June 10 at 12 PM ET
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zeCmFT1PQc2Nq8j_t-TNOA

For the curious minds who ponder, “How did that get here?” and marvel at the journey of a single bloom, prepare to have your questions answered! Join industry veteran Diane Blazek, a seasoned expert since 1993, as she pulls back the curtain on the fascinating world of horticulture. Discover the incredible journey plants take from breeding fields and bustling greenhouses to the sanctuary of your community and garden. Along the way, prepare for surprising facts and figures that will transform the way you see your plants – it’s an hour of horticultural revelations you won’t want to miss!

Diane Blazek, Executive Director of All-America Selections and National Garden Bureau, has been deeply (and happily!) immersed in gardening from an early age. From growing up on a small family farm in Missouri to her small suburban lot in the Chicagoland area, she is passionate about everything green. After spending 15 years with Ball Publishing, Diane moved to take on her current role where she can be even closer to the end consumer. Both organizations are in an exciting period of growth and influence both inside and outside the industry. Innovative ideas and progressive programs for consumers, garden communicators, public gardens, and a full range of growers and retailers have benefited all segments of the horticulture industry.

Upcoming webinars! Details coming soon

• Heritage Preservation: July 8 at 12 PM ET. Presented by AIB Advisor Kristina Whitney
• Better Block: August 26 at 12 PM ET. Presented by Krista Nightengale
• Flower Power – Containers: October 14 at 12 PM ET. Presented by Nancy Chennault, Castle Rock, Washington
• Flourishing Communities – Using the Right Plants for Sustainable and Stunning Public Spaces: November 18 at 12 PM ET. Presented by Josh Miller of Proven Winners

Below are links to the previous webinar recordings.

Community Benefits of Trees: Trees are the basic hallmark of sustainable landscapes. Trees are good and stay good IF you buy a good tree, IF you select a good location, IF you have good installation, IF you continue with proper establishment techniques, and IF you apply regular good maintenance. In this webinar Dr Douglas Airhart discusses these IFS and features of successful tree establishment. Trees are unique aspects of all communities. They add stature and attractive features of canopy shapes, spring and autumn flowers, scents, various fall colors, and animal habitats. They can whisper in the wind, break its forces, provide comfortable shade, and temper the rain and erosion as stormwater managers. However, they are easily damaged and deteriorated by bad habits of people and natural events. Their successful establishment and survival are dependent upon structural selection concerns, the use of proper planting techniques, protection of their root zones, and regularly scheduled arboricultural inspection and maintenance techniques. These factors are the topic of this presentation.

Flower Power – Hanging Baskets for Your Community: Transform your community spaces with vibrant hanging baskets! This engaging webinar explores how to design, implement, and sustain a hanging basket program that enhances local beauty, fosters community pride, and attracts visitors to public spaces. From selecting the right plants to engaging local partners, this webinar will provide actionable insights to bring exhilarating color to your streets, parks, municipal buildings, and businesses. Presented by Castle Rock, Washington beautification cheerleaders Nancy Chennault and Julia Collins, this webinar taps into their years of hands-on experience and community-driven passion. Working together for 14 years, Nancy and Julia have spearheaded impactful beautification projects in Castle Rock, transforming public spaces into thriving hubs of color and connection. Their expertise in engaging volunteers, collaborating with local businesses, getting youth involved, and overcoming challenges makes them the perfect guides for this webinar. Whether you are a community leader, business owner, or passionate volunteer, this session will equip you with the tools and inspiration to make a lasting impact.

The Wonderful World of Plant Nutrition: Just as the world is a diverse place, the way we grow plants also varies from person to person and place to place. Regardless of where, when, or how you grow plants, nutrition is always a valuable consideration. Join us for this webinar as we provide a soup to nuts on the foundational rules that make up the world of plant nutrition: how to read a water test and its importance, making decisions on fertilizer choice, and identifying common plant nutritional disorders with preventative/corrective solutions in real-life situations. The webinar was presented by George Grant, who has degrees in Horticulture from the University of Georgia and the University of Florida. George is the GGSPro Technical Services Manager with Griffin Greenhouse Supplies. GGSPro assists growers of all sizes and backgrounds across the country with their cultivation issues ranging from sanitation, IPM, fertility, lighting, and water quality. GGSPro fields over 17,000 grower related calls and emails annually. This amount of valuable interaction helps Griffin, a nation-wide distributor for horticultural supplies, collaborate with chemical vendors, academic researchers, and plant producers to implement change within the green industry.

Keeping Your Plants Looking Great During the Summer Months: Plants need food too! In this recroded webinar, we dive into the important aspects of plant nutrition. As summer temperatures rise and daylight hours extend, plant growth kicks into high gear, making proper nutrient delivery more important than ever. In this session we will explore the essential nutrients plants need to thrive during the summer season, learn how to decode a fertilizer label, and discuss the right fertilizer for the right plants. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this talk will equip you with practical tips and expert insight to ensure your plants flourish throughout the hottest months of year. With her rooted background in the public garden space beginning at Longwood Gardens, Kaitlyn Sterner brings expertise and passion to everything she does. She is a plant nerd with growing experience ranging from chrysanthemums to coleus to cannabis to chickens. More recently her focus shifted into the plant science and nutrition space where she is now the Director of Technical Support at Jack’s Fertilizers. Through lab analysis and interpretation, Kaitlyn continually works with other horticulturalists, helping them crush their growing goals through nutrient choices based on science driven data. What else is there to say? She’s a nurturer who likes to see all plants (and critters) thrive.

Garden to the Max: How to Max Out Your Beautification Projects for Community Pride and Biodiversity: There’s no denying the power of plants in building community pride, attracting visitors, promoting health, reducing crime and strengthening ecosystems. Join author and garden writer Teresa Woodard on a journey around the country to inspiring garden projects. She’ll highlight winning plants, offer tips to scale garden projects for your community, and recommend ways to creatively maximize resources. A long-time America in Bloom advisor, Teresa brings a background in magazine writing and gardening experience. She is co-author of the American Roots: Lessons and Inspiration from Designers Reimaging Our Home Gardens (Timber Press, Fall 2022) and author of Garden to the Max (coming in spring 2025). During her 16-year writing career, she has written and produced garden content for regional and national publications including Better Homes & Gardens and Country Gardens and currently serves as contributing garden editor at Midwest Living magazine and content creator for digital garden media. She has won Gold and Silver Media Awards from GardenComm. Outside of work, she gardens at her home near Columbus, Ohio and volunteers at an urban garden teaching youth about growing food.

How Time Outdoors Improves Our Health and Well Being: Our hunter-gatherer roots may still predispose us to feeling better outdoors. Yet, most Americans spend a mere 8% of waking hours outside. Declining outdoor time is linked to many adverse health outcomes. Yet, this trend is being creatively reversed. Activities such as outdoor worship, outdoor schools, and what is now called “Green Exercise” are just some examples. This webinar presents current research on positive health outcomes linked to outdoor time in any green environment – urban, suburban, or rural. Examples of communities motivating residents to get outside, and design trends to support outdoor activity will be provided. The webinar was presented by Cheryl Corson. Cheryl may be the only landscape architect who is also a national board-certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC). She has been an America in Bloom Advisor since 2019. Cheryl lives blocks from the Susquehanna River and 14 miles of rails to trails in central Pennsylvania. She tries to take her own advice about getting outside as much as possible.