Linnaea Newman

January 26, 2007

TPIE TIMES
TPIE – The Only National Tropical Plant Show
Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE)
January 17 – 19, 2008
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

TPIE 2007 CELEBRATES A FRESH FOLIAGE ATTITUDE
More than 8000 industry professionals are starting off 2007 with a Fresh Foliage Attitude after attending TPIE in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. TPIE showed the foliage industry is back in full form despite visits by damaging hurricanes to some of Florida’s major foliage production areas in 2004 and 2005. Not only have plant supplies been restocked, but several companies were showing off entirely new varieties of plants, new packaging and merchandising ideas, as well as inventive foliage decorating concepts to catch the eye of consumers. Fresh ideas abounded at TPIE!
Click Here to see 2007 TPIE Booth Award winners.

As if thousands of spectacular tropical plants weren’t enough, here are some other things you might have seen at TPIE: live tropical birds greeting attendees; tropical shirts as the preferred attire; broken pots used very effectively as the architectural feature in a container garden; a tiki bar serving education rather than drinks; walking palm trees and crab races; outside seating by the sailfish fountain in 80 degree weather; a session with “smelly” (aka fragrant) plants, cruise ships docked by the convention center and yachts docked by the hotels; TPIE souvenir poster suitable for framing; and even a pair of tropical plant boots!
Click Here to see a photo recap of TPIE 2007.

“IN MY OPINION” – CLICK HERE to read TPIE’s guest blog by Lloyd Singleton, Landscape Manager of The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, FL. Read his words to learn the connection between the letter L, TPIE and sustainability. Lloyd’s challenge to the industry involves another L word – Leadership.

TROPICAL PLANT SHIRT WINNERS
Thanks to everyone who took part in our Tropical Plant Shirt Day drawing on Thursday, the opening day of the show. Anyone wearing a tropical shirt could enter a drawing for prizes. Congrats to this year’s winners: Doddie Raines, Oglesby Plants International; Janice Brooks, Four B’s Nursery; Jack Jackson, Oroville Flower Shop; and Madge Bellinger, Wekiwa Gardens.

Thanks to everyone who attended TPIE 2007 and made it such a terrific experience! Mark your calendar now to attend TPIE, January 17-19, 2008 and be ready to discover the expected and the unexpected in the world of tropical plants!