Greenhouse Shopping Tour – Northwestern Vermont – May 22, 2017-CANCELLED!

THIS TOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNDER ENROLLMENT.

Monday – May 22, 2017

Greenhouse Shopping Tour of Northwestern Vermont

After our success this past year with a similar tour, we’re pleased to announce this day tour of several Vermont greenhouses in the Burlington area, timed for your spring garden shopping. We’ll travel in a Premier luxury coach, with room to hold plants and purchases from a diverse selection of some top retailers with trained staff for all your questions. This tour is sponsored by Dr. Leonard Perry’s Green Mountain Horticulture: Tours, in collaboration with Green Works: the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association.

Leaving the Horticulture Research and Education Center in South Burlington (where you can leave your car safely) at 8am, we’ll travel first to Charlotte and the historic Horsford Gardens and Nursery (www.horsfordnursery.com/). Vermont’s oldest nursery has been growing plants since 1893, and continues to produce many of their own plants in the field, containers, and greenhouses. They also have a shop with gardening supplies, and related Distinctive Landscaping business.

From Horsfords (left photo) we’ll travel to Red Wagon Plants in Hinesburg (below photo). Red Wagon (www.redwagonplants.com ) states that “Our methods are organic and most of our plants are certified organic. The only plants we grow that we cannot call organic are those that come to us as rooted cuttings from conventional greenhouses – some of our annuals, and most of our perennials fit in this category. Our edible crops are all certified organic and either grown from seed on the premises or from cuttings that originate in certified organic greenhouses.”

Lunch (included) will be at Gardener’s Supply in Williston, provided by their Garden of Eatin’ Café. While enjoying our private group meal on their covered patio, we’ll be provided with a gardening how-to demonstration. You’ll then have plenty of time to shop in their extensive shop of home items, garden supplies, and indoor plants. Outdoors they have an extensive area of flowers, shrubs, and trees. You’ll find many items in the store that you won’t find in their catalog—one of America’s most well-known, serving “millions of gardeners nationwide, offering everything from seed starting supplies and garden furniture to flower supports and garden carts.” (www.gardeners.com)

We’ll finish the afternoon at Rocky Dale Gardens in Bristol (right photo), which specializes in unusual, hard-to-find, and specialty flowers, shrubs, trees, and ornamental dwarf conifers. (www.rockydalegardens.com) In addition to the retail area, there are extensive display gardens located around the old barn and 1856 farmhouse. We should arrive back in South Burlington around 5pm.

Here’s your chance in one day, without having to drive, to see and select from the diverse offerings of several established Vermont plant retail growers. Any family or friends interested in joining you? Send in your registration NOW in order to guarantee seats on this relaxing, comfortable and educational tour that is sure to fill quickly. Register early for a discount. If you have special needs (food, seating and accessibility, or other), please let me know at least one week prior to the tour. Do let me know too if you have any questions: 802-318-8453, leonard.perry@uvm.edu

COSTS:

The cost of the tour is $79 per person at the special Dark Days of Winter Discount of $79 per person before February 15, 2017, then $89 per person after February 15, 2017. Tour cost includes luxury motor coach, refreshments throughout the trip, lunch, and driver gratuity. Confirmation and further details will be provided

prior to the trip. Return registrations no later than May 8, 2017 to: Kristina MacKulin/VNLA, PO Box 92, N. Ferrisburgh, VT 05473 (802-425-5117). You can download and mail your registration in by mail or register below.

In the event that we must cancel the tour due to insufficient numbers or other reasons, you will get a full refund. Otherwise, if you must cancel on or prior to April 22, 2017 you’ll receive a complete refund less a $30 processing fee. Cancellations after the deadline receive no refund. While travel insurance is mainly used for trips abroad or involving flights and cruise ships, you may want to look into this if you want to be covered in case you need to cancel, due to medical or similar reasons. There are many firms you can use and find online (www.insuremytrip.com/products/providers), with the cost often up to 30% the tour cost for day trips.

2017 Greenhouse Shopping Tour Registration Form

TO REGISTER (see below):

Attendee – VNLA Member/VT Master Gardener – $79

Name:

Attendee – Non Member – $79 prior to February 15, 2017

Name:

Attendee – Non Member – $89 after February 15, 2017

Name:

 

Confirmation receipt, itinerary, and directions to departure sites will be mailed prior to the tour. For questions on registration and payment, contact Kristina (802-425-5117). For other questions, contact tour host Dr. Leonard Perry (UVM Horticulture Professor, leonard.perry@uvm.edu, 802-318-8453).

Questions – please contact: leonard.perry@uvm.edu.