June 23-27, 2014 Denver, CO Hosted by Denver Botanic Gardens In partnership with: The Gardens on Spring Creek Cheyenne Botanic Gardens Betty Ford Alpine Gardens Sponsored by Rain Bird
Every day, you and your colleagues work hard to transform individual elements – a class, a seed, a tour – into an overall offering that is meaningful and impactful to your visitors, your community and even the world beyond. We all have to use a bit of “magic” in this process. Magic is more than luck; it’s the perfect combination of factors that make what had been thought impossible, possible: creating a world-class botanic garden in the dry, high-altitude steppe; removing barriers of access to fresh produce in urban “food deserts”; or leading a regional embrace of water-efficient landscaping practices. Pulling off such acts is no small feat, but such accomplishments by garden professionals have the power to transform the communities we work in and the people we reach. What kind of everyday magic are you employing to see that your garden and the people it touches thrive? Please think about how you can transform the common presentation into something truly special through interaction and novel techniques – be creative! Share your transformative experiences and forays into everyday magic at the American Public Gardens (APGA) annual conference in Denver, June 23-27, 2014.
DENVER, CO
Welcome to Denver – the Mile High City –
perfect jumping off point to explore all the
where a thriving arts and cultural scene, 300
city has to offer. Walk – or take advantage of a
days of sunshine, and the backdrop of the
thriving bike sharing program – to some of our
Rocky Mountains combine to create the world’s
best restaurants, museums and parks.
most spectacular playground. Denver is as
The Denver Marriott City Center – an AAA
laid-back as it is sophisticated. It’s a place where engineers rub elbows with rock climbers at local brewpubs, at art festivals, or while strolling along downtown’s 16th Street pedestrian mall. Free shuttles give visitors quick access to world-
4-Diamond downtown Denver hotel – is committed to providing the best in hospitality and service. Towering above the Mile High City, the Denver
Marriott City class art and culture, wine bars, restaurants, and Center offers nighttime entertainment and music in Larimer guests a unique Square or historic LoDo. Upscale shopping
awaits in Cherry Creek, while Denver’s seven professional sports teams showcase this city’s active spirit. Denver’s 850 miles of paved biking and walking paths, the largest of its kind in the country, connect visitors to unique attractions, parks and diverse neighborhoods. One trip is all it takes to fall in love with this great city.
downtown location, featuring panoramic views of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and the gorgeous Denver skyline, plus convenience
Denverites spend a great deal of time outdoors,
to the city’s vibrant
so nature is always top of mind. Similarly,
business, shopping and entertainment districts,
ever-increasing efforts to incorporate drought-
including LoDo, Coors Field, Larimer Square and
tolerant and native plants shape the urban
the 16th Street Mall.
landscape, inspiring local residents to do the
Your Rocky Mountain host gardens look forward
same in their own yards. Keep an eye out for these displays as you take in this dynamic city. Your hotel in the heart of downtown is the
to sharing – and hearing about your – everyday magic at the 2014 APGA conference!
DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS
Green inside and out, the Gardens is considered one of the top botanical gardens in the United States and a pioneer in water conservation. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Gardens’ living collections encompass specimens from the tropics to the tundra, showcasing a plant palette chosen to thrive in Colorado’s semi-arid climate. The Gardens’ dynamic, 24-acre urban oasis in the heart of the city is now in its 62nd year, offering unforgettable opportunities to flourish with unique garden experiences for the whole family – as well as world-class education and plant conservation research programs. Additional sites extend this experience throughout the Front Range: Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield is a 750-acre wildlife and native plant refuge in Jefferson County; Mount Goliath is a high-altitude trail and interpretive site winding through a centuries-old bristlecone pine forest on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway.
THE GARDENS ON SPRING CREEK
Today, the Gardens on Spring Creek welcome over 50,000 visitors annually to enjoy display gardens, participate in educational programs
With a mission to enrich the lives of people and foster environmental stewardship through horticulture, the Gardens on Spring Creek is Fort Collins’ community botanic garden.
and special events, and provide hundreds of volunteers with opportunities to get their hands dirty. The Gardens currently includes a Plant Select® Demonstration Garden, a children’s
For the past nine years, the Gardens on Spring
garden, the three-quarter acre Garden of Eatin’,
Creek has been a special place and source of
a Rock Garden, and the Xeric Parkway Strip. As
positive, engaging and creative opportunities
an integral part of its mission, The Gardens sup-
for people to connect with plants and with each
ports school and community garden outreach
other. As a public/private partnership between
programs in low-income areas, offers a school
the City of Fort Collins and the Friends of the
field trip program and youth summer camps
Gardens on Spring Creek, the Fort Collins voters
for grade school students, provides year-round
enthusiastically supported the proposal for the
educational programs for all ages and interests
creation of a community horticultural center
in horticulture, and hosts several special events
through a ballot initiative, Building Community
to help connect people with each other and their
Choices, and in 2004 The Gardens officially
community.
opened its doors.
CHEYENNE BOTANIC GARDENS
Cheyenne Botanic Gardens had an unusual beginning in 1977 as a 100% solar-heated, volunteer-staffed community greenhouse. It has evolved to become Wyoming’s only public garden in one of the most challenging gardening climates in the lower 48 (high winds, regular hail, high altitude, little winter snow cover, and unpredictable first and last frosts). Today it exists on a nine-acre plot in a park as a city government operation with major support from its “friends” foundation. Mostly senior, youth and handicapped volunteers, along with other community members, provide 90 percent
LEED-certified public children’s garden and the
of the physical labor. The project also functions
second LEED Platinum-certified site in the state
as a city nursery, providing and tending from
of Wyoming. Off site, the Cheyenne Botanic
spring to fall over 50,000 bedding plants that
Gardens is working to develop the High Plains
beautify 80 flowerbeds on city parks and parkways.
Arboretum, which was once the USDA’s High
The project includes a solar heated and powered greenhouse conservatory and 27 specialty landscapes. One of the more popular landscapes is the Paul Smith Children’s Village, a one-acre interactive garden and classroom that features examples of sustainability (past, present and future). The Children’s Village is the nation’s first
Plains Horticulture Research Station. Its mission was to introduce trees, shrubs, flowers, fruit and food crops that would survive on the difficult climate of the High Plains.
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
At an elevation of 8,200 ft. Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is the highest botanical garden in North America.
Sitting in Vail’s Ford Park, walking distance from
garden sits on a slope of about forty feet, with
Vail Village, it is a botanical gem, dwarfed by
ADA pathways and natural stone steps weaving
the magnificent scenery of the Gore Mountain
through the rocks. Home of the NAPCC collection
Range.
of Colorado’s alpine flora, it is a unique display
A series of stone pathways meander past streams and waterfalls through four distinct garden zones and a nature area along Gore Creek, encompassing five acres. An Herb Schaaldesigned children’s garden depicts a miniature hike to the summit of the Gore Range, with a wetland, stepping stones and a limestone gorge, fully interpreted. The Mountain Perennial Garden displays the vast array of perennials that thrive at this high elevation with the extraordinary ultra violet light making the colors of the delphinium, monkshood and lilies intense. A Meditation Garden offers a more tranquil setting, Rocky Mountain style, with broadleaf evergreens and dwarf conifers surrounding a tranquil pool and floating rock. A stream lined with candelabra primroses leads to the impressive Alpine Rock Garden. This mostly native rock
of alpine flora. The Gardens were named for Betty Ford, who had a home in the Vail valley and was active in the Gardens until her death in 2011.
Tracks
Hypnotizing Horticulture:
Catalytic Conservation:
Liberated Leadership:
How do your gardens leave visitors with a lasting impression? Are you addressing climate change in your planting decisions and garden design? Do your displays reflect the community and serve as examples to visitors? Share your success stories of displays that delight, collections that captivate and designs that dazzle.
Even the most elaborate conservation efforts begin with a single driving force. Environmental preservation isn’t magic; it’s diligent monitoring and study. How are you prioritizing initiatives? Are your conservation programs happening onsite, or do you venture beyond your garden’s perimeters to effect change? Share what you are doing to create a transformative experience at your garden – or in the community.
Has your leadership transformed your garden, employees and community? Are you creating partnerships with local nonprofits and for-profits to make your garden more relevant in the community? Talk about how you are improving and adapting your garden for the future.
Track Co-Chairs:
505.848.7181 catherine.hubbard@cabq.gov
Track Co-Chairs: Melissa Burdick Director of Horticulture Lauritzen Gardens 402. 346.4002 ext. 206 m.burdick@omahabotanicalgardens.org Casey Sharber Director of Horticulture Myriad Botanical Gardens 405.445.7080 csharber@myriadgardens.org
Sarada Krishnan Director of Horticulture Denver Botanic Gardens 720. 865.3601 krishnas@botanicgardens.org Kimberlie McCue Program Director, Conservation Desert Botanical Garden 480.481.8137 kmccue@dbg.org
Track Co-Chairs: Catherine Hubbard Executive Director Rio Grande Botanic Garden
Kara Newport Executive Director Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden 704.829.1250 newport@dsbg.org
Enchanting Education: How do you engage with the community through education programs? Are you doing something innovative to reach out to new and diverse audiences? How have your class topics – and delivery formats – transformed to mirror changing demands? From expanded offerings to new techniques, talk about your tricks of the trade. Track Co-Chairs: Laurie Albrecht Program Coordinator Mounts Botanical Garden 561. 233.1747 lalbrecht@pbcgov.org Susan Wagner Vice President of Education and Information The Morton Arboretum 630.719.2407 swagner@mortonarb.org
Miraculous Marketing and Media Relations: What tools do you rely on to attract the masses…and to engage niche audiences? Talk about how you make your garden’s brand of magic relevant to diverse audiences. From social media’s ever-evolving menu of options to traditional media’s consolidation, tell us how you keep your garden newsworthy. Track Co-Chairs: Liz Fetchin Director of Marketing and Communications Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Gardens 412.441.4442, x3801 lfetchin@phipps.conservatory.org Kathryn Glass Vice President of Marketing Brooklyn Botanic Garden 718.623.7283 kathrynglass@bbg.org
Distinctive Development:
Alluring Art and Exhibitions:
Is fundraising an art or a science? How do you differentiate your garden from the myriad alternative institutions and causes? Has online giving changed the way you pursue gifts? Have virtual communications changed the way you build relationships? We want to hear your stories.
Is art a panacea to unlocking new audiences, or is it a standard component of the modern garden? Maybe you’ve been investigating the opportunities non-plant exhibits present. Perhaps your garden is already established as a destination for indoor or outdoor art. This new track gives all gardens a forum to share, learn and inspire.
Track Co-Chairs: Dave Forehand VP of Gardens and Visitor Services Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens 214.515.6607, dforehand@dallasarboretum.org Michelle Conklin Executive Director Tucson Botanical Garden 520.326.9686 execdirector@tucsonbotanical.org
Track Co-Chairs: Karen Daubmann Vice President of Exhibitions and Public Engagement New York Botanical Garden 718.817.8535, kdaubmann@nybg.org Rodney Eason Director of Horticulture and Plant Curator Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens 207.633.4333 ext. 142 reason@mainegardens.org
Call for Sessions and Proposals Opens: July 1, 2013, 10:00 a.m. ET http://apga2014.abstractcentral.com Submission Deadline: October 16, 2013, 11:00 p.m. ET
At the conference and immediately afterward: • Introduce session and speakers/panelists/presenters, giving an overview of the topic and the session format • Lead interim and summary remarks
Instructions for Submitting Your Proposal
• Facilitate a question and answer period
The online submission process is easy and allows you to compose
• Ensure the electronic capture of session/workshop information
abstracts securely and collaboratively with colleagues throughout the world, thus simplifying the authoring and submission process. Moderator/Workshop Leader Information Moderators/Leaders perform a great service for the conference. Their expectations and responsibilities are outlined below: During Proposal Submission and leading up to the conference: • Organize the session including presenters, focus, format and handouts • Notify and communicate to presenters from when proposal is accepted through delivery of session • Develop session content and ensure it matches the quality and theme of the proposal • Coordinate any logistical details with the Program Selection Committee and/or APGA Staff • For workshops or sessions that may incur extra costs, work with APGA Staff to identify food, audiovisual and other costs by preparing a draft budget (see below)
The following information is needed for all moderators: Name Title, Institution Address, City, State, Zip/Postal Code, Country Phone, Fax, Email Moderator/Workshop Leader Qualifications/Biography (50 words or fewer) Presenter/Panelist Information Proposals are evaluated partly on the strength of the presenters, and their participation must be confirmed. The following information is needed for all presenters: Name Confirmed: Yes/No Title, Institution Address, City, State, Zip/Postal Code, Country Phone, Fax, Email Major Points to Be Covered
• Specify all special room/site setups and audiovisual needs
Budget
• Ensure all session speakers are registered for the conference
• If applicable, attach a separate budget (in US dollars). • APGA tries to keep conference fees as low as possible and has a
limited speaker budget. On average, 100-120 speakers participate
through registration fees. Typical workshop attendance is ten to
in the conference each year. Those from within public horticulture
twenty participants. Full-day workshop fees range from $100-$125.
do not receive honoraria or travel reimbursements. Cash support
Contact APGA to obtain food and audiovisual cost estimates. Please
for presentations is awarded only in exceptional circumstances. If
indicate what you believe your audio/visual needs will be; be spe-
you request financial support, please submit a detailed budget with
cific. Indicate numbers of microphones, whether you need audio or
your proposal. Requests for support submitted after a proposal is
Internet access, and any other A/V requirements you have to ensure
accepted will not be considered.
a successful program. Do not include conference registration in the
• Please indicate what the audio/visual needs will be. Please be specific. Indicate numbers of microphones, whether you need audio
budget. If funding or sponsorship is not available, presenter fees/ honoraria may need to be reduced or waived.
or Internet access, and any other A/V requirements you have to
Proposals must be submitted online by 11:00 p.m. ET,
ensure a successful program. This will help us understand how
October 16, 2013.
much this workshop will cost to run, as each of these items has an associated cost. Funding Requests for funding will be strengthened by demonstrated efforts to help cover costs including: • Asking outside speakers to waive their fees or at least partially cover their own expenses. • Encouraging your institution or your speaker to sponsor your session (or any session) in exchange for recognition as a Session Sponsor.
Presentation Formats What’s different this year? Not to say that PowerPoint presentations in a hotel meeting room can’t capture magic, but consider alternate delivery methods and even different venues for adding some magic to the 2014 conference sessions. Maybe your Horticulture presentation would be more impactful IN an actual garden. Perhaps your Marketing session would be all the more compelling with AV enhancements. Or maybe your Arts & Exhibits session could incorporate a walk to a local art gallery.
Workshop Budgets Workshop proposals must include a budget listing all costs: pre-
Our Denver Host Committee has even designated a ‘magic
senters’ travel expenses, handouts, meals/breaks, and audiovisual
consultant’ to help you transform your presentation into some-
needs. Pre-conference workshops are expected to cover all costs
thing truly different and impactful: magic@botanicgardens.org.
15- or 30-Minute Individual Presentations
tri-fold presentation board. Poster presenters have a specific time to
Structured discussions or presentations based on a single, focused
discuss their projects and answer questions. Posters are an excellent
topic. Only one author (on multi-author papers) will present at the
way to present new ideas, concepts and programs.
meeting. Two to six individual presentations will be grouped per time slot.
Evaluation and Notification
Sixty-Minute Multi-Speaker or Panel Discussion
How are proposals evaluated?
Three to five panelists provide brief introductions; a moderator poses
During the peer-review process, members of the Program Selection
prepared questions to the panelists followed by questions from the
Committee evaluate proposals using the following criteria:
audience. The talk-show format allows for an in-depth focus on a single topic, offers multiple points of view, and allows panelists, moderator and audience to interact. Ninety-Minute Multi-Speaker or Panel Session The moderator gives an overview of the session and introduces one to three consecutive speakers. Presentations are generally 15 - 20
1. Topic, intent and learning outcomes (for workshops and organized sessions) that are focused, well presented and thoughtfully articulated 2. A clear and convincing presentation of ideas, organization and rationale for choosing speakers/presenters
minutes long and include PowerPoint presentations and other audio-
3. Confirmed speakers/presenters
visuals. Multiple speakers can provide a diversity of perspectives or
4. A diverse selection of speakers/presenters who represent a wide
feature different aspects of a topic. Workshop (Full- or Half-day) The perfect venue for experienced workshop leaders to pass on their knowledge in a targeted learning opportunity. Typically these workshops have an interactive, hands-on component. Please note that
range of perspectives, regions, garden size/budget/mission (speakers from outside public horticulture are welcome.) 5. An appropriate format that contributes to the exploration of the topic 6. Important or timely topic
proposals for workshops must include a complete budget.
7. Realistic and affordable budget (if any) with funding sources identified
Poster
8. Relevance to conference theme
Displayed throughout the conference, posters showcase a single program or special project in a graphic format using photographs, diagrams, plans, sketches, or charts with limited text on a bi-fold or
Notification
of budget, staff and acreage. If applicable, please ensure that your
By late December 2013, you will receive notification of the status of
speakers are representative of the membership so that all gardens
your proposal. If acceptance is contingent on changes, you will have two weeks to make those changes and get the amended proposal back to the program selection committee. Punctuality and cooperation are appreciated. APGA will determine the specific timeslots for sessions. Developing a Strong Proposal • APGA’s conferences are recognized for leading the field of public horticulture. We are looking for the best and most motivating, inspiring and innovative educational content. • Please remember this is an online submission. We recommend that you prepare your submission ahead of time in an MS Word document and then cut and paste it into the required fields, paying atten-
can take advantage of the valuable information you are presenting. • The theme for the 2014 APGA annual conference is the Everyday Magic, and submissions should address the theme. The event is in Denver, Colorado, from June 22 to 27, 2014. Questions? Who should present at APGA? Anyone with an interest in public horticulture is welcome to participate in the program. Presenters from disciplines or organizations outside public horticulture are strongly encouraged to participate. Membership in APGA is not a prerequisite. Can I make changes to my abstract with the online submission?
tion ahead of time to the word/character count for each section.
Full instructions for submitting abstracts online will be available in a
• APGA annual conference registrants have often said that they are
to these instructions, you will be provided with online support pages
not looking for “show-and-tell” sessions but rather for information explaining “how-tos” and “whys” that they can take back to their respective public gardens and implement. • APGA conference registrants are diverse. Your audience potentially includes Institutional Members representing botanical gardens, arboreta, cemeteries, zoos and university campuses as well as Individual Members—volunteers, students, retirees, and corporate members from a variety of industries. Please be clear about your intended audience when developing your proposal. • When recruiting speakers for your session, please keep in mind the diversity of APGA members. Member gardens vary in terms of size
step-by-step process within the online submission system. In addition and phone support through ScholarOne, Inc.’s Abstract® Central customer support team. You will have the ability to update or make changes to your abstract until the abstract submission deadline. For More Information: Program Selection Committee Chair: Cynthia Druckenbrod Director of Horticulture, Cleveland Botanical Garden 216.707.2824 cdruckenbrod@cbgarden.org
American Public Gardens Association 351 Longwood Road Kennett Square, PA 19348 Ph: 610.708.3010 Fax: 610.444.3594 publicgardens.org