July 15, 2010
Expo 2010 (formerly Garden and Floral Expo), now in its 11th year, has a new name which reflects a broader appeal to a larger segment of the horticultural and floral industries.

Over 3,000 visitors are expected to attend the show in October. “These visitors represent garden centre owners and buyers, nurseries, growers, florists, retail chains, and also landscape designers, architects and contractors who increasingly see the show as an opportunity to reconnect with their peers while seeing what’s new, what’s hot and what needs to be planted next spring,” says show manager Lorraine Ivanoff.

Partners for the annual show include the Master Gardeners of Ontario, with members manning not only a booth, but conducting four presentations at the Green for Life Stage. The lineup of great speakers includes Ron Rossini, Sean James, Robert Pavlis and Dianne and Gary Westlake. Topics will be geared toward hot issues, such as native alternatives to invasive ornamentals and gardening mistakes.

Two partners at Expo, Flowers Canada (Ontario) and Niagara Economic Development Corporation, will represent the flower growers industry. Building on the resounding success at Garden and Floral Expo 2009, the Landscape Ontario Resource Centre will take visitors on a journey through the association’s key product and service offerings, particularly the five pillars of Prosperity Partners.

The third annual Garden Party is on Tues., Oct. 19, and will run from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring live music and complimentary refreshments on the show floor.  

The Garden Centre Symposium, on Mon., Oct. 18 at the Toronto Congress Centre, will feature topics on merchandising, running a profitable garden centre, and how to use the tools available through LO aligned with the Prosperity Partners pillars. Speakers will include Judy Sharpton, Ideas to Reinvent/Refresh Your Business, and Doug Green, Social Media in the Nursery. The main sponsor is Fafard.  

The Landscape Designers Sector Group will host a breakfast and networking event on Tues., Oct. 19, from 8 to 10 a.m. The event is sponsored by Permacon and Connon Nurseries NVK.

The Interiorscape Sector Group is also planning a breakfast meeting on Wed., Oct. 21, from 8 to 10 a.m., entitled Environmental Design: Interior Plantscape Symposium. The event will feature a panel discussion with speakers from the industry, education and facilities. Joanne Young, Living Walls in the Industry, and Kathy Fidew, LEED Program and Certification, will take part in the panel presentation.  

The show hours are: Tues., Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wed., Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration for Expo 2010 opened on July 1.

For more information, contact show manager, Lorraine Ivanoff at lpi@landscapeontario.com, or go to www.loexpo.ca.

 

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