Mahonia Summit

I’ve just wrapped a fascinating horticultural convergence….a trip to the Seattle area for the first International Mahonia Summit. The summit, held on Washington’s Kitsap peninsula, drew 45 mahonia enthusiasts from around the world (France, England, Japan, and across the US). We enjoyed 7 talks, three tours, and engaged in three days of mahonia discussion with folks equally as crazy. Below are photos of a few of the participants you might recognize.

Our site host/meeting organizers were Jim Fox (Wells-Medina Nursery/garden writer)-top, and Dan Hinkley (Heronswood founder/plant explorer)-bottom. Below are a few more of the participants, including five former Plant Delights (PDN) staff, who’ve gone on to great careers in the plant world.

Andrew Bunting (Scott Arboretum, Pennsylvania)

Sean Hogan (Cistus Nursery, Oregon)

Steve Hootman (Rhododendron Species Foundation, Washington)

Ian Simpkins (former PDNer, now at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Florida)

Nick Macer (Pan-Global Plants, UK)

Ozzie Johnson (Itsaul Plants, Georgia)

Kathy Musial (Huntington Botanical Garden, California)

Todd Rounsaville (former PDNer, now State Botanical Garden of Kentucky)

Dr. Todd Lasseigne (former PDNer, now Tulsa Botanic Garden)

Adrienne and Jon Roethling (former PDNers, now PJ Ciener Botanical Garden and High Point University)

Adam Wheeler (Broken Arrow Nursery, CT)

Taka Kobayashi (Kobayashi Nursery, Japan)

Dr. John Grimshaw (Yorkshire Arboretum, UK)

Kristin Schleiter (New York Botanic Garden, NY)

Greg Paige (Bartlett Arboretum, NC)

Scott McMahan (Garden Hood, GA/plant explorer)

Olivier Colin – L (plant explorer, France), Jeff Lynch (Chanticleer Gardens, PA), Nick Macer, UK, Dr. Tom Ranney (NC State mahonia breeder), Tom’s wife, Amira Ranney