The GB&I Region of the International Plant Propagators Society annual conference.
This year our Annual Conference returns to the West Midlands region and takes place at the Bank House Hotel and Golf Club, Bransford, Worcester on Wednesday October 10 to Saturday October 13.
The 2007 Conference continues with the successful model introduced in recent years with morning lecture sessions followed by visits to nurseries of international standing.
Taking the theme ‘Managing change for increased profitability’, papers address the economics of production and developing and launching new plants, as well as specific issues in propagation such as air root pruning and accelerated tree liner production. We also welcome motivational speaker Neveille Stein who will talk on consumer developments driving changes in growers’ businesses.
Leading heather grower and IPPS International Director, Pete Bingham, looks at controlling production costs while David Aylieff-Sansom of Fairweather’s suggests ways to increase income and Irish nurseryman Philip Marie Moreau explores the economics of pricing in his unique and thought-provoking style. Well-known nursery consultant Danny Elliott shares his thoughts on growing better plants profitably by managing quality.
Paul Green of Wyevale Container Plants and Irish liner grower Pat Fitzgerald explain how nursery R&D can develop new plants to satisfy the market’s changing demands while Dr Pat McDonnell presents a case study on launching a new product range. With diversification becoming increasingly important, David Kerr of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland describes work on developing woody plants for cut foliage.
Nursery visits take us to John Richards Nurseries, where there are new propagation facilities to see, Wyevale Nurseries, F P Matthews and Bransford Webbs Plant Co.
Wyevale Nurseries is one of the UK’s largest wholesale growers, consisting of a number of specialist divisions. Recent developments at the company’s main site include new container beds designed for water conservation and recycling.
It continues to place high importance on propagating most of the plants it supplies.
F P Matthews is a highly regarded specialist tree grower, producing more than half a million fruit and ornamental trees per year in containers and open ground. Container production includes the use of ‘spring-rings’ for air-pruning of roots. The stock includes many unusual and rare varieties. Bransford Webbs Plant Co was formed from the merger two years ago between Bransford Garden Plants and Webbs Nurseries, and produces more than a million plants on two sites.
An optional pre-conference tour, starting on Sunday, October 7, will introduce delegates to the diversity of horticulture in the West Mildands.
The programme inlcudes Batsford Arboretum, Webbs of Wychbold garden centre, young plant raisers Findons and Warwick HRI Wellesbourne, the UK’s largest research organisation dedicated to horticulture.
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