS 

7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

The Fundraising Leadership BootCamp: 

Evolving from Good to Great 

Presented in partnership with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 

8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Evolution to Revolution: Inspiring a Culture of 

Leadership and Participatory Partnerships 

This Workshop has 

been Cancelled 

8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. 

Special Session 

International Gardens Session and Dinner 

Dinner on Your Own 

Optional Dinner 

5:30 to 7:45 7:45 to 9:30 

Shuttle Service to/from Old Town Scottsdale 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.


Tuesday, May 21, 2013 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

NAPCC 

Maple Curatorial Group Meeting 

7:30 a.m. 

8:30 a.m. 

Magnolia Curatorial Group Meeting 

8:45 a.m. 

9:45 a.m. 

Council of Sections Breakfast 

8:00 a.m. 

9:30 a.m. 

Optional Workshop 

Evaluation in Action: Determine Your 

Program’s Impact 

8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. 

Optional Half-Day Tour 

Wallace Desert Gardens 

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 

Hyatt Green Tour 

8:30 

Concurrent Session I 

Education: Creating Restorative Empowering Environments for Therapeutic Healing 

Leadership: Emerging Trends for a Changing World 

Horticulture I: Designing Beauty 

9:45a.m. 

11:15 a.m. 

Horticulture II: Charismatic Megafauna 

Marketing: Through the Looking Glass 

Welcome Plenary Session and Lunch 

Dr. Cristián Samper 

11:30 am – 1:00 pm 

Tuesday Continued on Next Page


Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Continued 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Concurrent Session II 

Education: Educational Insights from Museums on Intergenerational Learning 

Leadership: S/M/L/XL: Finding Pleasure in Growing Pains 

Horticulture: Creating Sustainable Displays within Your Gardens that Can Be Recreated by Visitors in Residential Landscapes 

Marketing: The Mobile App rEVOLUTION: Are you Ready? 

1:15 p.m. 

2:45 p.m. 

Student Presentations 

1:15 p.m. 

2:45 p.m. 

Professional Section Meetings 

Emerging Professionals, College and University Gardens, Historic Landscapes, 

Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature 

3:00 p.m. 

4:30 p.m. 

Optional Hyatt Green Tours 

4:45 

Opening Reception 

Dinner on your own 

5:00 to 7:00 

Shuttle Service to/from Old Town Scottsdale (6:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m.) 

Wednesday on Next Page


Wednesday, May 22, 2013 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 


Coffee Bar 

7:15 

7:15 a.m. 

8:15 a.m. 

Optional Workshops 

Biomimicry: Innovating from Life for 

Conservation and Education 

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

Sponsoring Funding from Aspiration to Action 

Optional Half-Day Tour 

Arizona Urban Farming 

7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 


Leadership Forum Breakfast 

8:00 am – 9:45 pm 


Education: The Successful Evolution of Adult Education Programs: Meeting 

Changing Demands and Interests 

Leadership: The Evolution of the Sustainable Sites Initiative and Public Gardens: 

Lessons Learned in Designing, Building, and Applying for SITES Certification 

Marketing: Social Media Mini Series: Storytelling and Photo Sharing, Content is King 

Horticulture I: Mini Series Succulents Reimagined, The Transformation of 

Biome-Based Exhibits: A Roadmap to Enriching Semi-Permanent Collections with 

Rotating Ecoregion-Themed Displays, Desert Rock Gardening 

Horticulture II: Evolution of Cultivated Plant Names: An Exploration of the Codes of 

Nomenclature, Cultivar Registration, Plant Patents, and Trade Designations 

8:15 am 

9:45 am 


Education Mini Series: Part I: Evolving a Botany Research Program : 

Connecting PhD Students’ Research to the Lives of the Public 

Part II: Building Capacity through Co-Op Programs 

Part III: University Arboreta: Curriculum, Research, and Institutional Image 

10:00 am 

11:30 am 

Leadership: Achieving Excellence in the Visitor Experience 

Horticulture: Creating a Butterfly Exhibit: If You Build It, Will They Come? 

Marketing: Collaborative Marketing for National Public Gardens Day 

Wednesday Continued on Next Page



NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

NAPCC Members Forum 

10:00 a.m. 

11:45 a.m. 

Special Lunch Sessions 

So, where does your garden stand? 

The Power of Benchmarking Data! Powered by Altru. 

Sponsored by Blackbaud 

Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust 

11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. 

Professional Section Lunch Meetings: 

• Horticulture, Greenhouses, and Facilities 

• Marketing and Communications 

• Education 

Open Lunch 

• Native Plants 


What can gardens learn from high-end retailers, 

luxury hotels, and successful airlines? 

1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m 

Concurrent Session III 

Education: Full STEAM Ahead 

Leadership I: Learning from non-profit sectors to encourage the garden leaders of tomorrow 

Leadership II: Leading by Example - how three public gardens lead in the use of native plants 

Horticulture Mini Series: Wish We Knew Then What We Know Now 

The Lawn is Dead. Long Live the Lawn 

Systems for Turf, Green Roofs, Urban Meadows and Roadsides 

1:30 p.m. 

2:30 p.m. 

Visitor Experience: A New Dawn Rising at Ohio State University‘s Secrest Arboretum 

Marketing: Monetize Your Garden’s Website 

Concurrent Session IV 

Section Meetings 

Directors’ Dinner 

Education I: Building Dynamic Intergenerational Volunteer Educator Communities 

Education II: Preparing Elementary Teachers in Science: A Garden-Zoo-University Model 

Leadership: Back to the Future: Engaging Emerging Professionals in Your Garden 

Horticulture: Re-Thinking the Rose Garden 

• TIPS (Technology and Innovation Professionals) 

• Volunteer Management 

• Plant Conservation 

• Small Gardens 

Visitor Experience: : Exceeding Guests’ Safety Expectations and How it Impacts Your 

Bottom Line 

Marketing: Science Matters: Evolving your Conservation Messages for Today’s Audiences 

2:45 pm 

3:45pm 

3:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

5:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. 

Dinner on your own 

Shuttle Service to/from Kirkland Commons (6:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m.) 

6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. 


6:00 p.m. 

Thursday on Next Page


Thursday, May 23, 2013 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

NAPCC Oak Curatorial Group Meeting 

7:00 a.m. 

8:00 a.m. 

Exhibits Hall 

Coffee Bar in the Exhibits Hall 

7:00 am 

8:15 am 

7:00 am – 4:30 pm 


College and University Workshop: Succeeding within the Institutional Context 

8:00 am – 11:30 am 

Optional Tour 

The Heard Museum 

8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. 


Leadership: Embracing Diversity 

Development: Campaign Evolution! How Today’s Fundraising Climate is Challenging You to Change your Ways 

Conservation: Gardens as Conservation Partners at the Urban-Wild Interface 

Visitor Experience/ Marketing: Public Gardens and Tourism: A Match for Success 

8:15 am 

9:45 am 


Visitor Experience: The Way to your Visitor’s Heart is through the Stomach 

Leadership: Identifying and Nurturing the Rising Stars in Your Organization 

10:00 am 11:30 am 

Conservation: Driving Sustainability through Employee Engagement 

Development: Benches, Bricks, Beauty and Bounty ~ The Pleasures and 

Pitfalls of Smaller-Scale Donor Naming Opportunities 

Keynote Address and Lunch 

• Honorable Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor 

• Association Update 

• 2014 Conference Preview 

11:45 am – 2:00 pm 

Exhibit Hall Extravaganza and Dessert! 

2:15 pm – 4:15 pm 

In Conference Event 


Tour Only 

4:30 pm – 7:00 pm 

Dinner 

7:00 pm -9:30 pm 

Friday on Next Page


Friday, May 24, 2013 

NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Exhibits Hall 

Coffee Bar in the Exhibits 

7:00 a.m. 

8:15 a.m. 

7:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. 


Teaching Plant Science the Old-Fashioned Way Through New Lenses with Greater Impact 

Creating and Protecting New Cultivars of Plants 

8:00 am – 11:30 am 

Optional Tour 

Private Gardens of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley 

7:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 


Sentinel Plant Network (SPN) Forum 


• Plant Collections 

• Development and Membership 

• Green Buildings and Landscapes 

• Design and Planning 

8:15 a.m. – 

8:15 a.m. – 9:45 

9:45 a.m. 

8:15 a.m. – 

9:45 a.m. 

Visitor Experience Mini Series: 

Introducing the Public to Evolving Landscapes, Growing Curiosity 

Leadership: Mini Series: 

Part I Mission Impossible?—Developing a Living Collections Management System to 

Support Two Gardens‘ Missions 

Part II Underground Plants Help Conservation on the Surface 

Part III Developing Garden Programs in Latin America 

Part IV Botanic Gardens as Change Agents and Facilitators of Public Debate 

10:00 am 

11:30 am 

Conservation: Growing Sustainability in Our Gardens: An Index for North American 

Public Gardens 

Development: Co-Evolution: Creating Regional Partnerships to Share Vital Resources 

Plenary Session Lunch 

HRH Princess Basma bint Ali 

11:45 pm – 1:30 pm 

Friday Continued on Next Page



NOON 

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 


Visitor Experience: From Groundskeepers to Greeters: Creating a Culture of Guest Services 

Leadership: Make the NAPCC Work for Your Garden 

Conservation: Green It Up: A Tale of Three Sustainability Programs 

Development : Small Steps, Big Gifts: Simple Planned Gift Tools Every Garden Can Use to Uncover Significant Contributions 

1:45 p.m. 

2:45 p.m. 

In-Conference Event Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park Tour only 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 

Dinner 

6:00 p.m. –8:30 p.m.

Monday, May 20, 2013 Optional Full-Day Tours 

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Saguaro National Park 

Time: 6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fee: $75 Includes lunch and snacks 

Escape to the Wild West and explore the natural attractions of Tucson. 

Your journey will begin at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 

a world-renowned botanical garden, zoo, and natural history 

museum. Within the museum grounds, you will see more than 300 

animal species and 1,200 types of plants. The exhibits recreate the 

natural landscape and habitats of the Sonoran Desert region so 

realistically that you’ll find yourself eye-to-eye with native big cats, 

javelinas, snakes, hummingbirds, gila monsters, and more. 

13


Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 

and Saguaro National Park 

Continued... 

While at the Desert Museum you will be able to take several 

guided tours—explore the greenhouse and propagation areas, 

habitat gardens, taxonomic collections, pollination and 

demonstration gardens, or simply enjoy a self-paced stroll. 

Participants will then be treated to a Sonoran-style buffet 

lunch and a glorious view of the desert landscape. 

As the day winds to an end, visitors will take a short ride to see 

thousands of giant saguaros, North America’s largest species 

of Cactaceae at the Saguaro National Park. These majestic 

plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are 

protected by the National Park. You’ll have the opportunity 

to walk the trails, speak with rangers, or learn more at the 

Visitors’ Center. Prepare to be awe-struck by these enormous 

cacti growing in this magnificent desert. 

14


Tohono Chul and Tucson Botanical Gardens 

Time: 6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fee: $75 Includes lunch and snacks 

Experience the wonders of the desert through Tucson’s finest gardens. 

Tohono Chul 

Nature, art, and culture connect at Tohono Chul. Tour the gardens, 

including Sonoran Seasons, Sin Agua, and the Desert Living 

Courtyard, and take a peek behind the scenes of the retail and 

propagation greenhouses, museum shops, Ethnobotanical Garden, 

and art exhibits with key staff. Experience Reptile Ramble and learn 

to identify resident reptiles and discover the answer to the age-old 

question - why do lizards do pushups? And before your visit ends, 

enjoy lunch in the Garden Bistro where Executive Chef Patrick Fahey 

presents a seasonal menu focused on locally sourced and organic 

ingredients that reflect the rich food culture of the Southwest. 

Tohono Chul 

Tohono Chul 

15


Tohono Chul and Tucson 

Botanical Gardens 

Continued... 

Wrap up your adventure by visiting a tranquil oasis in the heart 

of the city: Tucson Botanical Gardens. Join the executive 

director and director of horticulture on a tour that explains 

the rich history of the Gardens and the Porter Estate. Explore 

the property’s 17 diverse gardens, including the Native Crops 

Garden, the Cactus & Succulent Garden, and the recently 

renovated Barrio Garden. Learn about exceptional programs 

offered to the Tucson community, such as Butterfly Magic, a 

live tropical butterfly exhibit open to school groups and other 

visitors October through April, and the Gardens’ Horticultural 

Therapy program—the only program of its kind in Arizona. 




16

Monday, May 20, 2013 Optional Full-Day Workshops 

Irrigation and Water Use Efficiency 

Workshop 

Time: 6:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Location: Rain Bird Campus, Tucson 

Fee: $75, includes lunch and snacks 

Presented in Partnership with Rain Bird 

Does your garden use water efficiently? 

Do you have the best knowledge, tools, and techniques 

to meet your garden’s needs? Irrigation management 

and water use efficiency is often critically overlooked 

at many public gardens. Water use goes unmonitored, 

irrigation clocks are not calibrated, and the quality, fertility, 

and actual amounts of irrigation water reaching 

plants isn’t addressed. A critical aspect of sustainable 

horticulture, water use efficiency is also about electrical 

use efficiency, since water is almost always pumped to 

its point of use. In this workshop, you will learn how to 

conserve water, electricity, and dollars! 

In the desert, where water use is of premium importance, 

we’ll combine knowledge from both public garden 

and industry perspectives. Previous survey results of 

what public gardens have and could do for their sites, 

examples of container irrigation and fertility monitoring 

techniques, and performance evaluations will be 

combined with practical demonstrations. Attendees 

will glimpse into what the future offers in irrigation 

technology. We’ll go to the Tucson campus of Rain Bird 

Corporation for presentations and on-site demonstrations, 

and then end the day with a brief trip to the 

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum to see their state-ofthe-art 

irrigation system. 

Regardless of whether your role is in the greenhouse, 

nursery, landscape, or facility management, this 

workshop is for you! 

Presenters: Andrew Wyatt, Director of Horticulture, Missouri Botanical Garden; Ted 

Bilderback, Director, J.C. Raulston Arboretum; Dave Johnson, Director of Marketing, 

Rain Bird and Rain Bird Tucson Campus Staff; Casey Sclar, Executive Director, 

American Public Gardens Association; and George Montgomery, Curator of Botany, 

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 

GIS for Public Gardens: 

Getting Started 

Time: 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Location: Scottsdale Community College 

Fee: $75 includes lunch and snacks 

Presented in Partnership with ESRI and the Alliance for 

Public Gardens GIS 

Sponsored by Scottsdale Community College 

Do you want to learn how to create and maintain 

accurate collection maps for your garden using 

the industry’s leading GIS software? 

Do you want the scoop on obtaining that software at 

extremely low cost? If so, then this workshop is what 

you’ve been waiting for! 

Creating and maintaining accurate collection maps are 

critical curatorial functions of public gardens that can 

be supported with the latest geographic information 

system (GIS) technologies. This full-day workshop will 

guide participants through the process of creating a GIS 

for a public garden using Esri ArcGIS software and the 

ArcGIS Public Garden Data Model. Participants will 

learn how to work with the data model template, how 

to create and edit map features in ArcGIS, how to collect 

data in the garden using a mobile device, and how 

to create plant collection maps. Participants will also 

learn some crucial concepts and background information 

about GIS, geodatabase data models, field data collection 

solutions, cartography, online mapping, and the 

other resources available for creating a public garden 

GIS. Instructions for obtaining software via the APGA- 

Esri agreement will be shared. 

Presenters: Brian Morgan, GIS Manager, UC Davis Arboretum, and Executive 

Director, Alliance for Public Gardens GIS; Mia Ingolia, Curator, UC Davis Arboretum; 

Angela Lee, Libraries and Museums Industry Manager, ESRI 

17

Monday, May 20, 2013 Optional Full-Day Workshops 

The Fundraising Leadership 

BootCamp: Evolving from 

Good to Great 

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Fee: $195 AFP/APGA Members, $350 Non-Members 

Includes lunch and snacks 

Location: Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa 

Presented in partnership with the Association of 

Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 

This challenging session will explore the key 

issues that a nonprofit CEO must address to 

ensure organizational and fundraising success 

through leadership, change, and transformation. 

You will look at: 

• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: This module 

explores how notions of leadership are evolving away 

from simplistic command and control and towards 

Emotional Intelligence-based leadership. You’ll 

have the opportunity to assess your own Emotional 

Intelligence through a 360-degree questionnaire. 

• Taking Charge of Change: Managing change is a 

key factor in organizational transformation and in 

producing extraordinary fundraising results. This 

module will look at how to identify effective change 

processes – assessing your personal and organizational 

readiness for change. 

• Good to Great: This new module will look at how to 

apply the “Good to Great” model developed by Jim 

Collins to your nonprofit – creating powerful 

transformation processes that will improve your 

results – in fund raising and in service delivery. 

The session will involve case studies, examples, and 

exercises to challenge you and help you be a more 

effective CEO – ready to lead a great organization. 

You will leave with: 

• Insights into your personal leadership style 

• Tools and techniques to re-imagine success 

• A framework to transform your organization’s 

performance 

The workshop will be led by Bernard Ross, director 

of =mc, a global management consultancy that works 

exclusively with nonprofit organizations. He is the 

author of two best-selling books on innovation and 

influence. He recently helped lead the consultancy 

team for the creation of the Red Cross and Red 

Crescent Global Fundraising Strategy. 

Presenter: Bernard Ross, Director, =mc 

Evolution to Revolution: Inspiring 

a Culture of Leadership and 

Participatory Partnerships 

Time: 8:30 

This 

a.m. 

Workshop 

to 4:15 p.m. 

has 

Location: Hyatt been Regency Cancelled Scottsdale Resort & Spa 

Fee: $125 Includes lunch and snacks 

Do you dream of accomplishing more and increasing 

effectiveness while working with others in 

lively, friendly, and flexible ways? 

Whether you are the administrator of a public garden, 

a department manager, or a special project coordinator, 

this workshop will teach you how to do just that. 

Using case studies from the innovative UC Davis 

Arboretum’s GATEways project and hands-on exercises, 

this workshop will bring the best of innovative 

leadership and management practices to you. Topics 

will include creating a culture of leadership, developing 

and implementing a shared vision, developing partnerships, 

and leading through times of change. When you 

leave, you will have the ideas and the resources to start 

transforming your work. 

Presenters: Elaine McGinn, Director of Planning and Exhibits, Desert Botanical 

Garden; Kathleen Socolofsky, Director, UC Davis Arboretum; Mary Burke, Director of 

Planning and Collections, UC Davis Arboretum; Carmia Feldman, Assistant Director, 

UC Davis Arboretum; Elaine Fingerett, Academic Coordinator, UC Davis Arboretum 

18

Monday, May 20, 2013 Special Session 

Special Session: International 

Gardens Forum and Dinner 


Time: 5:30-9:30pm 

Schedule of Events: 

5:30 pm – Meet and Greet; Light Reception Fare 

6:15 pm – Presentations 

7:45pm – Optional Dinner ($20 per person) 

Sponsored by Jerusalem Botanical Garden 

Gardens are unique spaces that bring people, plants, and places 

together. Through collaboration, challenges to public/botanic 

gardens worldwide such as plant conservation across political 

boundaries, stimulation of international visitation to gardens, 

greater professional development of staff, and the forging of 

ties with governmental and non-governmental partners are 

accomplished. 

Spanning work in the Middle East, North America, Asia, and 

Europe, this session will focus on how the development of personal 

and professional relationships can result in successful and 

sustainable collaborations. Attendees will see several collaborations 

in various stages of evolution, encouraging them to pursue 

similar arrangements. Because of our conference’s unique location 

this year, special attention will be paid to relationships and plant 

conservation in arid Regions. 

Presenters: Tariq Abu Taleb, Executive Director, Royal Botanic Garden, Jordan; Dr. Ori Fragman, Head 

Scientist, The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens; Andrew Wyatt, Director of Horticulture, Missouri 

Botanical Garden; Neil Gerlowski, Executive Director, Vallarta Botanical Gardens; Steve Windhager, 

Executive Director, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden; Douglas Needham, Ph.D., Education Department 

Head, Longwood Gardens; Jin Hong Lim, Manager, HortPark & The Southern Ridges; Shihong “Keith” 

Lin, Horticulture Officer, Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board Singapore; and Sharon 

Loving, Horticulture Department Head, Longwood Gardens 

Optional Dinner 

on Your Own 

Complimentary shuttles to/from Old Town Scottsdale. 

6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m 

19

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Council of Sections Breakfast and NAPCC Curatorial Group Meetings 

Council of Sections Breakfast 

For Chairs and Vice Chairs of APGA’s Professional 

Sections 

Council of Sections Chair: Scott LaFleur, Director of 

Horticulture, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden 

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. 

NAPCC Curatorial Group 

Meetings 

NAPCC Maple Curatorial Group Meeting 

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. 

Greg Payton, Coordinator 

Bad times have a scientific value. 

These are occasions a good learner 

would not miss. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

NAPCC Magnolia Curatorial Group Meeting 

8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. 

Andrew Bunting, Coordinator 

20

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Optional Half-Day Tour 

Wallace Desert Gardens 

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 

Fee: $40 Includes snacks 

Stroll through the most exclusive garden in the Valley of the Sun. 

Do not miss an opportunity to enjoy a private collection 

of plants from around the world without leaving town. 

Join us at Wallace Desert Gardens in North Scottsdale, 

home to thousands of arid plants and spectacular 

scenery. 

Ranking among the world’s largest collections of cacti 

and succulents, Wallace Desert Gardens features 

twelve acres of cultivated gardens and six acres of natural 

vegetation, with plants native to the Southwestern 

US, Mexico, South and Central America, Australia, the 

Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar, and Africa. 

Participants will take a tour of trails not open to the 

general public, led by 

Executive Director 

Lee Brownson. This 

gentle walk will feature 

interpretation of 

plants, their ecological 

importance, and 

the relationships they 

share with their environment. 

Highlights 

include a covered 6,000 square foot cactus pavilion 

uniquely designed for climate control, a Boojum Tree 

forest, and a world-renowned collection of Ephedra, in 

addition to beautifully manicured garden spaces. 

Adjacent to the garden is Wallace Desert Preserve, 

seventy-eight acres of native Sonoran Desert and miles 

of hiking trails permanently protected from development. 

From base to summit, the 400-foot mountain 

provides dramatic views of the gardens and surrounding 

desert. 

21

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Optional Workshop and Free Green Tour 

Evaluation in Action: Determine 

Your Program’s Impact 

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. 


Fee: $125 

Evaluation is a key component to understanding 

the role public gardens play in providing expert 

information and unique, memorable experiences 

for visitors. 

Learn how evaluation can inform program strategy 

and develop an evaluation toolkit to be utilized in your 

garden programs. 

Participants in this workshop will learn how to evaluate 

a program through authentic exercises, insights, and 

experiences shared by the museum, public garden, 

and formal education communities. This hands-on 

workshop will define key evaluation tools and provide 

a framework for participants to design an evaluation 

question and plan of action based on an exhibit or 

program they wish to investigate. Case studies and 

observation practice will enable participants to gain 

valuable insight into visitors’ learning experiences. 

Participants will be able to examine the goals of their 

own program, set up a research question, choose 

methods for gathering data, and learn how to translate 

data into recommendations for program improvement. 

Presenters: Susan L. Wagner, Vice President of Education and Information, The 

Morton Arboretum; Lorrie Beaumont, Principal and Director of Evergreene Research 

and Evaluation, LLC 

True genius resides in the capacity 

for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, 

and conflicting information. 

Winston Churchill 


Times: 8:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. 

Locations: Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa 

Fee: Free 

The Hyatt 

Regency 

Scottsdale Resort 

& Spa at Gainey 

Ranch Resort and 

Spa at Gainey 

Ranch has a 

long-standing 

tradition of 

environmental consciousness. Their environmental 

program is an industry first and serves both employees 

and guests in the areas of energy efficiency and waste 

minimization, environmental health and safety for our 

employees, environmental education for our guests, and 

environmental education outreach programs for the 

community. 

Please join the Hyatt for an environmental tour, to 

see first-hand Hyatt’s commitment to protecting the 

environment. 

22

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Concurrent Session I (9:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.) 

Creating Restorative, Empowering 

Environments for Therapeutic Healing 

Public gardens are uniquely positioned among 

cultural institutions to craft restorative and 

empowering environments, reaching out to 

populations with special needs. 

When gardens are prepared to provide an enhanced 

experience for people with disabilities, they earn 

loyalty and promote wellness in their communities. 

This session will help participants understand various 

disabilities and look beyond the enabling garden to see 

the entire landscape as a healing place. Presenters will 

discuss therapeutic gardens in other contexts and draw 

connections to evidence-based design, operations, and 

programming strategies for public gardens to engage 

these members of our communities. 

In a world where autism spectrum disorders, PTSD, 

and age-related disabilities are on the rise, nature can 

make a difference. People with disabilities have spending 

power of $200 billion annually. Public gardens are 

ideally suited to meet the needs of these folks and earn 

their loyalty. 

Presenters: Nancy Chambers, Retired Director, Enid A. Haupt Glass Garden and 

Horticulture Programs, New York University Medical Center; Barbara Kreski, 

Director of Horticultural Therapy Services, Chicago Botanic Garden; Kara A. 

Roggenkamp, Associate, MTR Landscape Architects 

Emerging Trends for a Changing 

World 

Living collection institutions connect science 

and society. 

In a rapidly changing climate, a technology revolution 

affords us new ways of addressing strategic communication 

with diverse audiences, novel education and 

engagement formats, collaboration across multiple 

disciplines, enlightened building and landscape design, 

and the development of creative, forward-thinking 

conservation approaches. 

A professionally diverse panel from inside public 

gardens, zoos and other fields will speak on emerging 

trends, and will address why anticipated climate 

disruptions must inform strategic plans, how to remain 

relevant and engage evolving audiences on science, 

current thinking by “trend” committees at AZA, what 

innovative sustainable design and architecture look 

like, and how might “augmented reality” and electronic 

billboard communication impact public gardens. 

Presenters: Caroline Lewis, Executive Director, CLEO Institute; Patsy Benveniste, 

Vice President of Education and Community Programs, Chicago Botanic Garden; 

Jeremy Kenisky, Founder and CTO, Zoo-AR; Marybeth Johnson, Vice President of 

Communications and Public Affairs, Lincoln Park Zoo; Ray Darnell, Architect, Van H. 

Gilbert Architects 

Horticulture I: Designing Beauty 

“Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.” 

– Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Immersion in beauty is the primary reason we spend 

time in gardens – to refresh the spirit, inspire the 

imagination, and restore the soul – and this has been 

true for thousands of years. Current trends with 

permanent gardens and seasonal installations have 

emphasized specific garden types including kitchen 

gardens, sustainable gardens, educational gardens, 

collection gardens, and native gardens. We need these 

so we can stay relevant and attract an ever-widening 

audience, but what about the inherent value in designing 

simply for the sake of beauty? Many guests visit 

gardens primarily to experience the intense beauty 

that gardens uniquely present. This session focuses on 

a variety of creative and artistic designs that integrate 

various themes but have beauty at their core. 

Following a path of design concepts from the unique 

aesthetic value at Chanticleer Gardens, through an artful 

interpretation for a new children’s garden at Daniel 

Stowe Botanical Gardens, to the everyday integration 

of horticulture, art, and beauty at Meijer Gardens, we 

will inspire a creative spirit for your garden! 

Presenters: Gary Smith, Landscape Architect, W. Gary Smith Design; Bill Thomas, 

Executive Director, Chanticleer Foundation; Kara Newport, Executive Director, Daniel 

Stowe Botanical Garden; Steve LaWarre, Director of Horticulture, Frederik Meijer 

Gardens & Sculpture Park 

23

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Concurrent Session I (9:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.) 

Horticulture II: Charismatic 

Megafauna 

Are rascally rabbits and destructive deer running 

amok in your garden? Come hear about proven 

tactics implemented in many situations to keep 

deer, geese, rabbits, and rodents from ruining 

your display. 

This session will address control tactics used by public 

garden professionals in a variety of environments 

and geographies to deal with a garden’s “largest” pest 

problems. 

Our panel of Horticultural IPM experts will discuss 

the challenges associated with mitigating these pests 

in highly public areas, whether they be in the conservatory 

or landscape. We’ll address the many unique 

challenges of public gardens here: public opinion, 

awareness, laws/regulations, urban/garden interfaces, 

and how accessibility can affect any strategies 

implemented. 

Whether you care for plants in a small area, or are 

concerned about hundreds of acres, your concerns will 

be covered in this session. 

Presenters: Scott Creary, Integrated Pest Management Specialist and Display 

Horticulturist, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; Mike Leventry, 

Integrated Pest Management Specialist, Longwood Gardens; Scott LaFleur, 

Director of Horticulture, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden; Brandi Eide, Collections 

Manager Agavaceae, Aloaceae, Non-Cactus Succulents, Desert Botanical Garden; 

Shane McGuire, Conservationist, Dawes Arboretum 

And the day came when the risk 

to remain tight in a bud was more 

painful than the risk it took to 

blossom. 

Anais Nin 

Through the Looking Glass 

If we want our guests to look at us differently, we 

have to think about ourselves differently. 

While most gardens make routine, and sometimes 

novel, programming adjustments to increase attendance, 

nothing reaps higher dividends than looking at 

your garden holistically as an experience destination. 

As we learn to see ourselves as more than “just” plant 

collections, thinking like a brand that knows its audience 

and elicits human emotions is the key to making 

visitors members and members loyal advocates. 

Our industry is in flux. Large-scale flower shows have 

all but gone away. Make every effort count. Learning 

how to use brand and product strategy, and having 

a decision matrix and planning cycle, will bring the 

highest ROI to your garden as you look beyond plants 

to grow your audience. 

Darwin had it all wrong. To survive against competitive 

leisure offerings requires new ways of seeing, not 

fitness. Learn how brand and product portfolio strategy 

– not brawn – are helping two very different gardens 

and their audiences evolve from seeing them as mere 

plant collections to emotionally engaging experience 

destinations. 

Presenters: Peter Vertes, Director of Marketing & Communications, Cleveland 

Botanical Garden; Linda Smith, President, Smithink; Marnie Conley, Marketing 

Department Head, Longwood Gardens 

24

Welcome Plenary Session 

Lunch 

Tuesday, May 21 

Fee: Included in registration 

Dr. Cristián Samper 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

of the Wildlife Conservation Society 

Guest fee: $50 

11:30 am – 1:00 pm 

“Be prepared to be inspired by Dr. Samper’s global perspective 

on the importance of institutions like public gardens and arboreta 

in stewardship of our natural world.” 

– Ken Schutz, The Dr. William Huizingh Executive Director, 


About Dr. Samper 

Dr. Cristián Samper, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation 

Society (WCS), is an international authority on conservation biology and 

environmental policy. In his role he 

oversees the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect 

Park Zoo and Queens Zoo. Prior to his role with WCS, Dr. Samper served for 

ten years as Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of 

Natural History, as well as Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 

2007-2008. Dr. Samper has served on the boards of the Carnegie 

Institution for Science, Biodiversity International, The Nature Conservancy, 

and the American Association of Museums. 

. 

25

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Concurrent Session II (1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.) 

Educational Insights from Museums 

on Intergenerational Learning 

Research suggests growing numbers of public 

garden visitors attend as intergenerational 

groups. 

Join other educators in an interactive conversation 

about how to enhance visitor learning experiences 

by responding to recent research in the museum 

field related to visitor motivations, the unique needs 

of families, and participatory design of learning 

experiences. 

Heavy workloads often limit an educator’s ability to 

stay current in new learning research. This session will 

summarize lessons from new literature and facilitate 

the exchange of ideas between attendees to enhance 

intergenerational learning in all gardens, not just children’s 

gardens. Several educators from diverse gardens 

(in size and geography) will share their knowledge of 

working with intergenerational audiences to stimulate 

small-group discussion. 

Literature referenced to include Identity and the 

Museum Experience by John Falk, 2009; The 

Participatory Museum by Nina Simon, 2010; Museums 

and Families: Being of Value by Lynn Dierking, 2012; 

Creating Great Visitor Experiences by Stephanie 

Weaver, 2008. 

Presenters: Mary Kay Cunningham, Interpretive Specialist, Dialogue Consulting; 

Emily Morris, Informal Science Education Coordinator, Desert Botanical Garden; 

Amy Hoffmann, Education Coordinator, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve 

S/M/L/XL: Finding Pleasure in Growing 

Pains 

Organizationally, strategically, physically, and 

financially - gardens are dynamic entities. 

Thoughtful evolution is essential to remain relevant, 

compelling, and engaging. Success depends on anticipating, 

leading, communicating, and leveraging growth 

in a creative and integrated manner. Garden leaders 

share their experiences in leading organizations to the 

next level of excellence, steering the gardens through 

periods of holistic transformation while innovating 

within their traditions. Participants will learn how the 

gardens have expanded from one size to the next. 

Presenters will share techniques for managing 

positive, integrated, and lasting organization-wide 

transformation. They will emphasize specific and 

replicable strategies for building relationships among 

people, branding, capital campaigns, operations, and 

physical expansion. Discussions will cover strategic, 

operational, financial, and physical aspects of growth. 

Drawn from the Atlanta, Cape Fear, and Huntsville 

Botanical Gardens, lessons here will be scalable and 

applicable to institutions of diverse missions and sizes. 

Presenters: Tres Fromme, Landscape Design and Planning Manager, Atlanta 

Botanical Garden and Principal of 3. Fromme Design; Jennifer Sullivan, Executive 

Director, Cape Fear Botanical Garden; Paula Steigerwald, President/CEO, Huntsville 

Botanical Garden; Mary Pat Matheson, Executive Director, Atlanta Botanical Garden; 

Rick Daley, Partner, EMD Consulting, LLC 

Creating Sustainable Displays within 

Your Gardens that Can Be Recreated 

by Visitors in Residential Landscapes 

Looking to create socially relevant garden displays 

that instill a sense of community connection 

and are ecologically and environmentally 

sustainable? 

Join us as we discuss the evolution of garden displays 

on our grounds that can be recreated within residential 

landscapes. Learn how these displays can benefit 

communities. 

As a destination to see current landscaping trends 

in action, public gardens are in the unique position 

to create garden displays focused on sustainability, 

balancing non-native with native plants, and attracting 

wildlife. By designing displays that are ecologically 

friendly and aesthetically pleasing around existing 

structures on the grounds, we can showcase scaled 

down, usable designs that help visitors envision such 

displays in their own landscapes. These displays 

not only educate and bring awareness about the 

environment, but also form a connection between the 

general public and the public garden. Together we will 

learn about creating a sense of community through 

garden displays that are greener, healthier, and fully 

functioning. 

Presenters: Peter Lowe, Native Landscape Manager, Dawes Arboretum; Greg Paige, 

Arboretum Curator, Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory; Margie Radebaugh, Director 

of Horticulture and Education, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; Barbara 

Faust, Director, Smithsonian Gardens; Kathleen Salisbury, Team Leader of 

Education, Duke Farms 

26

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Concurrent Session II (1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.) 

The Mobile App rEVOLUTION: 

Are You Ready? 

82% of adults own a cell phone, and 91% have it 

within arm’s reach 24/7. 

We’ve heard the stats, and felt pressure to join the 

mobile app revolution, but what does this mean for 

the garden community? Come to this session to find 

answers and be part of the revolution. Our expert 

panelists will explore the relevance of mobile apps in 

public gardens. 

Participants will learn what garden visitors are looking 

for in a mobile app, and how to develop a mobile 

strategy that will fit their needs. Panelists will discuss 

the different purposes for mobile apps and will bring 

clarity to the different technologies and platforms that 

may be used. 

Presenters: Jennifer Fazekas, New Media Strategist, Longwood Gardens; Dottie 

Miles, Interpretation and Exhibitions Manager, Longwood Gardens; Juan Sanabria, 

Principal and Director of Product Development, GuideOne; Karen Plemons, Project 

Manager, New Knowledge Organization; Beverly Sheppard, Principal, BKS 

Consulting 

Student Presentations 

1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. 

Consisting of six select 15-minute presentations, 

this session is devoted exclusively to having the 

future leaders of public horticulture share their 

latest research findings. 

Through these undergraduate or graduate student 

presentations, discussion and the exchange of current, 

research-based information that specifically 

pertains to public horticulture will be shared. 

This session is an invaluable opportunity to learn 

what students at public horticulture universities 

are doing to advance our profession. It also serves as 

a great opportunity for established professionals to 

meet their future peers. 


3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 

APGA Professional Sections are focused groups providing 

a variety of networking and information sharing 

opportunities for APGA members. These opportunities 

to interact include Professional Development Symposia, 

contributing articles to Public Garden (APGA’s flagship 

publication), and collaborating throughout the year via 

APGA’s online discussion groups and section resource 

sharing area. 

Sections also may take on special projects. 

All attendees are welcome to participate in any of the 

following Section meetings: 

• Emerging Professionals 

Sponsored by Longwood Graduate Program 

• College and University Gardens 

• Historic Landscapes 

• Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature 

27

Opening Reception 

SPONSORED BY: 

Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Location: The Lawn Court at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa 

Fee: Free for conference registrants 

Guest Fee: $25 

Refreshments, (including cash bar) and hors d’ouevres will be served. 

Join us for an authentic Phoenix welcome as we kick off The Garden Evolution 2013 Conference. This event is a fun 

and festive way to meet and network with your colleagues from across the country and beyond. Have a bite to eat before 

you head out to dinner in Old Scottsdale. 

Optional Dinner on Your Own: 

Courtesy shuttle service to and from Old Town Scottsdale 

6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Optional Tour 

Coffee Bar in South Foyer 

7:15 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. 


Time: 7:15 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. 


Leadership Forum 

Breakfast 

Time: 8:00 a.m. -9:45 a.m. 


Fee: $20 

Sponsored by Chanticleer Foundation 

Fee: Free 

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale 

Resort & Spa at Gainey 

Ranch Resort & Spa 

at Gainey Ranch has a 

long-standing tradition of 

environmental consciousness. 

Their environmental 

program is an industry first 

and serves both employees 

and guests in the areas of 

energy efficiency and waste 

minimization, environmental 

health and safety for our 

employees, environmental 

education for our guests, 

and environmental education 

outreach programs for the community. 

Please join the Hyatt for an environmental tour, to 

see first-hand Hyatt’s commitment to protecting the 

environment. 

Join emerging and established professionals for 

roundtable gatherings focused on leadership in 

public horticulture. 

This optional forum is open to everyone to 

allow leaders at all levels the opportunity to 

connect and engage. It is a special chance to 

meet other garden leaders from many different 

backgrounds! 

Participants will engage a topic on leadership 

in depth followed by short discussion/networking 

sessions as they meet, connect, and improve 

their knowledge on leadership challenges and 

opportunities. 

Moderator: Bill Thomas, Executive Director, Chanticleer Foundation 

There are always flowers for those who 

want to see them. 

Henri Matisse 

29

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Optional Half-Day Tour 

Arizona Urban Farming 

Time: 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fee: $40 Attendees may purchase snacks, lunch, and local produce on this tour! 

How in the heck does one farm in a desert city? 

The southern half of Arizona is ideal for year-round crop growth. 

Such bountiful conditions have made agriculture a $9.2 billion 

industry for the state. Despite these successes, some desert farmers 

aim to provide more long-term solutions to ecological and agricultural 

self-sufficiency. Participants will travel to Gilbert, Arizona to 

learn how farmer Erich Schultz is taking advantage of space within 

the city limits. 

The farm is the geographical center of Agritopia, its namesake a combination 

of “agriculture” and “utopia”. Agritopia endeavors to create 

its eponymous vision by building a commercial and residential community 

around the farm. They designed this farm to flourish in and 

provide for an urban setting - instead of a single species mono-crop, 

you will find a patchwork of specialty crops. All of the produce grown 

on the farm is grown under the USDA organic protocol and The 

Farm’s produce, including a variety of vegetables, citrus, and medjool 

dates, are sold at their on-site Farm Stand and Gilbert Farmers’ 

Market. Additionally, they supply produce to several restaurants 

including Joe’s Farm Grill, Liberty Market, and The Crêpe Bar. 

On your tour of the farm, you will learn about Agritopia’s past, 

present, and future. Mr. Schultz will discuss the next step - the 

“Epicenter,” a mixed-use development seeking to better integrate 

the farm with the community. You will also see and hear about the 

community garden and Mr. Schultz will detail his farming practices 

and touch on topics such as soil health, compost, beehives, crops, 

and orchards. In addition, you will learn about how the farm locally 

distributes its produce through its Farm Stand, farmer’s markets, and 

through several restaurants. 

After the tour, attendees will have the opportunity to relax at The 

Coffee Shop, purchase produce from The Farm Stand, or indulge in a 

lunch from the iconic Joe’s Farm Grill. 

30

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Optional Half-Day Workshops (8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) 

Biomimicry: Innovating from Life for 

Conservation and Education 

Time: 8:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. 


Fee: $50 

Innovations to support environmental sustainability 

are increasingly being inspired by looking 

through the lens of biomimicry, a design tool based 

on emulating the forms, processes, and systems used 

by living things. 

This workshop will provide an introduction to the 

emerging discipline of biomimicry. Through lectures and 

hands-on activities, participants will learn the history of 

biomimicry and new, practical methodologies for utilizing 

the collections in their gardens to engage students and 

design solutions to conservation challenges. 

A recent collaboration between Arizona State University 

(ASU) and the Desert Botanical Garden (DBG) serves as a 

springboard for illustrating how exploring the extraordinary 

adaptations of plants and animals can yield solutions 

to sustainability challenges as well as open up new and 

exciting ways to engage students in science. In 2012, ASU’s 

Design School and the DBG collaborated in a graduate 

design course that asked students to develop bio-inspired 

solutions, such as implementation of water harvesting 

and development of a better waste management strategy. 

This collaboration coincides with the Garden’s STEM 

(science, technology, engineering, and math) programming 

enhancement to incorporate biomimicry as the bridge that 

can excite students about science, nature, and design. 

Presenters: Nina Grout, Children’s Programming Manager, Desert Botanical Garden; 

Kimberlie McCue, Program Director, Conservation of Threatened Species and Habitats, 

Desert Botanical Garden; Adelheid Fischer, Manager of Innovation Space, Arizona State 

University 

Sponsorship Funding From 

Aspiration to Action 

Time: 8:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. 


Fee: $65 

Corporate giving continues to evolve during this 

period of economic recovery. 

Sponsorships and their marketing visibility are an 

attractive funding opportunity for businesses large and 

small. Expand your knowledge of sponsorship models 

and learn how to craft an action plan to secure sponsorship 

funding for your organization. 

This interactive workshop will open with brief presentations 

of a range of sponsorship ventures. Participants 

will then break into small groups with colleagues from 

like-sized gardens to identify suitable sponsorship 

models and develop a plan for each. 

The learning process will include: 

1) Identifying a target audience 

2) Creating a profile of potential sponsors 

3) Crafting an appealing recognition/benefit package. 

Presenters will guide small groups in drafting action 

plans to secure sponsorship funding, which will be 

presented to the full group at the close of the session. 

Presenters: Michele Egan Sterne, Vice President, For Momentum: Creative Cause 

Connections; Susan Clark, Associate Dean of Marketing & Communications and 

Chief Marketing Officer, Emory University School of Law; Fontaine Huey, Director of 

Institutional Advancement, Atlanta Botanical Garden 

31

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Sessions (8:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.) 

The Successful Evolution of Adult 

Education Programs: Meeting 

Changing Demands and Interests 

In order to continue to be relevant and successful, 

adult education programs must evolve to meet changing 

demographics, keeping the mission/goals of the 

organization in focus, and remaining financially viable. 

Hear from four organizations that have effectively 

attacked this head-on. 

Many gardens have seen a drop in participation in 

traditional programs, even though many have been 

offered successfully for years. At the same time, many 

organizations are looking for diverse streams of revenue, 

and taking a closer look at the finances of their 

educational programs. We must not rely only on our 

traditional, older audience and established programming, 

but reach out to young adults whose interests 

tend to be very different. This presentation will focus 

on how adult fee-based programming has changed at 

Phipps; The Botanic Garden of Smith College’s move to 

more integrative and interdisciplinary programming, 

which reaches people who are not necessarily looking 

for an educational experience; as well as budgetary and 

pricing considerations, including price points. 

Presenters: Margie Radebaugh, Director of Horticulture and Education at Phipps 

Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; Gabe Tilove, Adult Education Coordinator, 

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; Madelaine Zadik, Manager of Education 

and Outreach, The Botanic Garden of Smith College; Tina Wilson, Director of 

Education, Desert Botanical Garden; Jan Little, Director of Education and Public 

Programs, Sarah P. Duke Gardens 

Innovation distinguishes between a leader 

and a follower. 

Steve Jobs 

The Evolution of the Sustainable Sites 

Initiative and Public Gardens: Lessons 

Learned in Designing, Building, and 

Applying for SITES Certification 

The knowledge shared from lessons learned will be 

an immense service to institutions considering or 

preparing for a SITES-certified project. 

The services that natural areas and other outdoor spaces 

provide to compensate for the burdens of our built environment 

is at last being measured and mitigated for by the 

parameters set forth in the Sustainable Sites Initiative 

(SITES). This year, 2013, marks the official launching 

of SITES to open enrollment, and celebrates a milestone 

in the future design and construction of outdoor spaces. 

Public gardens naturally serve as agents for responsible 

and sustainable development of our world’s landscapes. 

This presentation shares with participants the experiences 

of four public gardens that have submitted for 

certification as SITES pilot projects, and also provides an 

overview of SITES’ first open enrollment version since the 

conclusion of the two-year pilot project phase. Speakers 

will provide a framework for how their project evolved 

from start to finish to satisfy SITES criteria, and how they 

met challenges and opportunities along the way. 

Presenters: Danielle Pieranunzi, Director, Sustainable Sites Initiative, Lady Bird Johnson 

Wildflower Center; Joel Perkovich, Sustainable Design and Programs Manager, Phipps 

Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; Alrie Middlebrook, Founder, Middlebrook Gardens; 

Travis Beck, Landscape and Gardens Project Manager, The New York Botanical Garden; 

Robert Mottern, Director of Horticulture, Sarah P. Duke Gardens 

32

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Session I: (8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.) 

Horticulture I: Mini Series 

Succulents Reimagined 

Longwood Shares its Secrets to Creating 

Dynamic Seasonal Displays with this Versatile 

Plant Group 

Join this visual extravaganza demonstrating all aspects 

of design, creation, installation, and maintenance of 

intricate wall hangings, wreaths, arches, and tree forms 

using succulents. Materials and plant choices will be 

explained in great detail, including the best species 

and cultivars for these displays. A detailed handout, 

including a plant list, will accompany this dynamic and 

inspiring presentation. 

Participants will learn how to use succulents in 

innovative ways to create seasonal, colorful displays to 

educate and delight guests using this diverse group of 

plants. In addition, participants will learn the possibilities 

of using the same materials multiple times 

to achieve distinctive creations. You will want to take 

these ideas back to your garden and make them your 

own! 

Presenter: Kathryn McCullough, Senior Gardener, Longwood Gardens 

The Transformation of 

Biome-based Exhibits 

A Road Map to Enriching Semi-permanent 

Collections with Rotating Ecoregion-themed 

Displays 

Why be forced to choose when excellent plant collections 

can be maintained in display spaces that enrich the visitor 

with not only beauty, but quality educational information 

and cultural connections with unique regions around 

the world. 

What are the approaches used when constructing new 

display spaces that one can take to allow the room to 

evolve from region to region over time? This knowledge 

can help drive attendance to your garden, providing new 

exhibits, without new construction. It also may help 

foster new relationships within communities and provide a 

platform for international collaboration. 

Participants will learn some of the techniques that are 

used at Phipps to maintain a 12,000 sq ft conservatory in 

a manner that allows for display regions to be changed 

every three years. Regions covered so far include 

Thailand, Amazon, and India, with an African exhibit in 

the planning phases. 

Presenter: Ben Dunigan, Assistant Curator of Horticulture, Phipps Conservatory and 


Desert Rock Gardening 

Take a look at the real potential for integrating 

plants and rocks in a desert rock garden. 

Any visitor to Arizona will notice the presence of rocks 

throughout the natural landscape and in gardens. Desert 

plants live among rocks. Some seem to grow from bare 

rock itself. Rocks are an important component of desert 

gardening. They may cover more ground than plants do 

in a landscape. Dramatic use of boulders and rocks with 

character can define an entire bed. 

More than just ornaments, rocks offer horticultural benefits 

of shade and microclimate for small plants. They 

may be used to promote drainage or water collection, as 

well as functioning as mulch. Proper selection and usage 

of rocks can be just as important as plant selection when 

creating a great desert landscape. 

Presenter: Michael Chamberland, Director of Horticulture, Tucson Botanical Gardens 

33

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Session I: (8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.) 

Horticulture II: Evolution of Cultivated 

Plant Names: An Exploration of the 

Codes of Nomenclature, Cultivar 

Registration, Plant Patents, and 

Trade Designation 

APGA’s Plant Nomenclature & Taxonomy section 

realizes the need for knowledge about codes and 

laws affecting plant names, patents, and trade 

designations. This vital information furthers 

curation and management of horticultural 

collections. 

This session, led by experienced public garden representatives, 

will cover topics including the basics on the 

codes of nomenclature for wild and cultivated plants, the 

history of cultivar registration and the role registration 

authorities play in the use and promotion of proper cultivated 

plant names. It will also address how plant patents 

and trade names have changed the practice of naming 

and labeling plants, and how the study of molecular 

biology influences plant taxonomy and nomenclature in 

horticultural collections. A case study will be presented 

to demonstrate how having a greater understanding of 

these topics can assist with the day-to-day nomenclatural 

challenges that are faced when curating a living 

plant collection. 

Presenters: Natalie Iwanycki, Herbarium Curator and Field Botanist, Royal Botanical 

Gardens, Ontario; Michael Dosmann, Curator of Living Collections, Arnold Arboretum of 

Harvard University; Todd Lasseigne, President and CEO, Oklahoma Centennial Botanical 

Garden; Richard Olsen, Lead Scientist for the Germplasm and Urban Tree Breeding 

Program, US National Arboretum; Raul Puente Martinez, Curator of Living Collections, 

Desert Botanical Garden ; Anthony Aiello, Curator and Director of Horticulture, Morris 

Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania 

Marketing: Social Media Mini Series 

Storytelling and Photo Sharing 

Gone are the days when a to-the-point Facebook 

post announcing an upcoming event will win the 

hearts and minds of your followers. 

Making your botanical garden stand out and shine 

has become more difficult than ever in a world where 

people are constantly inundated with messages seeking 

their time and money. 

To stand out in the crowded spaces of social media and 

to capture the attention of reporters and community 

leaders through public relations, botanical gardens 

should seek to establish strong personal connections 

with people. What are the best ways to do this? 

Embrace the age-old tactic of storytelling and make the 

most of the online photo-sharing craze. It’s working for 

big businesses, not-for-profits, and individuals nationwide. 

Botanical gardens would do well to capitalize on 

a narrative and picture-driven approach, as well. 

Presenters: Tom O’Konowitz, Associate Director of Communications, Cleveland 

Botanical Garden; Ashley Panter, Digital Content Manager, Desert Botanical Garden 

If content is king, then 

conversation is queen. 

John Munsell 

Content is King 

With the influx of new platforms it is increasingly 

important to develop an integrated strategy 

for marketing content. 

The “why?” of social media is easy to answer: Over 

80% of your constituents expect it. But for many 

gardens the bigger question is “how?” — particularly 

with limited resources and a proliferation of social 

platforms. This session will use examples, exercises, 

and simple tools to help organizations of any size and 

budget clarify their social strategy. 

Another concept that will be covered is fostering 

engagement. Social media can be used as an important 

listening tool, and constituent feedback can inform 

future content. Case studies of Brooklyn Botanic 

Garden’s strategy on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, 

Foursquare, and Pinterest will illustrate opportunities 

particular to each platform and lay out BBG’s goals, 

strategy, analysis, and lessons learned. Participants 

will leave the session with a list of creative ways to use 

their own stories to further their marketing objectives 

through social media and other low-cost avenues. 

Presenters: Elizabeth Peters, Director of Digital and Print Media, Brooklyn Botanic 

Garden; Samantha Campbell, Director of Marketing, Brooklyn Botanic Garden 

34

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Sessions II: (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) 

Education Mini Series 

Evolving a Botany Research 

Program: Connecting PhD Students’ 

Research to the Lives of the Public 

Amazing discoveries are made, published in 

scientific journals, and read by scientists. 

They rarely make it to the public; findings are sequestered 

in the scientific community. The updated Botany 

In Action (BIA) graduate fellowship program at Phipps 

Conservatory and Botanical Gardens now breaks this 

pattern. The BIA program trains scientists to interpret 

science to a broad range of audiences. The program 

evolved from one that primarily provided a forum 

for giving standard scientific lectures to traditional 

audiences; BIA now educates scientists and the public 

simultaneously. 

BIA helps scientists develop the skills to translate their 

research for a general audience through oral, visual, written, 

and multi-media modes. In turn, BIA researchers 

work to put a new “face” on scientists, engaging with the 

public both in person at Phipps and online. Learn about 

BIA as a model program and gather tips for connecting 

and simultaneously educating scientists and the public. 

Presenter: Amanda Joy, Science Education Specialist, Phipps Conservatory and 


Building Capacity through Co-Op 

Programs 

Learn how to recruit new minds for cooperative 

learning experiences in your garden through 

strategic partnerships with high schools and 

colleges. 

Without adding new interest and youthful minds to 

the ranks of our staff, membership, and visitation, the 

public gardens of today will tire, age, and near extinction. 

Longwood Gardens recently launched a Co-Op 

Program in partnership with a local technical high 

school and trade college. 

The program is strategically aimed to build capacity 

in public horticulture, not only through opportunities 

with plants and gardening, but through other trades 

including carpentry, machinery, electrical, HVAC, etc. 

It allows for hands-on training with knowledgeable 

staff coupled with academic learning in the students’ 

classroom at his/her home institution. The program 

has proven successful on several fronts: the student 

satisfies a mandatory experiential learning requirement, 

the school gains a community partner, and 

the public garden profession is impressed on future 

generations as a potential career path. 

Presenters: Brian Trader, Coordinator of Domestic and International Studies, 

Longwood Gardens; Heidi Militana, Instructor for the Wildlife and Natural Resource 

Management Program, Chester County Technical College High School 

University Arboreta: Curriculum, 

Research, and Institutional Image 

Most university arboreta seem to be isolated 

from other campus entities, and many are in 

competition with physical plant departments or 

academic units. We need some unity in seeking 

help! 

Our struggles for internal support are many and difficult. 

This session provides an APGA-wide discussion 

forum for these issues to help us to present a stronger 

case to our administrators. How can student learning 

be increased? What kinds of research are appropriate 

in college arboreta? Why do visiting parents decide 

on colleges based on the perceived quality of the 

landscape? 

Presenter: Martin Quigley, Kurtz Chair in Botany, Professor of Landscape Ecology, 

and Arboretum Director, University of Denver 

35

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Sessions II: (10:00 am – 11:30 am) 

Achieving Excellence in the Visitor 

Experience 

The role the public plays in the success of public 

gardens cannot be overestimated. 

The competition for visitors and their leisure time 

continues to intensify as new competitors and new 

venues emerge to vie for public attention. To succeed 

in this environment, gardens must anticipate visitor 

expectations and ensure that the experience offered is 

excellent from the moment of arrival to the moment 

of departure. Achieving that goal requires progressive 

leadership, a reprioritizing of institutional goals, 

retraining of everyone connected with the garden from 

board members to volunteers, a marketing mindset to 

keep the garden and its programs visible, and a commitment 

to evaluation. 

Each visitor must be regarded as an honored guest, 

rather than a number. Representatives from four 

gardens that have excellence as their goal for every 

visitor experience will detail their approaches to 

distinguishing public garden visits from other cultural 

options and share their staff and board training methods 

and techniques for guaranteeing a quality visitor 

experience year round. 

Presenters: Sharon Lee, Co-author Public Garden Management; Kathleen 

Socolofsky, Director, UC Davis Arboretum; Paul Redman, Director, Longwood 

Gardens; Harriet Resnick, Vice President of Visitor Experience and Business 

Development, Chicago Botanic Garden; Sabina Carr, Director of Marketing, 

Communications & Visitor Experience, Atlanta Botanical Garden 

Creating a Butterfly Exhibit: If You 

Build It, Will They Come? 

Should your garden invest in a butterfly display? 

This session will help you understand the ROI 

and the specifics for creating a butterfly display 

that will greatly affect your visitor impact and 

ensure your guests will want to return again and 

again. 

Learn which butterflies are the best performers 

and the best environment for them. Presenters will 

describe the different species and how to select the 

best mix. Participants will get answers to such questions 

as: “Where do farmed butterflies come from?”; 

“Who are the best suppliers?”; and “What nectar plants 

must you have?” This presentation will also cover various 

topics including navigating the necessary permits 

and government inspection, enhancing your visitors’ 

experience with volunteer interpreters, as well as 

training tips. 

Presenters: Cynthia Druckenbrod, Director of Horticulture, Cleveland Botanical 

Garden; Tina Dombrowski, Horticulture Manager, Zoo & Conservatory, Como Park 

Zoo; Elaine McGinn, Director of Planning and Exhibits, Desert Botanical Garden; 

Gail Manning, Director of Education, Fort Worth Botanic Garden 

Collaborative Marketing for National 

Public Gardens Day 

Strengthening partners and increasing community 

awareness and value for public gardens. 

Learn how the Santa Barbara Public Gardens alliance 

was formed and its evergreen brand created, and how 

several media and funding partners were attracted. 

Learn about the positive impact for each individual 

partner, for public gardens, and for the Santa Barbara 

community. 

In 2012, Santa Barbara area botanic gardens, parks, 

zoo, and several local foundations worked together 

to celebrate National Public Gardens Day, with free 

admissions, guided tours, and other activities. The 

alliance created marketing strategies and tools to celebrate 

the Day, but more importantly, to create an evergreen 

and ongoing promotion of Santa Barbara Public 

Gardens. The alliance generated great media coverage, 

attracted new donor support, raised the profile and 

value of the individual partners, increased tourism 

dollars, and increased community awareness of the 

presence and value of public gardens. The alliance 

expanded in 2013 with new partners, more activities, 

increased funding, and media coverage. The alliance’s 

primary goal is to elevate the community’s perception 

of the value and importance of public gardens in Santa 

Barbara, while also promoting themselves, individually, 

to current and new audiences. 

Presenters: Gwen Stauffer, Executive Director, Ganna Walska Lotusland; Molly 

Barker, Executive Director, Casa del Herrero; Joni Kelly, Communications 

Manager, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden; Billy Goodnick, Landscape Architect, 

Garden Writer and Speaker, and Santa Barbara Public Gardens Alliance Spokesman 

36


NAPCC Members Forum 

Special Lunch Sessions: Choose from four options (11:45 a.m. – 1:15 pm) 

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. 


All NAPCC collections holders, recruiter/mentors, 

and reviewers are invited to attend this annual meeting. 

Join the open forum discussion about the latest 

program developments and weigh in on important 

NAPCC collections issues. For more information, 

contact NAPCC Manager Pam Allenstein: 

pallenstein@publicgardens.org or 610.708.3015. 

Moderators: Pam Allenstein, NAPCC Manager; Chris Carmichael, NAPCC Chair; 

Kris Bachtell, NAPCC Vice Chair 

Option 1 Option 2 

Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust 

So, where does your garden stand? 

The Power of Benchmarking Data! 

Powered by Altru 

Sponsored by Blackbaud 

Learn how other gardens and membership organizations 

are performing around key metrics for fundraising, 

visitation, and membership – donations at the 

front desk, membership retention, membership prices, 

and more. Are your donation averages for visitors and 

members on track with those of your peers? Can you 

engage your constituents in channels like your peers 

can? Is your membership acquisition and retention 

where it needs to be? Are you capturing all the revenue 

you can from your members and constituents? More 

importantly, learn how others are doing it. Jay will 

share best practices and dive into actual data you can’t 

afford to miss. So, join us and learn how you stack up 

against your peers! 

Presenter: Jay Odell, Vice President, Altru, Blackbaud 

Come and learn more about the Stanley Smith 

Horticultural Trust, and other grant opportunities 

available to public gardens and horticultural 

institutions. 

The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust will award 

between $600,000 and $800,000 in 2013 to botanical 

gardens and other organizations with programs in 

ornamental horticulture. APGA organizations fit the 

mission of the Trust and often make ideal applicants. 

You’ll learn about the history and mandate of the Trust, 

an update of previously funded projects, and an overview 

of what makes for a good proposal submission. 

The discussion will focus on how to increase the 

chances of any garden in developing a successful 

proposal. The information shared will not just be 

applicable to one funding source, but can help improve 

any grant submittal. 

Presenter: Tom Daniel, Grants Director, The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust 

and Curator of Botany, The California Academy of Sciences 

37


Special Lunch Sessions Continued 


Option 3 

Professional Section Lunch Meetings 

APGA Professional Sections are focused groups 

providing a variety of networking and information 

sharing opportunities for APGA members. These 

opportunities to interact include Professional 

Development Symposia, contributing articles to Public 

Garden (APGA’s flagship publication), and collaborating 

throughout the year via APGA’s online discussion 

groups and section resource sharing area. 



• Horticulture, Greenhouses, and Facilities 

• Marketing and Communications 

• Education 

• Native Plants 

Option 4 

Open Lunch 

What can gardens learn from highend 

retailers, luxury hotels, and 

successful airlines? 

Time: 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. 


Fee: $165 

The power of total customer engagement, across 

platforms 

You’ve developed a brand. Visitors are showing up. 

Now what? Go deeper. Strengthen and thicken the relationship 

between your visitors and your institution. 

How? Learn to activate your brand with a set of strategies 

that will create loyalty and drive transactions and 

earned income. 

In this workshop, the presenters will introduce and 

explore the concept of total Customer Engagement, 

its core tenets, and its roll-out across different experiences 

including high-end retail and hotels. After 

examining two or three different Customer Engagement 

practices (and their results), the presenters will 

lead participants in an exploration of brand concepts, 

and how they relate to public gardens. In the third and 

final part of this workshop, the participants will define 

their brand in terms of customer service, and begin to 

develop a model for total customer engagement. 

Presenters: Kathryn Glass, Vice President of Marketing and Public Engagement, 

Brooklyn Botanic Garden; Nicole Franchuk, Principal, Frank LLC 

Wilderness is not a 

luxury but a necessity 

of the human spirit. 

Edward Abbey 

An open lunch will be offered for conference attendee 

who will not be attending another special lunch 

session. Registration is still required. 

38

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Session III (1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.) 

Full STEAM Ahead 

Join the presentation and discussion with members 

of our STEM + Art stakeholders and walk 

away with a new approach to program planning. 

For many Gardens, developing and implementing 

STEM initiatives can be challenging when faced with 

changing educational standards, managing donor 

expectations, and convincing others that science goes 

beyond physics or chemistry. This session will address 

how the Desert Botanical Garden is creating a sustainable 

STEM + Art model to meet the changing needs of 

teachers and schools while supporting the Garden’s 

mission and creating unique learning experiences that 

keep environmental education programming relevant. 

Participants will learn how environmental education 

and life sciences can be combined with their institution’s 

art exhibits to create unique learning experiences 

that address Common Core and Next Generation 

standards while still creating opportunities for 

program funding. 

Presenters: Tina Wilson, Director of Education, Desert Botanical Garden; Teniqua 

Broughton, Executive Director of the Act One Foundation; Wendy Cohen, Principal, 

Yavapai Elementary School; Cyndi Coon, Owner, Laboratory5 Inc. 

Leadership I: Learning From Other 

Non-Profit Sectors to Encourage the 

Garden Leaders of Tomorrow 

There is no reason to reinvent the wheel! In this 

session, learn what other sectors are doing to 

develop new leadership, and then join in an open 

discussion to strategize how we can learn from 

the experience of others and jumpstart our own 

leadership efforts. 

Where will the next generation of garden leaders come 

from? What are we doing now to make sure that the next 

generation of garden leaders will be ready? These are 

two of the most important questions facing our profession. 

Current garden directors think about these issues 

because they want to be sure that there will be qualified 

candidates to take their places as they retire. 

Emerging leaders care deeply about these questions 

because they aspire to be the garden directors of tomorrow. 

They want to be certain there is a clear path to 

becoming a garden director, and they want to do all they 

can to prepare for those opportunities. 

Presenters: Ken Schutz, Executive Director, Desert Botanical Garden; Sheila Grinell, 

Founding Director (retired), Arizona Science Center, and lead consultant to ASTC in 

setting up the Noyce Leadership Institute; MiJin Hong, Director of Academic Affairs 

and Program Development, Getty Leadership Institute at Claremont Graduate Institute 

Education is the most powerful 

weapon which you can use to 

change the world. 

Leadership II: Leading by Example 

- How Three Public Gardens Lead in 

the Use of Native Plants 

This is not your ordinary “eat your broccoli because 

it’s good for you” native plant conversation 

As climate change and other environmental factors reinforce 

the relevancy of natives in created landscapes, 

commitment from the top is critical to the successful 

presentation of regionally native plants. Directors from 

three public gardens will discuss how versatile natives 

can engage the public through stunningly beautiful 

horticultural displays, taxonomic collections, demonstrations 

for residential use, wildlife habitats, and by 

connecting people with their diverse indigenous flora 

through stories of cultural and natural history. 

This session will conclude with a panel discussion on 

using natives to engage visitors and how this helps public 

gardens sustain relevancy by demonstrating compelling 

horticultural design and resource conservation. 

Attendees will leave inspired by leaders demonstrating 

different ways of incorporating beautiful and practical 

regionally native flora into displays and collections. 

Presenters: Andrea DeLong-Amaya, Director of Horticulture, Lady Bird Johnson 

Wildflower Center; Bill Thomas, Executive Director, Chanticleer Foundation; Susan 

Rieff, Executive Director, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; Craig Ivanyi, 

Executive Director, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 

Nelson Mandela 

39

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Sessions III Continued: (1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.) 

Horticulture Mini Series 

May your trails be crooked, 

winding, lonesome, dangerous, 

leading to the most amazing 

view. May your mountains rise 

into and above the clouds. 

Edward Abbey 

Wish We Knew Then What We Know 

Now: The Challenges and Opportunities 

of Garden Expansion After the 

Ribbon Cutting 

Wish you knew the answers to the challenges of a 

new garden? 

Ever wonder what effect a master plan can have on 

your job as a horticulturist? An educator? A manager? 

Participants will learn how to tackle these challenges 

and evolve with everyone’s best interests in mind. 

Our story: The Scott’s Miracle Gro Community Garden 

Campus, which was part of Franklin Park Conservatory 

and Botanical Gardens master plan, has changed three 

years after the initial installation was completed. 

Everything from staffing, garden maintenance, design, 

collaboration between departments, classes, and utilizing 

volunteers are different from what we anticipated 

in 2009. A Designer and a Horticulturist will both share 

their perspectives on the unexpected evolution of this 

new garden. Many challenges were faced and the focus 

for how the garden is used has changed, but by having 

a “go with the flow” attitude, a thriving garden that 

benefits other departments and the community was 

born. One phase of the master plan may be completed, 

but the work continues as we strive to create a garden 

that reflects the needs of all those who utilize it. 

Presenters: Amanda Bettin, Designer, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical 

Gardens; Chase Williams, Lead Horticulturist, Scott’s Miracle Gro Community Garden 

Campus at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden 

The Lawn is Dead. Long Live the 

Lawn: The Evolution of Sustainable 

Grass Systems for Turf, Green Roofs, 

Urban Meadows, and Roadsides 

Don’t underestimate the power of grass. If 

designed ecologically, grassland systems – 

meadows, turf, even green roofs – can regenerate 

environmental and ecological function as well as 

provide the valued aesthetic component of our 

landscapes. 

The fifty million acres of turf grass lawns represent the 

primary irrigated crop in the United States absorbing 

up to sixty percent of potable water. Lawns alone annually 

consume sixty-seven million pounds of pesticides, 

seventy million tons of fertilizer, and three hundred 

million gallons of gasoline, producing five percent of all 

air pollutants. This industrialization of landscape grass 

systems has evolved due to a specific and cultivated 

aesthetic expectation, availability of cheap water, 

fuel, and nutrients. And it is now perceived as a failing 

landscape feature. 

This presentation will cover how grass systems 

can offer multiple ecosystems services such as low 

water use and resource inputs, storm water retention, 

improved water quality, and other features. 

Several examples of sustainable grasslands uses like 

green roofs, urban meadows, roadsides, etc. will be 

highlighted. 

Presenter: Mark Simmons, Director, Ecosystem Design Group, Lady Bird Johnson 

Wildflower Center 

40

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Session III 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 

A New Dawn Rising at Ohio State’s 

University’s Secrest Arboretum 

Mighty oaks from little acorns grow, and the same 

can be said that “from fallen oaks great forests 

spring.” 

Natural disasters come to all, and the proof of the 

sustainability of a public garden is often what comes 

next. In 1908 Edmund Secrest looked out over barren 

fields: trees were planted and forests grew. Then tragedy 

struck. 

In 2010, a tornado stormed through the Arboretum 

downing more than fifteen hundred large trees. The loss 

of the research value of these plants, their landscape 

value of over one and-a-half million dollars, and the 

environmental services they provided was devastating. 

What came next – replanting of over two thousand trees 

within two years of the tornado, donations of cash, trees, 

landscaping, and arboricultural services, development 

of new research plots, and the spur to better germplasm 

protection – is a tale to interest all public gardens. It 

has also resulted in an interesting story of insurance 

implications, and increased awareness of the science of 

tornado studies and the biology of natural disturbances. 

Participants will learn how they can activate support 

from their various publics following a natural disaster, 

develop research and renewal projects that could only 

happen after such an event, and the meanings that the 

green industry, visitors, donors, and others drew from 

the disaster. 

Presenters: James Chatfield, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Ohio State 

University; Kenneth Cochran, Director, Secrest Arboretum at Ohio State University; 

Mary Maloney, Director, Chadwick Arboretum at Ohio State University 

Monetize Your Garden’s Website 

Learn how to break the process down into manageable 

phases that will turn your website into a 

robust revenue producing e-commerce website. 

It is the digital age and it seems like a new device to 

connect to the internet comes on the market every day. 

Websites are vital tools in the promotion of your garden 

and can be used to collect additional revenue. However, 

technology is expensive. Utilizing your website as a 

revenue stream requires investment, but this initial 

investment can result in a website that pays for itself and 

more. 

With a strong emphasis on data driven strategy, this 

session will give attendees a 360-degree view of how 

to monetize your website. It will include management 

strategies and ideas for infrastructure to ensure the 

continued success of your newly monetized website. 

This session will cover the multi-phase process of monetizing 

your Garden’s website from the conception of the 

idea to the planning, staffing, and successful completion 

of it, including all the road bumps you may encounter 

along the way. 

Presenters: John Sallot, Director of Marketing, Desert Botanical Garden; Ashley Panter, 

Digital Content Manager, Desert Botanical Garden; Brian Alig, Interactive Services, 

Off Madison Ave + SpinSix; Peter Vertes, Director of Marketing and Communications, 

Cleveland Botanical Garden; Kevin Hourigan, President and CEO, Bayshore Solutions 

Adopt the pace of nature: her 

secret is patience. 


41

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Session IV (2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.) 

Education I: Building Dynamic 

Intergenerational Volunteer Educator 

Communities 

Engaging visitors with nature. 

Educators and visionary administrators will receive 

hard data on the benefits of intergenerational volunteer 

teaching structures. US Census data indicate that in 

the coming decades our country will see great increases 

in the youngest (under eighteen) and the oldest (over 

sixty-five) citizens to nearly fifty percent of our total 

population. These populations represent the future of 

our institutions, offering unique skill sets as educators. 

Do a teen and a retired textbook editor who trained 

together have a special advantage when helping first 

graders test how plants disperse seeds? This presentation 

will ask participants to take a revolutionary look at 

the structure of their programs and examine the benefits 

of engaging volunteers of many ages and backgrounds 

in becoming exceptional educators within a shared 

learning environment. Participants will learn behind 

the scenes training methods while sharing in a dialogue 

about best practices. 

Presenters: Jeffrey Downing, Executive Director, Mt. Cuba Center; Susan L. Wagner, 

Vice President of Education and Information, The Morton Arboretum; Sarah Paulson, 

Assistant Manager of The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden at The New York 

Botanical Garden 

Education II: Preparing Elementary 

Teachers in Science: A Garden- 

Zoo-University Model 

This project provides a demonstration of one way 

in which a partnership between ISIs and higher 

education institution(s) can be formed. 

Informal science institutions (ISIs) represent a 

tremendous resource for teacher education. However, 

few ISIs provide programs for pre-service teachers, 

and the effectiveness of these programs has not been 

extensively documented or broadly disseminated. 

Funded by the US Department of Education Fund 

for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education 

(FIPSE), The New York Botanical Garden, in partnership 

with the Wildlife Conservation Society, and The 

City University of New York’s Lehman College School 

of Education, created Outside-the-Box to study the 

efficacy of collaborations between ISIs and universities 

in the preparation of pre-service elementary 

teachers. This three-year program introduces the 

pre-service participants to science, science education 

practices, and the use of outdoor settings for inquiry 

science investigation across disciplines. 

Participants will learn how the Outside-the-Box 

Program works to help prepare pre-service elementary 

teachers in collaboration with their formal graduate 

studies. Participants will also learn how to replicate 

elements of the Outside-the-Box Program through 

partnerships involving other science institutions and 

universities. 

Presenters: Judith Hutton, Manager of Teacher Professional Development, The New 

York Botanical Garden; Amanda Lindell, Coordinator of Professional Development, 

Wildlife Conservation Society 

Back to the Future: Engaging 

Emerging Professionals in Your Garden 

Many organizations wish to engage emerging 

professionals as a means to both broaden their 

visitor demographic and cultivate future leaders 

and supporters. 

Developing a program or initiative to engage and retain 

emerging professionals can present a multitude of 

challenges related to leadership, staffing, program 

development, and recruitment. 

In addition, too many organizations fall victim to 

reducing emerging professional engagement to social 

media and event-based interactions. While this can 

be a beneficial introduction to the organization, the 

further development of these relationships is what can 

lead to retained and increased engagement. 

The presentation will address the following vital 

components of developing a successful emerging 

professionals program: identifying the interests of the 

emerging professionals in your community; developing 

program leadership and support; and translating 

identified interests into a well-developed engagement 

program. Additionally, the presentation will speak 

to pitfalls and related challenges experienced when 

developing or restructuring a current program. 

Presenters: Lauren Svorinic, Individual Giving Associate, Desert Botanical Garden; 

Teniqua Broughton, Director, Act One Foundation and Board of Trustees, Desert 

Botanical Garden; Andrea Nickrent, Graphic Designer and Donor Communications 

Coordinator, Missouri Botanical Garden 

42

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Concurrent Session IV (2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.) 

Re-Thinking the Rose Garden 

Anyone and everyone who wants to grow roses 

with more success and fewer chemicals will 

benefit from this session. 

A rose is (not) a rose is (not) a rose. There are very 

specific hybridization efforts – many today are highly 

successful and many in the past produced really bad 

plants. By choosing (and being aware of ) the right genetics, 

a more sustainable rose garden can be achieved. 

This session will helps guide the participants through 

new genetics coming to the market and their help 

towards a more sustainable rose garden without chemicals. 

Topics also include Earth-Kind Research, Soil 

Management, and the New American Rose Trials for 

Sustainability. 

Presenter: Peter Kukielski, Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden Senior Advisor, The New 

York Botanical Garden 

Exceeding Guests’ Safety 

Expectations and How it Impacts 

Your Bottom Line 

How many complaints and lawsuits could be 

avoided if the injured person felt cared for and 

important to the institution vs. being brushed 

aside in the hopes that they would “just go 

away?” 

Additionally, how much money could be saved in 

insurance premium/litigation costs that could instead 

be used to improve programs and attract members? 

Gardens are a place for reflection, peace, and tranquility. 

Most people take for granted that they will be safe 

while visiting your institution. Slips, trips, and falls 

cause the majority of injuries sustained while visiting 

public gardens and it is your preparation, response, 

and follow-up that could mean the difference between 

turning an injured guest into a new member or being 

named as the defendant in a lawsuit. 

With the proper preparation, training, response and 

follow-up, it is possible to turn a negative experience 

into a positive or a complainant into a new member. 

At the same time, you can prevent an increase in your 

insurance premium and avoid negative publicity. 

Presenters: Sharon Van Loon, CPCU, LIC, Berends Hendricks Stuit Insurance; Greg 

Papiernik, Public Safety and Security Manager, Longwood Gardens; Harriet Resnick, 

Vice President, Visitor Operations, Chicago Botanic Gardens; Lisa Glass, Public 

Safety Officer, Longwood Gardens 

Science Matters: Evolving Your 

Conservation Messages for Today’s 

Audiences 

By connecting marketing and conservation 

professionals, conservation messages at public 

gardens can evolve to make science matter to 

everyone! 

Conservation requires the capacity to communicate 

complicated issues and concepts. When scientists 

and marketing professionals work together, a broader 

audience is reached, resulting in an educated public that 

understands and values plant diversity and the work of 

public gardens. 

Conservation and marketing experts will showcase 

concrete ways they bring conservation messages to the 

public. BGCI-US will present Care for the Rare, a novel 

collaborative effort that, in its pilot phase, could help 

700,000 people understand the conservation value of 

collections. The San Diego Botanic Garden will discuss 

how they reach the public through programming on 

local Native American cultures and bilingual interpretive 

signs. The Morton Arboretum will show how staff 

unites to call in the media and orchestrate community 

outreach events, while the Pollinator Partnership will 

discuss how combined conservation and marketing 

expertise created the BeeSmart School Kit (used in 24 

states), and the BeeSmart App for backyard gardeners. 

Presenters: Jennifer GoodSmith, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, 

The Morton Arboretum; Nicole Cavender, Vice President of Science and Conservation, 

The Morton Arboretum; Dave Ehrlinger, Director of Horticulture, San Diego Botanic 

Garden; Abby Hird, BGCI US Research Associate and Program Manager, Arnold 

Arboretum of Harvard University; Mary Byrne Rager, Plant Ecologist, Pollinator 

Partnership; Julian Duval, President/CEO, San Diego Botanic Garden 

43



3:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. 

APGA Professional Sections are focused groups 

providing a variety of networking and information 

sharing opportunities for APGA members. These 

opportunities to interact include Professional 

Development Symposia, contributing articles to Public 

Garden (APGA’s flagship publication), and creating 

an online resource center. Sections also may take on 

special projects. 



• TIPS (Technology and Innovation Professionals) 

Sponsored by ValleyCrest Landscape Companies 

• Volunteer Management 

• Plant Conservation 

Basically, I think 21st century 

conservation is moving toward 

preserving ecosystems by dealing 

with the needs of people. 

Edward Norton 

• Small Gardens 

44


Sponsored by 

Directors’ Dinner 

(Executive Directors and Spouses/Partners Only) 

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. 

Fees: Executive Directors/CEO’s: $25 

Spouse/Partner Guest Fee: $125 

Dinner on Your Own 

Courtesy Shuttle Service to and from Kierland Commons 

6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. 

Executive Directors, CEOs and their 

guests will be transported to beautiful 

Old Town Scottsdale for an evening with 

their peers. Registrants for the event will 

receive a separate invitation with details 

about the evening. 

45 

37

Thursday, May 23, 2013 NAPCC Oak Curatorial Group Meeting / Exhibits Hall 

NAPCC Oak Curatorial Group 

Meeting 

NAPCC Oak Curatorial Group Meeting 

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. 

Cindy Newlander, Coordinator 

What makes the desert beautiful 

is that somewhere it hides a well. 

Antoine de Saint-Exupery 

Exhibits Hall 

7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 

Coffee Bar in the Exhibits Hall 

7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. 

46

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Optional Half Day Tour 

The Heard Museum 

Time: 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. 

Fee: $50 

Immerse yourself in American Indian art and history. 

Since 1929, the Heard Museum has enchanted visitors 

from around the world with the art, culture, and history 

of American Indians, with an emphasis on tribes 

of the Southwest. The Heard features more than forty 

thousand works of fine art and cultural artifacts in its 

permanent collection, and eleven long-term and changing 

exhibit galleries. 

Participants will take a tour that includes more than 

two thousand treasures, including jewelry, cultural 

items, pottery, baskets, textiles, and beadwork, reflecting 

Southwestern Native peoples from ancestral times 

to today in the museum’s largest permanent exhibit. 

Physical structures include a Navajo hogan, Hopi piki 

room, and Pueblo oven. The exhibit reflects the importance 

of family, community land, and languages, the 

common threads in the lives of all American Indians. 

Stories are told through first person recollections, 

works of art, and photomurals. 

You will also have the opportunity to stroll through 

elegant courtyards, which contain works made by 

American Indian sculptors. 

47

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Optional Half Day Workshop 

College and University Workshop: 

Succeeding within the Institutional 

Context 

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 


Fee: $45 

Universities are repositories of history and culture, but 

are not always nimble and responsive, especially when 

individual departments (like botanical gardens) are not 

viewed as mission-critical. 

president’s office to create a friends program; and 

a garden with minimal staff and no central support 

establishing an endowment. 

Planning and Groundskeeping: the gardens range 

from one sixty miles from campus to one serving as an 

arboretum and groundskeeper, and two in-between. 

Presenters: Karen Sikkenga, University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens 

and Nichols Arboretum; Mary Maloney, Program Director, Chadwick Arboretum, Ohio 

State University; Stephanie DeStefano, Grounds Operations Coordinator, American 

University; Patrick Williams, Director of Development, The Arboretum at Penn State 

University; Kim Steiner, Professor of Forest Biology, Penn State University; 

Holly Scroggins 

This workshop includes three case studies and two 

panel discussions focused on fundraising, planning, and 

groundskeeping. Each case study features an initiative 

including the following: 

• Working with university administrators to create an 

endorsed master plan, 

• Raising funds with or without university development, 

and 

• Navigating university requirements to complete 

installation. 

Two panel discussions will feature panelists representing 

a range of practices. 

Fundraising: a development director reporting to 

central development; a garden fundraising through 

a charitable foundation; a garden working with the 

48

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Concurrent Session I: (8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.) 

Gardens as Conservation Partners at the 

Urban-Wild Interface 

This session will inspire and guide the Association 

and our institutions. 

We’ll examine progress and help forge paths to continue 

developing effective ways to lead and participate in community 

conservation, demonstrate benefits and progress, 

and support stewardship conversations with our boards, 

managers, visitors, partners, and funders. 

This session initially presents an update of the 2003 

APGA-wide survey conducted jointly by the Center for 

Plant Conservation and Canadian Botanical Conservation 

Network, “The Role of Botanic Gardens in Conservation, 

Management and Interpretation of Natural 

Areas.” The report will present current results and assess 

change in the last ten years. Additionally, session speakers 

will provide case studies and resources for garden 

work (beyond just their own) in related topics: 1) Preserving 

Natural Areas and Connections Through Urban 

Areas; 2) Gardens as Conservation and Restoration Advisors 

and Partners in Local Development and Restoration 

Work; 3) Gardens as Stewards, Holding and Managing 

Conservation Easements and Natural Areas; and 4) Gardens 

Creating Native Seed Sources and Plant Materials 

Capacity Supporting Local Restoration Efforts. 

Presenters: Kathryn Kennedy, Executive Director and President of Center for Plant 

Conservation; David Galbraith, Head of Science, Royal Botanic Gardens, Ontario; Joyce 

Maschinski, Conservation Ecologist, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden; Johnny Randall, 

Assistant Director for Natural Areas and Conservation Programs, North Carolina 

Botanical Garden; Roger Gettig, Director of Horticulture and Conservation, Holden 

Arboretum; Gregory Mueller, Vice President of Science and Academic Programs, 

Chicago Botanic Garden 

Visitor Experience/ Marketing: 

Public Gardens and Tourism: 

A Match for Success 

As the baby boomers move out of their gardens 

and have the time and resources to travel, there is 

no doubt that the latest TAMS (Tourism Activity 

Motivation Survey) numbers on tourists’ 

garden visits will be growing. 

In order to capture this opportunity, garden leadership 

needs to understand what is happening and how to 

capitalize. How can your garden attract these tourists? 

How can you capture some of their dollars to support 

your institution? Come and get some facts and success 

stories. 

The most recent TAMS points to an important potential 

market. TAMS informs us that 10.5% (23,307,038) 

of adult Americans visited garden theme attractions 

while on an out-of-town, overnight trip of one or more 

nights. In Canada, 13.1% (3,246,208) did the same. 

More adult Americans visited botanical gardens (9.1%) 

than visited garden theme parks (3.2%) while on these 

trips. Of those who visited garden theme attractions, 

20.6% (4,804,719) reported that doing so was the main 

reason for taking at least one trip in the past two years. 

Presenters: Michel Gautier, Chair, Ontario Garden Tourism Coalition; Richard W. 

Benfield, Professor of Geography, Central Connecticut State University; Alexander 

Reford, Director, Reford Gardens, and Dave Cowen, General Manager, Butchart 

Gardens 

49

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Concurrent Session I: (8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.) 

Campaign Evolution! How Today’s 

Funding Climate is Challenging You to 

Change your Ways 

When it comes to campaign fundraising, some of 

the tried-and-true methods still work. 

However, if you’re still subscribing to “what worked then 

will work again” thinking, you’d better start evolving 

your game plan. Learn what rules to break for campaign 

success now. 

Major fundraising campaigns have long followed a 

typical playbook when it comes to organizing structure, 

developing policies, managing volunteers, and stewarding 

donors. And for the most part, these “rules” have 

withstood the test of time. But when an organization 

is new, or when it doesn’t have a deep prospect pool in 

their community, or when board members and campaign 

volunteers have less time than ever before, and when 

donors are changing the rules on how and when they 

give, it’s time to re-think the traditional approach to 

campaign fundraising. 

Development directors from two gardens – one old, one 

new – both undertaking their first major campaigns will 

share, with their campaign counsel, their experiences 

with the new campaign paradigm. Participants will gain 

new perspectives on managing staff time, volunteers, 

and how donors want to give now and to be recognized. 

Presenters: Joan Thomas, Director of Development, Bok Tower Gardens; Greer 

Polansky, Senior Consultant; Carrie Henderson, Director of 

Development, Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden; Rick Daley, Partner, 

EMD Consulting Group, LLC 

What we are doing to the forests of 

the world is but a mirror reflection 

of what we are doing to ourselves 

and to one another. 

Mahatma Gandhi 

Embracing Diversity 

Historically, public gardens have served a limited 

segment of the population. Boards, donors, 

members, staff, and visitors tend to share similar 

socio-economic, educational, and ethnic profiles. 

Changing demographics can make these institutions 

irrelevant. This session will show how embracing diversity 

can strengthen the sustainability of public gardens, 

now and into the future. 

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of 

diversity and how to develop skills to build meaningful 

partnerships and collaborations that enhance services 

and reap benefits from inclusiveness. They will discuss 

practical steps to increase sensitivity and relevancy 

and also provide some general guidelines for embracing 

continued diversity in public gardens. 

Presenters: Susan Lacerte, Executive Director, Queens Botanical Garden; Kamala 

Green ASU Executive Director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Arizona State 

University; Nancy Chambers, Director (retired), Enid A. Haupt Glass Garden and 

Horticulture Programs, New York University Medical Center; Casey Sclar, Executive 

Director, APGA 

50

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Concurrent Session II (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) 

The Way to Your Visitor’s Heart Is 

Through the Stomach 

Spicy chiles. Rich chocolate. Roasted vegetables 

perfectly paired with fine local wines. 

A chef demonstrating tested recipes. A dynamic local 

farmer describing the bounty of the harvest. Hungry 

for more? The local food movement is gaining traction 

throughout the country, and this session will give you 

proven strategies to attract new visitors, add flavor and 

flair to their experience at your garden, and enrich their 

connection to plants through food. These three seasoned 

kitchen-garden and culinary-focused program experts 

will share the “secret sauces” with which they dress their 

food-focused programs. Learn best practices of braiding 

together food and plant education. Discover how you 

can blend ingredients already offered by your own public 

garden—of any size—fold in enthusiastic local producers 

and partners, and serve-up outstanding wait-listed programs 

during which your visitors will learn about plants 

and connect with their community. We’ll even throw in 

our favorite program-tested recipes!. 

Presenters: Susan Thurston-Hamerski, Director of Adult Education, Minnesota 

Landscape Arboretum of the University of Minnesota; Sabina Carr, Director of 

Marketing, Communications & Visitor Experience, Atlanta Botanical Garden; 

Anita Jacobs, Director of Public Programs, Brooklyn Botanic Garden 

Identifying and Nurturing the Rising Stars 

in Your Organization 

The need is urgent, and the solutions aren’t always 

readily apparent. 

Learn different approaches to strengthen your own leadership 

skills or develop the talents of your colleagues. Come 

to this session with questions about leadership development, 

and leave with a clearer sense of where to find the 

answers. 

Learn about several distinct strategies for gardens to use in 

cultivating current and emerging leaders. Phoenix-based 

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust launched an innovative 

Fellows Program in 2001. More than forty individual leaders 

(many from the arts and culture sector) have received 

fully-funded sabbaticals in order to “retool, refresh, and 

renew” themselves, their professional aspirations, and the 

strategic trajectories of their institutions. The Chanticleer 

Scholarship in Professional Development is a program 

designed exclusively for public garden professionals who 

want to receive more academic training in garden leadership 

and who wish to travel to other gardens to support 

their professional growth and development. The scholarship 

program was launched in 2008 and, since then, more 

than twenty scholarships have been awarded. Chicago 

Botanic Garden is currently implementing a full plan for 

professional development for the Garden’s Vice Presidents. 

This in-process case study will illustrate how the Garden is 

strengthening its leadership team. 

Presenters: Ken Schutz, Executive Director, Desert Botanical Garden; Judy Mohraz, 

President and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust; Bill Thomas, Executive Director, 

Chanticleer Foundation; Sophia Siskel, President and CEO, Chicago Botanic Garden 

51

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Concurrent Session II (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) 

Driving Sustainability through 

Employee Engagement 

The push to become sustainable has had an 

impact in almost every aspect of operating a 

garden. 

You can make great strides in greening your garden’s 

operations without significant costs. Hear how other 

organizations have effectively utilized the creative 

energy of their employees to become leaders in green! 

Recycling, waste reduction, energy efficiency, and 

water conservation are among the wide range of tactics 

gardens and other institutions are employing to reduce 

their environmental footprint and maximize efficiencies 

on the road to sustainability. The organizations 

that are most successful have coupled the leadership 

of management with the establishment of employeedriven 

green teams who are actively engaged in the 

development, implementation, tracking, and rewarding 

of green practices. 

The panelists bring a diversity of experience from 

gardens of all sizes and will share case studies, green 

team best practices, and methods to cultivate cooperation 

and communication along with specific team and 

project ideas. The panel will illustrate how to successfully 

advance your sustainable operations, often in 

low cost ways, through highly engaged employees and 

employee driven green teams. 

Presenters: Deborah Frank, Vice President of Sustainability, Missouri Botanical 

Garden; Sarah Hedean, Orchid Curator, Smithsonian Orchid Collection, Smithsonian 

Gardens; Gwenn Stauffer, Executive Director, Ganna Walska Lotusland; 

Jack Woodland, Landscape Director, Botanical Gardens of Kohler 

Do not go where the path may 

lead, go instead where there is 

no path and leave a trail. 


Benches, Bricks, Beauty and Bounty ~ 

The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Smaller- 

Scale Donor Naming Opportunities 

How can you best use small gift naming opportunities 

in your garden to solicit, recognize, and steward 

donors? 

Plaques, benches, books, and labels recognizing donors 

provide meaningful donation and fundraising options. 

Smaller scale (from $500 to $25K or so) offerings can 

encourage individuals and businesses to support your 

organization with unrestricted gifts useful in running your 

operation. The session will include a snapshot of adoption 

and tribute programs in a variety of organizations including 

government, the results of a survey of such programs 

within public gardens, and a discussion. Participants will 

hear about the benefits and challenges of offering and 

carrying out such smaller-scale naming programs, become 

enlightened on what to consider before starting – or 

evolving – such programs, and be inspired to take donor 

development in new directions. 

How do you engage smaller gift donors in a way that makes 

them feel their gift is special while not putting a burden 

on staff or making long-term promises your organization 

cannot keep? What sorts of program will be memorable 

and manageable for a donor while also being meaningful 

and manageable for your garden? Hear, share, explore the 

question – is there a conflict of Bounty vs. Beauty? 

Presenters: Madeline Dobbs, Director of Development and Marketing, American Public 

Gardens Association; Susan Lacerte, Executive Director, Queens Botanical Garden; 

Beth Anderson, Director of Development, Cornell Plantations; Vanessa Roach, Executive 

Director, The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden 

52

Keynote Address and Lunch 

Thursday, May 23 



11:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. 

Associate Justice of the Supreme 

Court of the United States (Retired) 

Sandra Day O’Connor 

Sponsored by Rough Brothers’ Conservatories 

“The American Public Gardens Association and 2013 Conference Host 

Committee are thrilled to present Justice Sandra Day O’Connor as 

the Keynote Speaker at The Garden Evolution Conference. Justice 

O’Connor will discuss the importance of adapting and evolving to suit 

ever-changing environments and circumstances, the role of botanical 

gardens and arboreta in the 21st century, the increasing role of 

women in public horticulture and her vision of a world where public 

gardens are indispensable.” 

– MaryLynn Mack, 2013 Conference Host Committee Chair and Deputy Director, 


About Justice O’Connor 

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor embodies the key 

themes of the 2013 APGA Conference—adapt, evolve, engage. Born in Texas 

and raised on a ranch in Arizona, she became the first woman Supreme Court 

Justice in 1981. Justice O’Connor’s early years were not easy being spent 

largely in isolation on the family ranch and without electricity or running 

water. Excelling in a male dominated field she graduated third out of 102 at 

Stanford Law School. Amongst her many achievements before nomination to 

the Supreme Court was becoming the Arizona State Senate Majority Leader, 

a first for women anywhere in the U.S. 

Photograph by Dane Penland, Collection 

of the Supreme Court of the United States 

INCLUDING 

• Association Update 

• 2014 Conference Preview 

53

Thursday, May 23, 2013 Updates and Exhibits Event 

Exhibits Hall Extravaganza 

and Dessert 

2:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. 

This year, there is more fun and so much to do 

in the exhibits hall that we’ve created an entire 

experience around it. 

Join us as we have a fantastic line-up. You can 

choose from several different fast-paced minipresentations 

given by Exhibitors, APGA Staff, 

and other great speakers. There will be stations 

where you can learn and experience key tools and 

services that advance your garden. You can also 

find your friends and get in some networking time 

over coffee and dessert. 

If we knew what it was we were 

doing, it would not be called 

research, would it? 

Albert Einstein 

And - there will be games, contests, and fabulous 

prizes! 

Come and join in, there is so much happening, all 

in one location! 

54

Thursday, May 23, 2013 In Conference Event 

The Desert Botanical Garden 

Tour and Reception 

Time: 4:30 p.m. -7:00 p.m. Fee: Included in registration Guest fee: $30 

Since 1939, the Desert Botanical Garden has been home to one of the finest and most diverse collections of 

succulent plants, including rare, threatened, and endangered species from around the Southwest. 

Nestled amid the red buttes of Papago Park in Phoenix, the Garden 

sits on 145 acres and has more than 50,000 plants on display. 

The Living Collection contains over 21,000 accessioned plants 

representing 4,400 taxa in 139 plant families. The Garden’s living 

collections in the cactus and agave families are designated as 

United States National Collections by the North American Plant 

Collections Consortium (NAPCC), part of APGA. 

55



APGA attendees and guests will be welcomed in the Ottosen 

Entry Garden, which provides a rich and lush desert backdrop 

with views of the Papago Buttes. From there, you can wander 

the Garden grounds and experience our five thematic trails, 

including the Desert Discovery Trail, the Harriet K. Maxwell 

Desert Wildflower Trail, the Center for Desert Living Trail, 

the Sonoran Desert Nature Trail, and Plants and People of the 

Sonoran Desert. 

As you explore and encounter the sights of the Sonoran Desert, 

prepare to immerse yourself in its rich culture and heritage 

through regional fare and libations, live music, and dance, all 

of which makes Phoenix and Arizona so unique and special. 

Garden horticulture staff and dedicated volunteers will be on 

hand to guide you throughout the evening and interpret the vast 

plant palette and desert fauna. Join us for a special and memorable 

evening in the Garden! 

56



Dinner Event 

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Fee: $55 Guest fee: $95 

The evening continues as we gather together and dine under 

desert skies in the Stardust Foundation Plaza, which adjoins 

the stunning Sybil B. Harrington Cactus and Succulent 

Galleries. APGA attendees and guests will enjoy a three course 

dinner featuring local flavors and harvest. As dinner and dessert 

concludes, and the sun begins to set, guests follow Desert 

Botanical Garden’s signature luminarias to an outdoor stage. 

It is here, where APGA attendees and guests will experience 

the intersection of art, nature, and the human experience, as 

Ballet Arizona performs “Topia,” an original ballet created 

especially for a performance in the Sonoran desert. This 

private and intimate evening performance will bring the desert 

to life through the music of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Ib 

Andersen’s brilliant choreography, and the extraordinary 

talent of Ballet Arizona. An evening not to be missed! 

57

Friday, May 24, 2013 Optional Half-Day Tour 

Exhibits Hall Open (7:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.) 

Coffee Bar in the Exhibit Halls (7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.) 

Private Gardens of Scottsdale 

and Paradise Valley 

Time: 7:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

Fee: $50 Includes snacks 

Explore the wide variety of aesthetics found in 

public and private gardens of Scottsdale and 

Paradise Valley. 

Join the Desert Botanical Garden horticulture staff on a 

tour of green spaces throughout Scottsdale and Paradise 

Valley. Participants will enjoy landscape diversity in the 

desert by visiting three elegantly designed locations. 

The Optima Camelview condominiums in downtown 

Scottsdale feature blossoming private terraces climbing 

to gardened rooftops in the sky. Residents of Optima 

Camelview are living green, both because of the community’s 

eco-friendly design elements and verdant setting. 

Next, you will visit the home of Sophia and Chad Little, 

who while renovating their Paradise Valley home, saw a 

need to make a stronger connection to the natural landscape. 

Utilizing a true desert palette (including saguaro, 

cardon, and yucca), the home also features herb and 

vegetable beds, a spa garden, along with many distinct 

outdoor entertaining areas. 

Finally, enjoy a light snack at the Camelback Inn, where 

you will be enchanted with large specimen trees, green 

belts, beautiful flowering perennials, and annual flowers. 

The eye is treated to a variety of textures from boulders, 

to large cacti, succulents, and flowering shrubs. The center 

of the property offers a picturesque view of Camelback 

Mountain, flowing water features, and lush gardens. 

58

Friday, May 24, 2013 Optional Workshops 

Teaching Plant Science the Old- 

Fashioned Way – Through New 

Lenses with Greater Impact 

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 


Fee: $60 

Remember the first time you looked through a microscope? 

Watched a student have an “aha” moment? Join 

us and remember how fun and important hands-on 

plant science can be and how today’s innovations are 

allowing us to reach more students with greater impact. 

What worked then, still works today – it’s just gotten 

cooler. 

Botanic gardens have historically been a resource and 

site for plant education. School budgets are shrinking, 

class sizes expanding, and standardized tests are 

demanding more of each school day. Botanic gardens, 

now more than ever, are integral to plant science education. 

See how collaboration and technology can enrich 

the hands-on learning experience. 

Participants will conduct a number of inquiry based 

hands-on plant science experiments and will then work 

collaboratively to create a lesson plan. Participants 

will discover how today’s digital toolkit can enhance 

hands-on learning and see its impact. 

Presenters: Lee Coykendall, Children’s Education Specialist, U.S. Botanic Garden; 

Jeff Meade, Mobile Learning Program Lead, EdLab, Smithsonian; Matthew Wheelock, 

Founder, Live It Learn It 

Creating and Protecting New 

Cultivars of Plants 

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 


Fee: $60 

A Workshop for Present and Future Breeders, 

Horticulturalists and Garden Administrators 

Where do new plant varieties come from? This workshop 

will discuss and demonstrate the entire process, 

from wild plant or breeding concept, through the art 

and science of plant breeding, to selection and evaluation 

of superior materials. The options of how a new 

cultivar can be protected by patent or other means will 

be discussed so that their inventors might retain the 

potential rewards of any new plant creation. A panel Q & 

A with four successful plant inventors will follow. 

Panelists will discuss source plant materials for initial 

selection, provide an in depth discussion of plant 

breeding techniques and problems, final selection and 

evaluation of materials, and US plant patent, trademark, 

and plant variety protection laws. Participants will have 

personal access to successful plant breeders. 

This session will answer the question, “What can we do 

to either get a plant into the nursery trade or develop it 

for our own purposes?” Once the potential to improve 

existing plants or to introduce previously uncultivated 

wild plants is realized, it is easy to see how an organization 

could benefit financially from twenty years of 

royalties from a popular new plant. 

Presenters: Russ Buhrow, Independent Plant Breeder; Jim Harbage, Floriculture 

Leader, Longwood Gardens; Nick Shipley, Director, Production and Development of New 

and Existing Plant Cultivars, Civano Nursery; George Hull, Partner, NPI New 

Plant Introductions 

59


APGA Professional Section 

Meetings 

8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. 

APGA Professional Sections are focused groups providing 

a variety of networking and information sharing 

opportunities for APGA members. These opportunities 

to interact include Professional Development Symposia, 

contributing articles to Public Garden (APGA’s 

flagship publication), and creating an online resource 

center. Sections also may take on special projects. 



• Plant Collections 

• Development and Membership 

Sponsored by Morris and Berger 

• Green Buildings and Landscapes 

• Design and Planning 

If your actions create a legacy 

that inspires others to dream 

more, learn more, do more and 

become more, then, you are an 

excellent leader. 

Dolly Parton 

Sentinel Plant Network (SPN) 

Forum 

8:15 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. 

All SPN members are invited to attend this meeting to 

compare notes about their involvement in the Network 

and participate in a forum discussion that will inform 

the development of new SPN resources. Coffee and 

pastries provided. For more info, contact SPN Manager 

Daniel Stern at dstern@publicgardens.org. 

60

Friday, May 24, 2013 Concurrent Session I (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) 

Growing Sustainability in Our Gardens: 

An Index for North American Public 

Gardens 

Whether you are commencing your sustainability 

journey, or are much further along the road, this 

session will introduce the tools and resources that 

are essential for success. 

Longwood Gardens, Five Winds, and APGA have been 

furthering an operational sustainability index and best 

practices workbook, specifically for public gardens. 

APGA’s Green Buildings and Landscape Committee has 

closely followed and supported this work. 

Representatives of approximately twenty public gardens 

of varying size and geography will freely share their successes, 

challenges, and frustrations encountered during 

their three-month assessment of the sustainability index 

and highly-interactive workbook. They will also provide a 

candid evaluation of the efficacy of these tools in advancing 

sustainability within their own garden, as well as to 

the broader application of sustainability for all public 

gardens. 

Further details on the formal launch of the Index and the 

Workbook will also be unveiled during this session. 

Presenters: Jim Fava, Senior Director, Strategy and Business Development, PE International, 

Inc.; Mark Winnicki, Director of Facilities Management, Longwood Gardens; 

Katherine Maroney, Associate, Strategy Consulting, PE International, Inc.; Casey Sclar, 

Executive Director, American Public Gardens Association 

Introducing the Public to Evolving 

Landscapes 

Building projects are often an institution’s most 

expensive and permanent statements about their 

values and vision. 

How can institutions capitalize on the constituent 

excitement surrounding such an opening? While many 

public gardens are introducing new buildings and 

gardens to their aging infrastructures, the roll-out of a 

new structure presents a range of issues and problems, 

as well as opportunities, for engendering loyalty and 

interest in the public mind. 

In this discussion, we will look at three examples of 

institutions that seized the opportunity of introducing 

a new building in order to tell a story about the values 

of a garden in the hardscape world – in press, marketing, 

public programming, interpretation – to visitors 

and the broader community. 

Presenters: Kathryn Glass, Vice President of Marketing and Public Engagement, 

Brooklyn Botanic Garden; Kate Blumm, Manager of Communications, Brooklyn 

Botanic Garden; Liz Fetchin, Director of Marketing and Communications, Phipps 

Conservatory and Botanical Gardens; Harriet Resnick, Vice President of Visitor 

Programs and Operations 

Visitor Experience Mini Series 

Growing Curiosity to Enhance 

Science Literacy 

Science matters! Learn about low-budget, 

low-commitment activities and interactive apps 

developed to compel visitors to learn more. 

Gardens must advance science literacy to remain 

relevant. We are challenged with making plant science 

and biological diversity compelling. 

In this session, participants will learn to nurture 

curiosity and create casual learning opportunities, 

identify interesting stories within their collection, 

experiment beyond their usual operational framework, 

narrow their focus to find biological stories with 

broader implications, leverage experts and the academic 

science community, and leverage technology to 

engage visitors. 

Presenters will share examples from the Arnold 

Arboretum about a variety of activities that encourage 

and support science literacy, including the introduction 

of Tree Mobs, Interpreter Stations and Family 

Backpacks. 

This session will also demonstrate how mobile 

technology is leveraged to provide access to more 

information about our plants and incorporate arts and 

culture with biological science. 

Presenters: Pamela Thompson, Manager of Adult Education, Arnold Arboretum of 

Harvard University; Julie Warsowe, Manager of Visitor Education, Arnold Arboretum 

of Harvard University 

61


Leadership: Mini Series, PARTS 1 AND 2 of 4 

Mission Impossible? 

Developing a Living Collections 

Management System to Support 

Two Gardens’ Missions 

Two institutions, two regions, two very different 

collections…one plant database! 

Learn about the latest evolution in collections data management 

and sharing. We will highlight how the Desert 

Botanical Garden and Missouri Botanical Garden developed 

the Living Collections Management System and 

demonstrate the power of this state-of-the-art system. 

Essential to every botanical garden is maintaining accurate 

records of the plant collections they hold. However, 

as technology has evolved and uses of collections 

data have increased, gardens everywhere are grappling 

with how best to maintain their records and make the 

data accessible to a wider audience. The conservation 

community particularly has recognized the need for a 

system that supports standardized data collection and 

global access to collections holdings, which is essential 

in achieving our conservation, research, and educational 

goals. 

Underground Plants Help 

Conservation on the Surface 

Know this fundamental fact: Evolution requires 

diversity. 

Our plant collections must capture that essential diversity. 

Current protocols for capturing diversity are based 

on limited data. Recent innovations in genetic analysis 

add new rigor to conservation horticulture. 

Patrick will present a new project that provides a focused 

assessment of modern conservation collections 

planning. Broad international partnerships – between 

USDA, BGCI, Belize Botanic Gardens, the Ya’axche 

Trust, and Montgomery – leverage advanced population 

genetics to help garden conservation work. This 

session will examine a suitable model system, and seek 

to communicate these results broadly and will feature 

a plant species known from only two tropical sinkholes, 

use an unprecedented depth and breadth of sampling, 

and apply the knowledge gained to help other imperiled 

species. 

Presenter: M. Patrick Griffith, Executive Director, Montgomery Botanical Center 

Presenters: Kimberlie McCue, Program Director, Conservation of Threatened Species 

and Habitats, Desert Botanical Garden; Rebecca Sucher, Living Collections Manager, 

Missouri Botanical Garden 

62


Leadership: Mini Series PARTS 3 AND 4 of 4 

Developing Garden Programs in Latin 

America 

Latin America is known for great botanical diversity 

– especially in its tropical regions. 

Many of its inhabitants are the descendants of highly 

advanced ancient civilizations that connected to plants 

in a manner beyond our current understanding. While 

many people in these regions are still tied to plants 

through commercial agriculture, there are limited 

outlets for recreational horticulture, environmental 

education, and conservation – yet the need is greater 

than ever. 

Come learn about the outstanding diversity of programs 

that gardens in the Asociación Mexicana de Jardines 

Botánicos (AMJB) possess. Building upon experiences 

from the last BGCI Education Congress held in Mexico 

City, you’ll learn how to evolve your garden through 

opportunities beyond the borders of your home country. 

Presenter: Neil Gerlowski, Executive Director, Vallarta Botanical Gardens and 

Development Director of the Patronato, University of Guadalajara 

Botanic Gardens as Change Agents 

and Facilitators of Public Debate 

This presentation will bring new perspectives 

from “Down Under” to familiar situations. 

As a recently retired Australian professional educator 

with over thirty years of experience in the development 

and delivery of public programs, garden displays, 

and exhibitions in both museums and botanic 

gardens, Janelle’s presentation will entertain as well 

as enlighten. Botanic gardens, like museums and art 

galleries, collect and reflect what we, as a society, value 

and consider important. They are great places where 

visitors can readily connect with nature, appreciate 

plant diversity, and enjoy their local environment. Yet 

botanic gardens can be more than green theme parks 

and retirement villages for “special” plants. 

Are your gardens ready to add provocation to 

promotion and participation for meaningful public 

engagement? 

Presenter: Janelle Hatherly, Public Programs Manager (retired), Royal Botanic 

Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney 

Nature does not proceed 

by leaps and bounds. 

Carolus Linnaeus 

63


Co-Evolution: Creating Regional Partnerships 

to Share Vital Resources 

Regional partnerships are catalysts for institutions 

to gain valuable resources, connect to their 

surrounding communities, and advance their 

mission. 

There are opportunities for gardens to form these 

symbiotic relationships with other area gardens, 

museums, schools, nonprofits, businesses and other 

community entities. Sharing resources can strengthen 

membership, volunteerism, funding, advocacy, publicity, 

training, and education – ensuring an institution’s 

survival in a Darwinian world. Gardens must recognize 

their strengths, acknowledge any deficits, and then 

identify possible partners within their community to 

work with in furthering the garden’s impact. 

Nature goes her own way, and all 

that to us seems an exception is 

really according to order. 

GOETHE 

The Horticulture Consortium of the Greater 

Washington Area is an example of a successful 

partnership among eleven institutions in the DC 

metro area that combine resources to host a collective 

appreciation day for three hundred volunteers, as well 

as collaborate to host trainings, exhibits, and conferences. 

Through the Consortium and other partnerships, 

public horticulture in DC has grown strong. 

Presenters: James Gagliardi, Horticulturist, National Museum of Natural History, 

Smithsonian Gardens; Cynthia Brown, Manager of Horticultural Collections 

Management and Education, Smithsonian Gardens; Carin Celebuski, Coordinator of 

Volunteers, University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Garden; Ellen Hartranft, 

Visitor Services Supervisor, Brookside Gardens; Bill Johnson, Horticulture Volunteer 

Manager, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens 

64

Plenary Session Lunch 

Friday, May 24 

11:45 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

H.R.H. Princess Basma bint Ali 



Sponsored by Longwood Gardens 

“Princess Basma is an inspirational leader for gardens around the 

globe. Her passion for the environment grew out of a lifelong love of 

and fascination with plants. This made her determined to establish 

a botanic garden in her home country of Jordan. She has not only 

achieved this in outstanding fashion, but continues to lead the way 

in ensuring that healthy environments are a common denominator 

for all countries.APGA and the 2013 Conference Host Committee 

are incredibly honored to present Her Royal Highness as a featured 

plenary speaker. She will address the major environmental challenges 

of our time and the roles public gardens can play in seeking 

collaborative solutions - across any perceived or real boundaries.” 

– Dr. Casey Sclar, Executive Director, APGA 

About H.R.H. Princess Basma 

HRH Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan is the Founder of the 

Royal Botanic Garden in Jordan and a leading advocate for 

biodiversity conservation. She is the first Arab woman to receive 

Time Magazine’s “Hero for the Planet” title, was included in the 

United Nations’ 2002 Global 500 Roll of Honor for Environmental 

Achievements, and was awarded the Henry Shaw Medal by Missouri 

Botanical Garden, for her pioneering work in founding the 

Royal Botanic Garden. 

65

Friday, May 24, 2013 Concurrent Session II (1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.) 

From Groundskeepers to Greeters: 

Creating a Culture of Guest Services 

All gardens hope that their guests receive a great 

experience from their employees, but very few 

have a dedicated program to teach their staff these 

expectations. 

Learn the 4 great Steps of Service of retail and the 

service industry training. This session will teach you 

how to establish a similar training program at your 

Garden. A sample training session from the series 

will also be presented during this exciting, fun-filled 

and educational hour! 

Presenter: Chuck Ross, Guest Experience Manager and Guest Services Team Rep. TBD, 

Longwood Gardens 

Make the NAPCC Work for Your Garden 

Participation in the North American Plant 

Collections Consortium (NAPCC), a flagship 

APGA program, provides members with a way to 

advance their gardens by maximizing the value of 

their collections. 

Recognition of collections’ excellence provides a 

platform for publicity, public programming, fundraising, 

and more. Many use the application process as 

a catalyst for advancing collection goals and go on to 

build upon that momentum. NAPCC recognition is an 

effective tool for institutional advocacy and marketing 

to visitors and donors. This session provides an 

opportunity to gather information and pose questions 

to knowledgeable panelists who have made commitments 

to participating in the NAPCC. They represent 

a diversity of garden types, geographical locations, 

operating budgets, governance structures, and collections. 

Each will introduce their perspective in brief 

synopses. The moderator will then pose prepared 

questions to stimulate audience interaction. 

Attendees will learn from leaders in the field how 

NAPCC recognition of excellence in collection content 

and management can be turned into an effective tool 

for fundraising, publicity, outreach efforts, public 

programming, networking, and institutional advocacy, 

to name just some of the topics to be covered. 

Presenters: Chris Carmichael, Associate Director, University of California 

Botanical Garden, Berkeley; Brian Holley, Executive Director, Naples Botanical Garden; 

Paul Licht, Director, University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley; Paul 

Redman, Director, Longwood Gardens 

66

Friday, May 24, 2013 Concurrent Session II (1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.) 

Green It Up: A Tale of Three Sustainability 

Programs 

The issue of sustainability in the landscape has 

become increasingly more important to our facilities, 

our visitors, and our communities. 

To meet this growing need, three institutions developed 

missions, educational programs, and strategies and will 

share with the audience how the programs evolved, their 

success rate, and any pitfalls that occurred along the way. 

Presenters will discuss the range of programs created to 

help people address those issues at home and in the landscape, 

from small outreach programs to large symposia. 

Even for programs that are more difficult to classify as 

“green” (think floral design), we’ve found that adding 

sustainability components have helped us diversify our 

offerings and make the programs feel more relevant. 

Join this session and learn about several different types 

of established programs and how successful they are, 

including money made (or lost!), the number of people 

who attended, and other evaluation measures that were 

employed. Presenters will discuss target audiences and 

why reaching the “millennials” is so important. 

Presenters: Renata Brown, Associate Director of Education, Cleveland Botanical 

Garden; Jenny Pope, Education Director, The Dawes Arboretum; Gabe Tilove, Adult 

Education Coordinator, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens 

Small Steps, Big Gifts: 

Simple Planned Gift Tools Every 

Garden Can Use to Uncover 

Significant Contributions 

Planned giving programs, too often reactive 

rather than proactive, celebrate realized gifts but 

dedicate less time to marketing, encouraging new 

legacy notifications, stewarding existing donors, 

and quantifying future gifts. 

This session will share strategies, from gardens varied 

in size, to identify and engage prospective legacy 

donors, to raise the visibility of gift planning, and to 

build long-term relations with these future big donors. 

Discussion will include options for deepening donor 

involvement, opportunities for testimonials encouraging 

others, and services targeting specific member/ 

donor interests. Seeking assistance from allied professionals 

can introduce prospects to available community 

resources while forging loyal partnerships with 

estate planning professionals. 

Efforts to reach special audiences, with particular 

charitable planning needs and interests, such as the 

lesbian and gay community, young professionals, and 

grandparents interested in inter-generational philanthropy 

will also be explored. 

Presenters: Susan Shattuck, Gift Planning Officer, Desert Botanical Garden; Wendy 

Belser, Manager of Development, Brookgreen Gardens; Michelle Clegg, Director of 

Donor Relations and Stewardship, The Morton Arboretum 

67

Friday, May 24, 2013 In Conference Event 

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park 

Tour and Reception 

Time: 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Fee: Included in registration Guest: $30 

Get out of the city and see the real Sonoran desert. Nothing compares to the blooms of ironwoods and palo 

verdes against a dramatic mountain backdrop. 

After a scenic bus ride through the Sonoran Desert and past 

the iconic Superstition Mountains (hiding place of the Lost 

Dutchman’s treasure), you will arrive at the incomparable Boyce 

Thompson Arboretum at the foot of Picket Post Mountain. 

Established in 1924, we are the oldest botanical garden in 

Arizona and fourth oldest west of the Mississippi River. 

Take advantage of your visit to Arizona to experience the 

splendor of not just the Sonoran Desert, but of all the deserts of 

the world. Whether you choose the leisurely Garden Tour, the 

Highlight Tour, the Grand Tour, or create your own tour, you 

will experience the unique beauty of the desert in all its glory. 

To complement the tours, tasty treats and drinks from around 

the world will be provided for an unparalleled experience in an 

unrivaled setting. Since these tours are self-guided, experts will 

be on hand throughout the Arboretum to answer questions about 

the unique desert flora and its environs. 

68


Boyce Thompson Arboretum 

State Park 

The Garden Tour includes the always-popular Hummingbird- 

Butterfly Garden, the Australian Ethno-botanical and Cycad 

exhibits, the historic 1926 Smith Building with its interpretive 

exhibits and original Lord and Burnham Greenhouses, the 

Heritage Rose Garden, and a Night Blooming Garden. The 

Arboretum has been designated an Important Bird Area by the 

Audubon Society, so if you are into bird watching, be sure to 

bring your binoculars. A camera is recommended for everyone. 

The Highlight Tour adds the Desert Legume Garden, muchlauded 

Cactus Garden, and a behind-the-scenes preview of our 

Boojum Cove Exhibit. The tour then follows the Red Gum Trail 

with the majestic Mr. Big, continuing past the aloe terraces to 

the original land grant 

Clevenger House and its 

adjacent fragrant Herb 

Garden, finally reaching 

the Berber Suspension 

Bridge. 

The Grand Tour 

includes the 

Arboretum’s entire 

mile-and-a-half loop 

with majestic vistas; 

but be prepared for a 

challenging walk to 

make it back in time for 

the Dinner Event. 

69


Boyce Thompson Arboretum 

State Park 

Dinner Event 

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Fee: $55 Guest Fee: $95 

The evening continues with an al fresco dinner featuring 

dishes from around the world. Dine on international delights, 

mingle with friends, and marvel at the graceful aerobatics of 

the turkey vultures as they return to roost on Magma Ridge 

or in the Eucalyptus 

Grove. Watch the 

dancing light of 

late afternoon as it 

shimmers through the 

desert in anticipation 

of a glorious sunset. 

With the setting sun, 

you will enjoy the 

purple glow of the 

mountains to the 

east and the stunning 

sunset to the west. 

The stars, unfettered 

by city lights, provide 

a perfect conclusion 

to this year’s event. 

70

Hotel Information 

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & 

Spa at Gainey Ranch 

7500 E Doubletree Ranch Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85258 

(480) 483-5502 

Explore the endless wonders of the 27 acre Scottsdale 

hotel resort. Set amidst flowering cactus and framed 

against the majestic McDowell Mountains, this remarkable 

Scottsdale Arizona hotel and spa resort is minutes 

from a host of activities and miles from the ordinary. 

Enjoy breathtaking vistas blended with intriguing Native 

American culture and pampering amenities at a Scottsdale 

resort designed to please every guest. 

The APGA conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency 

Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, Arizona. APGA 

has secured a discounted rate of $179 per night. 

Click Here. (The cut off date to register is 4/15/13) 

Visit the Hyatt website for more details and to book your 

room now! 

71

Conference Registration and Information 

Discounted Rates 

Online registration 

Click here to register online and save $50 off your 

registration. All paper registrations will include a $50 

processing fee. 

APGA Early Bird Discount 

Submit your registration online by April 12, 2013, 

and save $50 off the daily registration rate and $100 

off the full registration rate. One-Day and Multi-Day 

registration fees also increase after April 12, 2013. 

Regular rates are in effect from April 12 through May 

10, 2013. All registrations received after May 10, 2013 

will be charged an additional on-site fee of $50 for daily 

registration and $100 for full registration. 

Membership 

Join APGA today and take advantage of conference 

discounts. For membership information, please 

contact Sarah Maietta, APGA Membership Manager, 

at 610.708.3014 or smaietta@publicgardens.org. (To 

receive the discounted rates, membership dues must be 

received with or prior to your registration.) 

Full Registration 

The Plenary Sessions, the Keynote Address, In-Conference 

event tours, and many meals are provided. Full 

registration also includes admittance to all concurrent 

sessions. Optional Tours and Workshops, Host Garden 

Dinner Events, and certain special events are not 

included, but may be purchased for an additional fee. 

Daily Registration 

Daily registration allows you to attend that day’s 

Plenary or Keynote Session, all concurrent sessions, 

in-conference event, garden tour, and any meals that 

are included. Host garden dinners are not included, but 

may be purchased at an additional cost. 

Presenters/Moderators 

Non-members who are speaking at the conference, 

please contact Sarah Maietta at smaietta@publicgardens.org. 

Students 

Full-time students who are student members of APGA 

may register at the student rate. All other students must 

join APGA to benefit from the student rate or pay the 

non-member rate. For membership information, please 

contact Sarah Maietta, APGA Membership Manager, at 

610.708.3014 or smaietta@publicgardens.org. 

Guests 

You must register guests separately for any events they 

will attend. Please complete the Guest Information section 

when registering online or in the form that follows. 

Payment Policy 

All payments must be in US dollars and included with 

your registration form. Registration forms received 

without proper payment will not be processed. Please 

direct all questions regarding payment to Vivian 

Lovingood, Office Manager 610-708-3012 or 

vlovingood@publicgardens.org. 

Refund Policy 

All refund and cancellation information is available on 

the conference registration website. 

Confirmations 

Attendees who register by May 10, 2013 will receive 

email confirmations. Those who register after May 10, 

2013, can pick up their confirmations at the Conference 

Registration Desk along with their conference packet 

and name badge. 

Please review your conference registration 

confirmation carefully, and save the confirmation 

code. 

This code is needed to make any refund or cancellation 

requests. All refunds and cancellations will be subject 

to a processing fee. 

Please contact Caitlin Simkovich, APGA Communications 

and Logistics Manager, with any questions 

regarding online registration at 610.708.3013 or via 

email info@publicgardens.org 

Looking forward to seeing you in 

Arizona this May! 

72

Garden Evolution Registration Starts Here! 

Click here to register Online Today 

To Register Offline, please complete this form 

($50 Processing fee will apply) 

Primary Registration 

Name 

How would you like your name to appear on your name badge? 

Job Title 

Garden Affiliation 

Address 

City, State, Zip 

Daytime Phone 

Email 

Registration Questions 

Will you be staying at the conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & 

Spa at Gainey Ranch? 

yes no 

Will you use APGA provided transportation (coach bus) for off-site events? 

yes no I req. ADA transportation 

Please tell us if you have any special Meal/Dietary preferences or restrictions: 

Vegetarian Vegan Gluten Free 

Do you have other special requirements or concerns we can assist with? (ex. Dietary 

needs, translation, ADA, etc.):______________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________ 

Note: We will attempt to accommodate special needs to the best of our ability. 

Please tell us more about you by checking off all that apply on this list: 

Presenter 

Professional Section Chair 

Moderator 

Sponsor 

Are you an APGA member? 

Individual (working at an APGA Garden) 

Individual (not working at an APGA Garden) 

Retired Member 

Volunteer Member 

Exhibitor 

Host/Program Committee Member 

First-Time Attendee 

Corporate Member 

Student Member 

Non-Member 

Please Note: APGA Members receive the lowest rates for conference registration. 

For Membership information, please contact 

Sarah Maietta at smaietta@publicgardens.org. 

Would you like to bring a guest to any of the conference events? 

yes no 

(Please remember to register your guest for each event they would like to attend) 

Guest Name_____________________________________________________________ 

Fee Schedule Choose Either Full Conference, Daily, or Multi-Day 

Full Conference Registration 

Full conference registration includes all Plenary Sessions, choice of Concurrent Sessions, 

Opening Reception, In-Conference Tours and any meals that are included for each day. 

Early Bird By 4/12 Regular Rate By 5/10 Onsite After 5/10 

APGA Members $689 $789 $889 

Students $589 $689 $789 

Non-Members $789 $889 $989 

One-Day Only Registration 

Choose Day Member student nOn-Member 

Tuesday, 5/21 $219 $189 $319 

Wednesday, 5/22 $219 $189 $319 

Thursday, 5/23 $219 $189 $319 

Friday, 5/24 $219 $189 $319 

After 4/12, One-Day Registration Costs Increase By $50 From The Prices Listed Above 

Multi-Day Registration (If attending two or three days) 

Number of Days Member student nOn-Member 

Two Days $429 $379 $529 

Three Days $525 $475 $625 

After 4/12, Multi-Day Registration Costs Increase By $100 From The Prices Listed Above 

Please select the days you will attend: 

Tuesday, 5/21 

Wednesday, 5/22 

Thursday, 5/23 

Friday, 5/24 

Tell us which events you will attend. FREE EVENTS REQUIRE REGISTRATION 

Monday, May 20 

Optional Tours 

Price Qty Total 

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum & Saguaro National Park $75 ______ ______ 

Tohono Chul & Tucson Botanical Gardens $75 ______ ______ 


Irrigation and Water Use Efficiency Workshop $75 ______ ______ 

GIS for Public Gardens: Getting Started $75 ______ ______ 

The Fundraising Leadership Boot Camp: 

Evolving from Good to Great $195 ______ ______ 

Evolution to Revolution: Inspiring a Culture of 

Leadership & Participatory Partnerships 

This Workshop has 

been Cancelled $125 ______ ______ 


International Gardens Session FREE ______ ______ 

International Gardens Session and Dinner $20 ______ ______ 

Tuesday, May 21 



Wallace Desert Gardens $40 ______ ______ 

Hyatt Green Tour a.m. FREE ______ ______ 

Hyatt Green Tour p.m. FREE ______ ______ 


Evaluation in Action: Determine Your Program’s Impact $125 ______ ______ 

Plenary Lunch FREE ______ ______ 

Plenary Lunch Guest Fee $50 ______ ______ 

Opening Reception FREE ______ ______ 

Opening Reception Guest Fee $25 ______ ______ 

Wednesday, May 22 

Optional Tour 


Arizona Urban Farming Tour $40 ______ ______ 


Biomimicry: Innovating From Life for 

Conservation and Education $50 ______ ______ 

Sponsorship Funding from Aspiration to Action $65 ______ ______ 

What Can Gardens Learn From High End Retailers, 

LuxuryHotels, and Successful Airlines? $165 ______ ______ 


Leadership Forum and Breakfast $20 ______ ______ 

Lunch Sessions (Please choose one): 

So, Where Does Your Garden Stand? The Power of 

Benchmarking Data Powered by Altru – Sponsored by Blackbaud FREE ______ ______ 

Fundraising – Sponsored by Stanley Smith FREE ______ ______ 

Professional Sections Lunch FREE ______ ______ 

Open Lunch FREE ______ ______ 


Directors’ Dinner (ED and Spouses/Partners Only) $25 ______ ______ 

Directors’ Dinner Guest $125 ______ ______ 


Hyatt Green Tour a.m. FREE ______ ______ 

Hyatt Green Tour p.m. FREE ______ ______ 

Thursday, May 23rd 

Optional Tour 


The Heard Museum $50 ______ ______ 


College and University Workshop: Succeeding Within 

the Institutional Context $45 ______ ______ 

Keynote Address and Lunch FREE ______ ______ 

Guest Fee $75 ______ ______ 


Desert Botanical Garden Tour Only FREE ______ ______ 

Tour Only Guest $30 ______ ______ 

Desert Botanical Garden Tour and Dinner $55 ______ ______ 

Tour and Dinner Guest $95 ______ ______ 

Desert Botanical Tour and Dinner Options. Please Choose One: 

Beef Halibut Vegetarian 

Please list any dietary restrictions_____________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

Guest Desert Botanical Tour and Dinner Options. Please Choose One: 

Beef Halibut Vegetarian 

Please list any dietary restrictions_____________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

REGISTRATION FORM CONTINUED 

ON PAGE 67 ...

Friday, May 24 

Optional Tour 


Private Gardens of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley $50 ______ ______ 


Teaching Plant Science the Old Fashioned Way Through 

New Lenses With Greater Impact $60 ______ ______ 

Creating and Protecting New Cultivars of Plants $60 ______ ______ 

Plenary Lunch FREE ______ ______ 

Plenary Lunch Guest $50 ______ ______ 


Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park Tour Only FREE ______ ______ 

Tour Only Guest $30 ______ ______ 

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park Tour and Dinner $55 ______ ______ 

Tour and Dinner Guest $95 ______ ______ 

Payment Information 

Check Mastercard Visa 

Card Number 

Expiration Date 

CVV# 

Signature 

All paper registrations will be charged a processing fee of $50 

Please remit payment in US dollars only. Registrations received without payment 

will not be processed. Register online at www.publicgardens.org and save $50. 

If you do not wish to register online, please detach this form and mail with payment 

to: APGA 351 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348 or fax to 610.444.3594 

Questions? 

Please contact Caitlin Simkovich: info@publicgardens.org. 

or phone 610.708.3013 

CLICK HERE to register online 

and save $50.00 

TOTAL REGISTRATION $__________________ 

After 4/12, Registration Fee $__________ 

Offline Registration Form PROCESSING FEE: $50 

TOTAL AMOUNT DUE $___________________ 

There will be a processing fee of $50 for all registrations processed off-line 

American Public Gardens Association 

351 Longwood Road 

Kennett Square, PA 19348 

610.708.3010 tel 

610.444.3594 fax 

publicgardens.org 

74

The Desert Botanical Garden - American Public Gardens Association

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?