The West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association (WVNLA) is holding its annual Winter Symposium from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on February 11 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Charleston. The two tracks of programming, featuring national and Mountain State expert speakers, will allow attendees to gain both landscape design and green industry business development insights.
The WVNLA board will unveil its Landscape Plants for West Virginia at the WVNLA Members Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. before the education programs begin. All attendees will receive copies of the 80-page, full-color publication containing photos, descriptions, growing requirements and mature sizes of more than 500 plants commonly used in or recommended for West Virginia. Following the Symposium, the plant guides will be available free to WVNLA members and are intended for use by landscapers during client presentations, or as an educational tool, for distribution in garden centers and in public green spaces, and at industry events.
Also at the breakfast, university students studying horticulture and landscape design will be recognized and presented scholarships from WVNLA’s George W. Longanecker and Marcus W. Rennix Memorial Scholarship programs. WVNLA awarded $35,000 in scholarships to eligible West Virginia residents in 2024.
Business Development Speakers
Business owners and managers may learn tools to refine performance and results from WVNLA’s experienced speakers. Noted Design/Build guru Jody Shilan will outline “Design/Build Process from the Initial Call to Final Payment” in two illuminating sessions. Experts on taxes, employee safety, licensing and permitting will present facts and answer relevant questions for businesses of all sizes in a “Taking Your Business to The Next Level: What You Need To Know” panel discussion. Steven Harmon, CPA; Amanda Mason, WVU Health & Safety Extension; and a licensing specialist from the West Virginia Department of Labor will cover the often confusing and complex requirements for business owners. The West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WVSBDC) will be on hand to help participants with social media and marketing insights. Will Miller of WVSBDC will cover business presentations with information on how to best make social media and marketing work for you.
Landscape and Design Speakers
Christopher Barrett Sheridan, The Flower Sommelier, kicks off the design-oriented session as he highlights the often-overlooked role of fragrance in design when he presents “Capture the Spirit of the Garden: Designing with Fragrant Flowers and Aromatic Foliage.” Mark Highland, Organic Mechanic, will get to the root of the matter with “Soil Amendments and BioChar: Landscape Value and Benefits.” Highland will delve into the drastic improvements that changes to the soil can provide. An expert on cultural landscape research and planning, West Virginia University’s Peter Butler, landscape architecture professor, will discuss the progression of landscape planning in “Garden Design, A Historic Perspective.” The design session will conclude with lighting expert Aaron Perruchon, of Lumien Lighting and his look at the “Evolution of Outdoor Lighting Design.”
The cost to attend is $50 for WVNLA members and $100 for non-members and includes lunch. Visit https://wvnla.org/wvnla-events/27088/ to register for this event. Vendors may rent a display table at the event for $25. Secure vendor tables online at: https://wvnla.org/wvnla-events/vendor-grab-their-attention/
Contact Julie Robinson at wvnlassoc@gmail.com or 304-553-1234 to join WVNLA or for questions.
