CREATOR'S
RETREAT
Hosted by Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs,
in beautiful Grand Haven, Michigan
July 10-12, 2023
Please join us for an exclusive creative retreat to experience the world of Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrubs firsthand, with behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, garden tours, a special guest speaker, and plenty of opportunities to create one-of-a-kind content.
Please RSVP by Friday, May 26th, 2023
Schedule
- 4:30 pm: Trolley will pick up guests at Holiday Inn Grand Haven – Spring Lake
- 5 pm – 8 pm: Dinner at Notos at the Bil-Mar
- Trolley back to the hotel
- 7:15 am: Bus departs the Holiday Inn for Spring Meadow Nursery
- 8 am – 9 am: Breakfast
- 9 am – 10:30 am: Tour of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs research and development facilities
- 10:30 am – Noon: Tour of the trial fields
- Noon – 1 pm: Lunch
- 1 pm – 2:30 pm: Guest speaker Lisa Nunamaker of Paper Garden Workshop
- 2:30 pm – 4 pm: Tour of production facilities
- 4 pm: Bus departs for our 20 acre trial and display gardens on the Grand River
- 4:30 pm – 6 pm: Tour the gardens with drinks and appetizers
- 6 pm – 7 pm: Dinner
- 7 pm – 8 pm: Free time in the garden
- 8 pm: Bus departs for the Holiday Inn
*Close-toed shoes required.
Golden Hour Photoshoot* (Optional)
- 7 am – 9 am: Display & trial gardens
A Day at Walter’s Gardens (Optional)
- 10:00 am: Arrival and guided tour of display & trial
- Noon: Departure to the home of Tracy Vanvolkinburg from Plaids and Poppies
- 12:30 pm: Lunch and tour of Tracy’s garden
- 2:00 pm: Tour of Walters Gardens bare root perennial fields
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Event ends
* Must sign up in advance & provide your own transportation
Guest Speaker
Drawing Plants in Plan + Elevation
Drawing what you envision in your head is a powerful tool. In this workshop we’ll practice drawing plants in plan (from the sky looking down), then we’ll pop those plants up in elevation (as if we’re standing in front of them). The former is a great way to lay out your planting design, while the latter creates an emotional connection with the viewer. We’ll even cover a few planting design tips, so you can learn to draw plants with aesthetics in mind.
Transportation & Accommodation
Grand Haven, Michigan, is located about 2.5-3 hours from both Detroit and Chicago airports.
A block of rooms has been reserved, if booking by phone use code JUL. The online booking link will auto load the discount.
Cutoff date: June 10, 2023.
*All reservations will need to be made prior to this date, after this date they will be subject to hotel availability and rates
Transportation will be provided on July 11, but if you choose to drive your own vehicle, parking is available directly in front of the Spring Meadow Nursery administrative building.
About Spring Meadow Nursery
All Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs get their start at Spring Meadow Nursery in Grand Haven, Michigan. Here, we select, develop, evaluate, and introduce every shrub that makes it into the line. Spring Meadow Nursery was founded in 1981 by Dale and Liz Deppe, who still run it today, along with their son, Jeremy. Spring Meadow supplies tiny starter plants of all of the Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrub varieties to growers across North America, a supply chain that ensures that when you buy our shrubs, they will have been regionally, or even locally, grown.
About Grand Haven
Grand Haven is home to several beaches, including Grand Haven State Park Beach, which is a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, and fishing. The South pier is also located here and offers stunning views of the lake, especially at sunset.
Grand Haven is home to two lighthouses, the Grand Haven South Pierhead Lighthouse and the Grand Haven North Pierhead Lighthouse. The South Pierhead Lighthouse is the taller of the two, and offers guided tours. The North Pierhead Lighthouse is a smaller lighthouse, but is still a popular tourist destination.
The city’s downtown area is also a popular tourist destination. The area is home to a variety of shops, restaurants, and art galleries. The Farmers Market is also located here every Saturday from May to October.
Scholarships to defray travel costs available
