Proven Winners Hosts Gardening Seminar 
By Hilda M. Morrill
June 24, 2010

This spring we had the pleasure of attending an all-day gardening seminar sponsored by Proven Winners (PW) at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Norwood.

The more-than-100 attendees from the Greater Boston Area (and two from the Big Apple who traveled via Amtrak), received great insights from the engaging speakers, who shared their passion for gardens and gardening, giving an entertaining and informative look at what's new in outdoor décor using Proven Winners plants.

According to Director of Marketing Marshall Dirks, more than half of the members of the audience had attended last year's inaugural "Outdoor Living Extravaganza: A Retreat and Seminar with Proven Winners."

Both amateur and professional horticulturists were in attendance including Gretel Anspach, a Lifetime Master Gardener, and a member of the Board of Directors and Certification Coordinator for the Massachusetts Master Gardeners Association; and Ellen C. Wells, the noted Boston gardening author/lecturer/blogger, to name but two.

The day began with registration and a continental breakfast, after which Mr. Dirks officially welcomed everyone.

The first speaker was Kerry Meyer who explained the process of product development. She noted that in addition to tissue culture, PW plants are developed from cuttings rather than seeds.

Every plant that is chosen to become a Proven Winners has passed a lengthy series of tests lasting at least 2-3 years, during which time the varieties go through "trials" in numerous greenhouse and garden-performance situations.

Pleasant View Gardens in Loudon, New Hampshire, is just one of the partner companies of Proven Winners, growing plants both in containers and in the ground. Locally, trial gardens are also located at Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, the home of The Massachusetts Horticultural Society. In addition, garden writers such as ourselves, are offered plants to trial in our own gardens, submitting evaluations at the end of each growing season.

Tim Wood, known as the "Plant Hunter" because of his travels all over the world in search of perfect plants, spoke on "Hydrangeas Made Simple." He mentioned that Spring Meadow Nursery in Michigan, his home away from home, is the "shrub department" of Proven Winners.

Tim told us how hydrangeas are the # 1 plant "searched" on the Internet. He noted that most of them are killed in the spring, not in winter as commonly believed. And he told us how the "blossoms" that we so admire are really sepals and not petals.

Among Tim's favorites is the Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala petiolaris), which flowers on old wood and clings to surfaces by aerial rootlets. In an interesting aside, he told us that the first one he ever saw was at the Arnold Arboretum.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' grows to 10' tall; is ideal for a hedge; and its blooms do not flop.

Annabelle is the most popular hydrangea, but Endless Summer receives the most press, even through it's prone to wilting.

After Tim's outstanding presentation, and before we broke for lunch, there were raffle prizes galore for lucky winners. Our lunch of chicken and vegetables was delicious, served by an attentive hotel staff.

The next speaker was Amanda Thomsen, who has been characterized as the "irreverent gardener who pens Horticulture Magazine's 'Kiss My Aster' blog."

Showing pictures of many different types of container plant combinations, Amanda encouraged the audience to "vote" on the worthiness of each grouping by yelling out "yea" or "nay." In general, the declarations were unanimous. By the end of her talk, we all had some great and interesting ideas and unique container "recipes" for sun, shade and all four seasons.

After a break for book signings, coffee, tea, soda and cookies, it was back to the lecture hall for P. Allen Smith's presentation. The Today Show's gardening expert showed pictures and outlined the evolution of his farm and home, located in the historic district of Little Rock, Arkansas, where his PBS TV show is filmed. He invited us to "Come on down!" and visit any time.

In fact, tours may be scheduled via his Web site, www.pallensmith.com, where you can also sign up for his weekly email newsletter.

"Good garden design is good picture making," one of his professors told him when he was a student. Then Allen shared a couple of his own suggestions: "You don't have to have a lot of flowers to have impact." And: "Always design a garden from inside the house looking out [to get the best perspectives]."

Before we knew it, the seminar was over. As we left, we were presented with a gift bag of goodies, including fertilizers, insulated water-bottle holders, plant markers for the garden from Gardener's Supply Company, manure-fiber based seed starter pots from www.cowpots.com, and a copy of Proven Winners' "The Gardener's Idea Book."

In fact, you can request your own free copy of the Idea Book as well as sign up for "Proven Beauty," their free online magazine, by visiting www.provenwinners.com.

As we walked out to our car, we overheard the following: "I really hope they sponsor this seminar again next year. It was so much fun and I learned so much."

If they do, we'll be sure to let you know.

Happy Gardening!

Among the Norwood, Mass. Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza 2010 organizers and presenters (left to right), Very back row: Andy Aiken - Territory Account Manager for Pleasant View Gardens; and Tom Smith - President of Four Star Greenhouse and Part Owner of Proven Winners. Middle row: Maryanne Martin - R&D Supervisor for Pleasant View Gardens; Carol Huntington - Marketing Manager for Pleasant View Gardens; Kerry Meyer - Project Manager for Proven Winners; Marshall Dirks - Director of Marketing for Proven Winners; Tim Wood - Product Development & Marketing Manager; and Curt Varsogea - Sales Manager for Four Star Greenhouse. Front row: Bobbie Brenton - Customer Service for Four Star Greenhouse; Sandy Wentworth - Customer Relations for Proven Winners; and Danielle Ernest - Public Relations Coordinator for Proven Winners. (Photo (c) Hilda M. Morrill, 2010)