Special event for Random Acts of Gardening subscribers!

Guided Tour of the Farwest Show
Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009
Oregon Convention Center
1-3pm

Deadline for entry is Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009

Up to 10 readers of Random Acts of Gardening will be invited to join us for a guided visit to the Farwest Show. This is a wholesale trade show and isn't open to the public, so this is a unique opportunity!

The Farwest Show is one of the largest nursery trade shows in the country and it is produced by the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN). The OAN, publisher of Random Acts of Gardening, also produces Le Tour des Plants and Yard, Garden & Patio Show for our local gardeners. More than 400 wholesale growers exhibit at the show. Other growers, retail garden centers, landscape contractors and designers from around the country come to the Farwest Show to see and place orders for the newest and best plant material and hardgoods. (This will be my sixth Farwest Show and I still get excited every time I walk onto the show floor!)

It typically takes several days to see all the exhibitors so we’ve selected a few for you to visit. This special guided tour will introduce you to:

• Terra Nova Nurseries: learn about where its innovative plant breeding program is heading.
  
• Fisher Farms LLC: see what’s new for Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 from this wholesale grower of plants for Proven Winners® ColorChoice®, Novalis Plants That Work™, Biltmore for Your Home™, and Encore Azaleas®.
  
• New Varieties Showcase: see 39 new plant varieties displayed in a professionally designed display garden. The showcase was designed by Linda Meyer, L Meyer Design, and Sarah Smith, The Gardensmith, both members of the Association of Northwest Landscape Designers.
  
• Plus a few more surprises are planned!

Tell us in a few words what gardening means to you by August 13 – and provide us with your contact information so we can get in touch with you – and we'll select up to 10 readers to join us. Selected guests will be notified by Monday, August 17.

Oregon's nursery industry is the largest agricultural sector in Oregon and is the second largest producer of nursery stock (after California) in the country, with more acreage in nursery production than any other state. And we’re the largest producer in the U.S. of shade and flowering trees and grafted conifers.

Happy Gardening!

Ann Murphy
OAN Director of Marketing