PANTS10 Tours

Are you looking forward to taking in some of the local color? There are four fantastic tours available at PANTS. Click these links to learn more...
• Green Roof Tour
• Garden Center Tour
• Private Garden Tour
• Growers Tour

You can register for any of the tours when you submit your online Attendee Registration. Exhibitors can use the same online Attendee Registration form to register for tours and other networking events.

Green Roof Tour - an exciting addition to PANTS!
Monday, July 27, 2009
8:00 AM - Depart from the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
5:00 PM - Return to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
This tour will operate rain or shine. 
Note that a portion of this tour will include walking between destinations. 
Cost - $ 69 (Includes lunch and transportation)
Limited Seating
NOTE: Persons registering for this tour after July 23 will not be permitted to access the PECO Building portion of the tour.

PLNA is pleased to present the first annual Green Roof Tour at PANTS.  In a business that is still relatively new, we anticipate a steady growth over the next 5 to 10 years and hope to provide support of this exciting segment of the green industry. 

This tour will start at Swarthmore College where you will learn about the inner-workings, benefits, and beauty of green roofs while exploring the three they have at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College.  This tour will include the chance to see several of the three green roofs at the College.  The first green roof was installed in 2002 and the most recent installed last year.  The vegetated roofs are extensive and semi-intensive and feature numerous plants: sedum, ice plant, various ornamental grasses, tulips, allium, dianthus, aster and campanula.  There will also be the chance to see other landscape sustainability efforts such as a biostream, landscaped stormwater infiltration systems, capture and reuse of stormwater for landscape irrigation and the use of porous paving.  Tours will be led by staff of the Scott Arboretum. 

Next this group will venture into Center City, Philadelphia, and stop for lunch at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS).

Following lunch the group will walk to the PECO building green roof and on to the Parkway Central Library green roof project.

PECO has recently unveiled the largest green roof on an existing building in Pennsylvania.  The 45,000-square-foot living roof atop a section of PECO headquarters is part of the utility company’s five-year, $15.3 million initiative to become more environmentally friendly.  The green roof is expected to absorb 60 to 70 percent of the estimated annual rainfall on the building and reduce runoff by at least 50 percent. It is also expected to help insulate the building during cold weather and cool it in summer. 

The Parkway Central Library’s new green roof demonstration project encompasses 5,000 square feet on the south side of the building facing Logan Square.  The green roof includes 100 cubic feet of soil and more than 5,400 plants.  The Library’s green roof demonstration represents the first green roof on a city-owned building and is part of the Mayor’s initiative to make Philadelphia one of the greenest cities in the country.  Several species of plants you will view range from white stonecrop and blue spruce to blue cadet and prairie dropseed.  This demonstration space features a pathway to allow the public to experience the green roof up close, signage features information on the variety of plants. 

"We’re thrilled to see PANTS return, not only to Pennsylvania, but back to Montgomery County, where it can best meet the needs of all its audiences. The new expo center is a perfect fit for this event and the hospitality community is eager to serve the association’s members, exhibitors and buyers and demonstrate how much their business is appreciated.
Paul Decker - President,
Valley Forge Convention and
Visitors Bureau

Discover PANTS Online
PANTS09 is now available on some of the most popular social networks! Find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Click each logo to join us.

Garden Center Tour
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
8:00 AM - Depart from the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
5:00 PM - Return to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
This tour will operate rain or shine
Cost - $ 59 (Includes lunch and transportation)
Limited Seating

Venturing into Chester County, PLNA will present three garden centers all thriving in today’s economy and each offering a different way of operating a garden center business.  This tour will also visit Longwood Gardens for a behind the scenes tour of plant production. 

Mostardi Nursery - Newtown Square, PA
Mostardi Nursery is a garden center dedicated to folks who are really into gardening. We’re considered the place to go for those who are searching for plants above and beyond the ordinary. Our product selection is tailored to a range of sizes that can be handled by the do-it-yourselfer, since we don’t offer a landscape service. We continue to be competitive by creating our own niche!

Our business has been growing over a 30 year period and during that time, we have transitioned from a production orientation to a customer focused service approach. The business operates on a two acre site and with the resulting space limitations, we have had to eliminate growing areas in order to increase parking areas. However, we still grow all our own annual combination planters, which helps to provide a certain amount of distinctiveness for spring and summer.

We are a family business located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia.  The company was started by Lou and Winnie Mostardi, (who still reside in their home on the property), and is now managed by Steve Mostardi.  Our staff consists of 11 full time and 6 part time people on a year round basis.

Perennials vary from being the second or third largest sales category. Our primary sources are Sunny Border Nursery, Quality Greenhouses, Cavano’s Perennials, Valleybrook Gardens and Still Pond Nursery. We strive to have fresh plants delivered each week, with the goal of having a reasonably wide selection and a maximum amount of plants in bloom spring through fall.

Michael Petrie’s HANDMADE GARDENS - Downingtown, PA
Michael Petrie’s HANDMADE GARDENS is a two-acre retail plant nursery, garden shop, and landscape design business launched in March 2008 by award-winning Philadelphia Flower Show designer and garden artist Michael Petrie, along with Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist Sue Phillips.  Both are veterans of the late, great J. Franklin Styer Nurseries and together they have over 50 years combined experience in the nursery business.  Michael and Sue promote that they can answer all your gardening questions and help you find the right plant for the right place, so your garden can thrive.

HANDMADE GARDENS specializes in unusual annuals, perennials and nursery stock, container planting, landscape design consultation for homes and businesses, found objects, antiques, original works by artists, and unusual collections for the home and yard. 

Waterloo Gardens - Exton, PA
Waterloo Gardens was founded in 1942 by James and Anna Paolini. The company has remained a family owned and operated business with Linda LeBoutillier as CEO (daughter of James & Anna Paolini), Bobby LeBoutillier as President, and Susan LeBoutillier as President of Waterloo Landscaping, Inc. by Design.

Now open in three locations throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware, the store carries the area’s largest selection of trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, outdoor furniture, garden supplies and accents, gifts, and home décor. In addition, Waterloo Gardens is home to the landscaping design and build service, Waterloo Landscaping, Inc. by Design. For more information visit  www.waterloogardens.com.

Longwood Gardens Research and Production Greenhouse Tour - Kennett Square, PA
Enjoy a guided tour of Longwood Gardens’ state-of-the-art Production Greenhouse Facility led by Longwood’s Research & Production Division Leader Dr. Jim Harbage. The tour of the 30,000 square-foot facility showcases the inner-workings of the complex, which grows plants for the well-known Conservatory seasonal displays. The facility consists of nine separate greenhouses that are independently controlled environments, making it possible to produce exquisite plants year round. On tour, the group will learn about the heating and cooling system, the propagation system and the irrigation system of the massive structure, as well as hear about current plant research projects ongoing at Longwood.

Private Garden Tour
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
8:00 AM - Depart from the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
5:00 PM - Return to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
This tour will operate rain or shine
Cost - $ 65 (Includes transportation and box lunch)
Limited Seating

Celebrating a return to Pennsylvania along with the opportunity to visit private gardens, we welcome the return of Chuck Feld as your PLNA host for the day.  Originator of the private garden tours in 2002, Chuck has identified the following destinations for this tour:

Jannetta Residence, Malvern, PA
A private residence located on a historical property with specimen plantings. 
Swimming pool with travertine marble-old well house, summer kitchen constructed of brick, field stone and granite.  Cedar pergola.  Antique well pump that pours into a granite cistern.  Spring and summer blooming plants to delight the senses and provide seasonal changes.  Dave Mull, Landscape Architect will lead this tour. 

Wayne Guymon Garden, Chadds Ford, PA
A private residence with many rare and unusual plants.  Located on 15 acres, 1000’s of Hostas on a hill in drifts.  Two acre lake with many plants.  Bamboo forest.  One of the largest collections of Rhododendrons in the northeast.  Wayne Guymon will be your guide.

Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades, Media, PA
Enjoy a box lunch on a 220 acre trade school founded in 1888.  The students enrolled in the Horticulture, Landscape and Turf Management Program maintain the grounds and gardens.  Chuck Feld will guide you through many gardens and specimen trees.  Here, you will find the largest collection of American Architect Frank Furness buildings in one location in the world.  

Beth and Mike Walh Garden, Wallingford, PA
A private residence with a 1800 carriage house on a small lot.  Here you will find a garden build in the stone ruins off the side of the house giving a two level living space.  Raised stone planters with PA bluestone and gravel paving.  A small water garden and an 1800 stoned wall garden.  Many plants and color for the summer months.  Mike Walh will be your guide. 

Monica and John Feehery, Media, PA
A private residence offering a garden and house on a small lot loaded with perennials and potted plants.  A stone walled driveway court yard with stone edging.  Large inviting steps leading to the front door.  Large PA bluestone patio in the rear with a summer kitchen and seven wrap around steps leading to a boulder wall and woods.  Chuck Feld will lead this tour.

Growers Tour
Thursday, July 30, 2009
8:00 AM - Depart from the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
5:00 PM - Return to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
This tour will operate rain or shine
Cost - $ 49 (Includes lunch and transportation)
Limited Seating

In our return to Pennsylvania, PLNA will not disappoint you with this year’s selection of participants in the 8th annual PANTS Growers Tour.  A great opportunity to spend the day with industry colleagues and also to tour behind the scenes operations of four growers. 

Harmony Hill Nurseries
New to exhibiting at PANTS and a start up nursery conveniently located in Downingtown, PA.  Harmony Hill Nurseries has spent the past six years growing 28,000 shade, ornamental, and evergreen trees.  These trees started their life in high quality Oregon Nurseries and were planted and raised in the rich and heavy Pennsylvania soils.  Harmony Hill is run by a team of passionate horticulturists growing strong drought and disease tolerant trees in an exceptional soil medium of clay rock and loam for a premium package.  Harmony Hill is devoted to delivering high quality finished plant material at a reasonable price and on time.

The Conard-Pyle Company
Since its founding in 1897, The Conard-Pyle Co. has evolved from a retail mail order firm with garden centers to a wholesale container nursery and bare root rose company. As one of the pioneer container growers on the East Coast and one of the largest and most respected, we have over 5 million plants growing in our Pennsylvania and Maryland nurseries.  In the San Joaquin Valley of California, we grow an equal quantity of Star® Rose plants.

We have more than 275 bare root rose varieties, 150 container roses, hundreds of perennials, groundcovers and woodies, the Knock Out® Family of Roses, the Drift® Roses and the best from Novalis®, Endless Summer® and Proven Winners®.

We search the world over to establish relationships and friendships with nurseries and hybridizers to bring the best of the newest in plant material to America’s gardens. 

We are proud to be on the PANTS 2009 Grower’s Tour. Dowload our info sheet here

North Creek Nurseries
North Creek strives to promote sustainable environments while delighting our customers. As a wholesale propagation nursery, we specializes in perennials, ornamental grasses, ferns and vines with an emphasis on eastern US natives. Our Landscape Plugs TM provide plant solutions for ecological projects including stormwater management, landscape restoration, soil stabilization, rain gardens and green roofs. Our vision, is to be, in our customer's judgment, a leader in the development and practice of sustainable horticultural systems while producing world class plant material. Great Plants Start Here! (TM) Dowload our info sheet here

W.D. Wells
W.D. Wells & Associates, Inc was founded in 1974 by W.D. Wells, Jr.  We have grown and expanded over the past 35 years to become one of the area’s premier design/build landscape firms and one of the few remaining companies in the area with our own nursery operation.  Our nursery division, Water Crest Farms Nursery, has over 90 acres under cultivation.  We stock a full range of landscape plant material, and specialize in broad-leaf evergreens and unusual specimen material.  At our stop on the 2009 PANTS Grower’s Tour we will highlight the use of intensive European style growing methods we have implemented in the newer sections of the nursery and are moving toward conversion of the entire operation.  We here at W.D. Wells/Water Crest Farms are pleased to participate in this years’ Grower’s Tour and we hope you’ll join us! Dowload our info sheet here