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Training and Events

The Northern Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association hosts its own events, including networking meetings, planning meetings, educational presentations, fundraising events, board meetings, and more. If you would like to help organize, host, or support one of these events please reach out to Matthew Ross at matthew@thebotanicgarden.org and/or Kristin Trojanowski at kristin@flaskalandscaping.comIf you would like to attend a board meeting, please contact us to be added to the agenda. Questions about upcoming events? Contact us today! 

Upcoming Events

A Glimpse of the Historical Gardens of Japan
By Matthew Ross

Executive Director of The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park

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The opportunity to go to Japan to study gardening is the penultimate dream of many horticulture professionals. This past November, I had the honor of joining a dozen peers from across the United States and Australia on a whirlwind tour of the gardens of Tokyo and Kyoto organized by the North American Japanese Garden Association (NAJGA) with support from the Chanticleer Foundation. The garden tours were led by leading experts Dr. Makoto Suzuki during our time exploring Tokyo and Reiko Yasul Reavis in Kyoto. 

 

Our immersive experience included opportunities to meet with the gardeners and horticulturists that are responsible for maintaining and preserving the design intent of some of the most influential gardens in Japan. The overall commitment to craftsmanship was universal during our visit. Watching gardeners make their own rakes using split bamboo, creating elaborate snow and ice barriers for evergreens from handmade rope, and spending countless hours meticulously removing needles from high in the canopies of black and red pines were only a few of the awe-inspiring techniques we witnessed firsthand.

 

During the formal tour, we visited nearly 20 gardens and cultural institutions. We traversed some of the historic gardens of Tokyo including Koishikawa Korakuen, Rikugein, Hama-rikyu Gardens, and the Imperial Palace grounds. We were visiting at the tail end of the Chrysanthemum bloom and caught the early stages of fall color in Tokyo. One of the signatures of these gardens was the commitment to structural pruning where larger specimens of pines were sculpted by the manual reduction of needles and the training of every branch. Our guide, Dr. Makoto Suzuki, Professor Emeritus of Landscape Architecture at the Tokyo NODAI, shared the history of each garden, how its design has evolved, and introduced us to the teams of landscape and nursery professionals that are responsible for maintaining its integrity. Making landscape decisions that build upon the legacy of gardens and parks that have been enjoyed for and endured for centuries is an incredible honor and challenge. The teams of professionals conducting this work are to be commended for their tireless efforts and commitment.

 

Moving from Tokyo to Kyoto we felt an immediate change of pace and scale. While many of the gardens we visited in Tokyo were surrounded by skyscrapers and modern architecture creating a surreal juxtaposition, Kyoto felt more like traversing back in time. While it is an incredibly modern city in terms of its infrastructure and transportation, the scale is much more approachable. From the moment we visited our first garden, Murin-an, a hermitage for Yamagata Aritomo in the heart of the historic district, through traversing the inner temple gardens of Kennin-ji, the sense of peace and tranquility was ubiquitous. What set many of these gardens apart during this portion of our tour was the strong Buddhist influence in the organization of planting, the refined and restrained plant palette, and the reverence for nature. Reiko, our guide, is a NAJGA Board Member and was the former Director of the Phoenix Friendship Garden. She provided a contextual understanding of how craftsmanship and the commitment to the preservation of the garden arts was remaining relevant in the new millennium. I was nearly brought to tears while getting a chance to sit at the arcade at the world renowned Royanji Temple. To see the patina in the walls that surround the gravel gardens glisten with dew and witness the pride of their caretakers painstakingly remove fallen foliage using extended versions of landscape chopsticks was a profound experience. The garden tour culminated in a reception with professionals from the Nursery and Landscape Industry, where we had the honor of meeting with many of the top landscape design/build firms that are working internationally to share their knowledge of traditional techniques. Despite being half a world away, we share many of the same challenges which were shared over sushi, pizza, and a bit of sake too!

 

The study experience has dramatically influenced my career aspirations and deepened my appreciation for our profession. The best part of the NAJGA Tour was being able to have a shared experience with professionals from our industry and I encourage any of you interested in Japanese Garden Design and Techniques to look into future workshops, tours, and conferences. 

Blades of Grass

Spring Training

Monday, April 28  •  8:30-11:30am
Four Season Nursery

7557 E Harrys Rd., Traverse City

Approved for 3 CGIP CEU credits!

Register now for this hands-on Experience with the Team at Four Season Nursery where you'll learn:

  • How to choose the best specimens from the nursery, handling care, and proper loading;

  • Proper planting techniques as they install a new garden bed with a variety of materials;

  • Tour of the Nursery, Plant ID of trees, shrubs, and native plants;

  • Update from MI State Police, Commercial vehicle Enforcement Division, on MDOT Rules and regulations and what you need to be aware of this season.

We're pleased to bring you this event at NO CHARGE but registration

is required and is limited to the first 30 that register.

Save the Date!
Great Lakes Great Plants Symposium
Sept 25 – Sept 27

The Great Lakes Great Plants Symposium returns to The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park for its third year!  Join fellow NMNLA Members for the premiere educational event of the year.  This year the event is moving to September and will once again have a rare plant auction, garden design tour, and feature nationally recognized landscape and nursery professionals.  You won’t want to miss the chance to be a part of the excitement and expand your plant palette at The Great Lakes Great Plants Symposium.

Mark Your Calendar

for these 2025 Events

More Details and Registration Information coming soon!

August 27 – 2nd Annual NMNLA Golf Outing – Antrim Dells Golf Course, Ellsworth, MI

 

September 25-27 – Northern Plant Symposium at The Botanic Gardens at Historic Barns Park

 

October – Safety Summit 

 

December – Year-End Green Industry Round Table and Recap ­

2025 Event Recaps

March: NMNLA Education Workshop: Benchmarking

On March 13, NMNLA professionals participated in an impactful afternoon with Sean Baxter of Jeffrey Scott Company. Hosted by Vidosh North, LLC in Petoskey, Sean presented benchmarking data based on the aggregated 2024 data from the 380 companies in their peer group network. The data presented was a segment of the content featured in their Financial Master Class. Sean presented this information in the context of how the attendee’s company compared to “low”, “high” and “top” performing Green Industry businesses from around the country.

Our appreciation goes to all at Vidosh North, LLC for hosting and to Sean Baxter, Founder of Lawn & Landscape Solutions and Member Jeffrey Scott Consulting, Kansas City, MO for this informative afternoon.

January: Education Exchange – Learn, Share, Connect

On January 9, NMNLA professionals gathered for an afternoon of learning, networking, and fun. Hosted by Manthei Supply in their newest location located at 1423 Sawyer Rd. in Traverse City, this event featured Matt Bulloch, CEO/President of TentCraft, who shared how they’ve implemented lean manufacturing into their business to drive efficiency, the unique methods they use to attract talent to their company, and the quick decision-making the company went through during COVID, shifting gears in their product line – and how important that has been to the ongoing success of the company. In addition, attendees heard legislative and regulatory updates, enjoyed refreshments, and received fun raffle giveaways.

 

Our appreciation goes to Manthei Supply for their hospitality and to all the firms that donated gifts to the raffle.

Northern Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association

2149 Commons Parkway
Okemos, MI 48864

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(517) 381-0437

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