2026 IPPS WR Annual Meeting

Keynote Speaker for Thursday Banquet: Scott Skogerboe, Fort Collins Nursery | Woody Plant Propagation

Speaker schedule is subject to changes. More info to come!

Wednesday

Christopher Currey, Iowa State University
Jeb Fields, University of Florida
Ross Shrigley, Plant Select
Aleshia Baker, US Department of Agriculture | Worker Protection Standard

Thursday

Yu-Ya Liang, Utah Valley University | Improving Seed Germination in Native and Wild Plants Through Hormone-Supplemented Tissue Culture
Chris Fifo, Darwin Perennials | Tissue Culture and Perennial Propagation
Shelby Klassen, Bloomin’ Easy | New Zealand Exchange 2026

Friday

Alma Laney, Utah Valley University | Plant Diseases and Viruses
Bruce Bugbee, Utah State University | Photobiology and Nutrition
John Bergman, Berger Soil

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Antelope Island

We will take a professionally guided bus tour of Antelope Island to learn and discover what the largest island in Great Salt Lake has to offer!

Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. Protected as Antelope Island State Park, it becomes a peninsula when lake levels are very low. The first recorded non-Native visitors were John C. Frémont and Kit Carson in 1845, who reportedly named the island after hunting a pronghorn there. Today the island supports wildlife such as pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, bobcats, porcupines, badgers, and millions of waterfowl, as well as a bison herd introduced in 1893 that has become important for conservation. Geologically, the island consists of prairie grassland and alluvial plains surrounding a mountainous center of ancient Precambrian metamorphic and igneous rocks and Paleozoic sedimentary formations, some of the oldest rocks in the United States—older even than those exposed at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Perennial Favorites

Our second stop will be at Perennial Favorites with lunch.

In 1992, Preston and Melissa Cox started Perennial Favorites.  It was a small wholesale nursery for the production of one-gallon perennials behind their home.  Perennial Favorites was first thought of as a way to do something that they truly loved, which was growing plants, and a little added income for their family.  Their family and extended family were all very supportive and involved in helping the business to get started.

Perennial Favorites started with just a few varieties of one-gallon perennials.  The facility has now expanded to grow and sell well over 1,800 varieties of perennials, 900 varieties of vegetatively propagated annuals, 200 varieties of edibles, 150 varieties of annual and perennial grasses, and 200 varieties of native/water-wise plants.  Each category is available in a variety of sizes and configurations throughout the season.

The company is now home to 8 acres of outside production area, 100,000 square feet of greenhouse space, and 13,000 square feet of office, warehouse, and production facilities that are in use year around.  On staff are 25 full-time employees that collectively have decades of horticulture experience, both in wholesale and retail with varying degrees, certificates, and awards.

Mountain States Plants

Our 3rd stop will be a visit to Mountain States Plants! Mountain States Plants is a wholesale nursery selling potted blooming plants to grocery store chains all across the West and ship over 12,000 pots of living basil every week to local supermarkets.

J&J Garden Center

The final stop on our tour will be to J&J Garden Center, Utah’s largest producing nursery.

Originally a family farm dating back to pioneer times, brothers Jerry and Dave Stevenson now proudly own and operate J&J Garden center on the same land their father, grandfather and great grandfather farmed for generations. In addition to the large retail operation, J&J is also the preferred provider of nursery stock for over 100 landscape companies. According to Jerry, J&J is so successful because they own all of their own land and water and can control all of their labor and transportation costs, which translates into high quality and reasonably priced nursery stock for the consumer and landscaper.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

9:00 AM Departure from Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
12:30 PM Return to Hilton Salt Lake City Center Hotel
We will kick off the 2026 Annual Meeting with a welcome breakfast at the hotel, followed by two tour stops in the heart of Salt Lake City. While Day 1 only has two stops, these two locations could keep us busy all week!

Temple Square

Temple Square stands as a top attraction for visitors to Utah and serves as the global headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This 35-acre property, located in the heart of Salt Lake City, surrounds the impressive Salt Lake Temple. Featuring 19th-century architecture and beautifully cultivated gardens, Temple Square serves as a sacred place of worship for Latter-day Saints while also being a popular destination for visitors.

Red Butte Garden & Arboretum

Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is home to over 100 acres of themed gardens & natural areas, nestled into the foothills overlooking the Salt Lake Valley. Expert horticulturists will be offering tours that include options of themed gardens, natural areas, arboretum, and greenhouses. 

Olson’s Greenhouse

Originally named Olson’s Nursery, what began as a hobby has now become a 4th generation family-owned and operated business, dedicated to providing homeowners and landscapers with locally grown, acclimated bedding plants and related living ornamental plants. Olson’s Greenhouse stands tall as a testament to dedication, perseverance, and the enduring spirit of a family deeply rooted in the love for plants and their customers. With new facilities being acquired often, from Colorado to Arizona, our capacity is growing and with it, our capabilities. Innovation and growth each year proves to improve the product and the business.

Sunshine Greenhouses

Sunshine Greenhouses is a family owned business that has offered locally grown, quality plants in Utah since the 1989. We offer over 1500 varieties of plants, grown on location.

Conservation Garden Park

With more than 8 acres of exhibits, pathways and plants, Conservation Garden Park is Salt Lake County’s premier destination for learning about Utah’s unique climate and the role each of us can play in protecting our water supply. During your visit take a walk through a water pipe, explore a full-scale Localscape, see thousands of Utah-friendly plants, and learn how create and maintain your own water-efficient landscape.

At the heart of the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District’s (JVWCD) commitment to responsible water stewardship lies Conservation Garden Park—a living testament to JVWCD’s dedication to sustainable resource management. At Conservation Garden Park, we model the efficient use of water in Utah landscapes and empower communities to make the most of our shared water resources. Here you learn how simple changes can result in big water savings. More than 60% of all the water delivered by JVWCD is used on outdoor landscaping. JVWCD recognized the need for waterwise landscaping across the Wasatch Front in the late 1990s and opened the Demonstration Garden in 2000, later expanding to Conservation Garden Park in 2011. Rooted in the understanding that water resources are both precious and finite, Conservation Garden Park not only features aesthetically pleasing and easily maintainable landscapes but also serves as an educational hub. JVWCD’s Conservation Garden Park plays a pivotal role in shaping a community that values and maximizes the efficiency of our shared water resources.