Owners and principals from the leading wholesale, landscape, and retail firms from across the U.S. and Canada converged in Philadelphia, PA to “celebrate an industry and a nation” at the American Nursery & Landscape Association’s 124th Annual Convention.

Day One--Sunday

Following the first Board of Governors session were the ever-popular grower tours and a new garden tour. Despite the scorching temperatures and drought conditions, over 200 attendees enjoyed the first-class growing operations of Conard-Pyle Co., North Creek Nurseries, Inc., Medford Nursery, Inc., Overdevest Nurseries, LP, and Hopewell Nursery, Inc., as well as the nationally-known Morris Arboretum. The garden tour featured an interesting and diverse mix of plants and designs and drew a healthy crowd. Attendees visited Michael Bowell's Hoe Run, David Culp's garden in Downingtown, and the England Herb Farm.

Another Sunday highlight was the tour to Winterthur, hosted by First Lady Paula Porter, where the guests were greeted with a champagne brunch and a tour of this exceptional antique collection and historical estate.

The HRI Reception drew $624,000 in gifts to the HRI Endowment Fund. The celebration acknowledged the Ohio Research Endowment's Creation of the $500,000 Emerald Circle. Gordon Bailey, Jr., introduced three new funds, the Robert W. Turnbull Memorial Research Endowment from Turnbull Nursery, NY; the Richard E. Cross Memorial from Cross Nursery, MN, and the Dundee Nursery Research Trust from Gerry and Elaine Theis of Dundee Nursery & Landscaping Company, MN.

Sponsors of Bailey's 2,100 mile bike-a-thon from Oregon to Minnesota contributed $265,000 to these and other named funds. The reception also hosted dignitaries from NASA, USDA's Agricultural Research Service, and Carnegie Mellon University in connection with HRI's mechanization research efforts. Prototypes of container-handling system Trident and caliper/inventory device Abacus were on display. The prototypes garnered much interest and allowed important feedback to the inventors, who were also on hand. Notable among the inventors was John D. Hughes, of Dwight Hughes Nursery, IA, intern at CMU and creator of a portion of the Trident.

Day Two—Monday

Following a welcome from Convention Chairman Hank Guarriello, Nursery Supplies, Inc., PA, ANLA President Ed Porter, Porter Farms, McMinnville, TN, kicked off the general session with observations on the state of the industry. ANLA Executive Vice President Bob Dolibois then presented an action report highlighting recent association accomplishments and new initiatives. The session was made even more memorable thanks to a patriotic multimedia show produced by ANLA Vice President Tom Pinney, Jr., Evergreen Nursery Co., Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Following the general session were two 'Future Forums' sessions, featuring thought-provoking presentations by John Peterson and Charles Cameron of the Arlington Institute. Future convention formats will offer more of these valuable kinds of big-thinking, hands-on sessions.

Monday’s tours offered a smattering of all segments of the industry: The garden tour visited the acclaimed Chanticleer and the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Haas and the retail tour visited member firms Snipes Farm & Nursery, Inc., H. Stanford Roberts Nursery, Inc., and Feeny's Nursery, Inc. The grower tour visited H. Stanford Roberts (who also donated all the plant material for the convention hotel decorations), as well as Coles Nurseries, Inc., and the state-of the-art Princeton Nurseries facility.

Day Three—Tuesday

Closing out the convention on Tuesday, the Board of Governors elected Peter Orum, Midwest Groundcovers, St. Charles, IL, to a seat on the ANLA Board of Directors representing Region III. The Governors also heard an inspirational message from incoming President Tom Pinney and enjoyed a multimedia presentation on Vancouver, BC, Canada, the site for the 2000 ANLA Convention. After a productive day of business visits to the PANTS trade show, a record crowd of 270 stayed to enjoy the 'Musical Tribute to America' Gala and Past Presidents' Awards Dinner.

In a departure from the traditional podium presentations of galas past, attendees got a series of special treats as the ANLA Board of Directors celebrated the history of our great country in grand style by dressing in full regalia in historical costumes—from President Porter as 'Uncle Sam' to Immediate Past President Carl Meyer as 'Abe Lincoln.”

The award-winning, Polish- American Mummers String Band kicked off the evening and industry awards presentations were intermingled with the straight-from-New-York talents of the “Broadway Exchange,” who performed vocal and dance selections including 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'Stand By Me,' 'I've got Rhythm,' and 'Proud to Be An American.'

Special Recognitions

ANLA took time to honor special contributors amidst the final night festivities. Jan Stephen Carter (MD) received the Wholesale Plant Sales Professionals of the Year award; Terry Mikel (AZ), was presented the Nursery Extension award; Paul Smeal (VA) received a special award for service to the association and Bruce Briggs, Briggs Nursery, Inc., OR, was inducted into the ANLA Nurserymen’s Hall of Fame.

2000 Convention

ANLA’s 2000 Convention & Executive Learning Retreat is set for July 13-16 in Vancouver, British Columbia. For a sneak preview of this unique meeting, visit www.anla.org. Additional information will follow over the coming months.

1999 Convention Sponsors

Decorations: The Lerio Corporation,H. Stanford Roberts Nursery, Hansen Nurseries,Horticultural Printers, Inc.

American Bandstand Party: Nursery Supplies, Inc.

A Musical Tribute to America Gala: Dayton Bag & Burlap, Greenleaf Nursery Co.

State of the Association & New Plant Varieties Session: Flowerwood Nursery & Plant Development Services Inc.

WNGA's New Ideas for Growers: Fairview Evergreen Nursery, McStack Co., NYP Inc.

Future Forums: Nexus Greenhouse Systems, Jackson & Perkins

Green Industry Tours: Conard-Pyle Co., Wight Nurseries, Bailey Nurseries, Zelenka Nursery, The Design Works, Inc.

Youth & Teen Program: Sherman Nursery Co.,

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

PANTS Shuttle: McKenzie Nursery Supplies

HRI Golf Classic: Willowbend Nursery