A nonprofit TN organization supporting horticulture education in TN, the use of perennial plants and effective gardening techniques
āABOUT US
The Perennial Plant Society of Middle TN is a nonprofit TN organization supporting horticulture education in TN, the use of perennial plants in the landscape and giving advice about effective gardening techniques. Our activities include:
Monthly public meetings with expert speakers, private garden tours, meeting plant swaps, a huge annual plant sale, and funding of horticultural scholarships to Tennessee students.
WHAT'S NEW AT PPS
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PLANT SOCIETY MEETING 2025
Date: Tuesday,Apr 15
Time: Social Hospitality: 6:30 pm Meeting at 7:00 pm
Location: Ed Jones Auditorium at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville
Topic: “A Home For Butterflies” with Rita Venable
What kind of real estate do butterflies look for when choosing a home? Do they like what they see, smell and taste at your garden or do they turn up their antennae and look elsewhere? This presentation will focus on what butterflies need and how to plan your garden space. It will include a list of top nectaring plants for Tennessee butterflies. Also, we will discuss hostplants—including trees—for butterflies. We’ll go over practical considerations about the garden along with three real-life examples of butterfly/pollinator gardens—a professionally designed public area, a parking lot island and a backyard home pollinator garden. There will be a question/answer period at the end and some resources for further study.
Rita will have copies of her book, Butterflies of Tennessee, for sale at the PPS meeting. Cash, credit card and check all accepted.
About the speaker:
Rita Venable is a speaker, writer, photographer and consultant whose much-loved subjects are pollinators and gardening with native plants.
She is the author of Butterflies of Tennessee by Maywood Publishing and a host for NPT’s “Volunteer Gardener.”
The Franklin, TN resident is a consultant with the University of Memphis for a Tennessee Dept. of Transportation project. She has published numerous articles and photographs in American Butterflies, American Gardener, Backpacker, Discover the Outdoors and National Wildlife Online.
You can read more about Rita at her website, https://ritavenable.com.
Benefits of Membership
The Perennial Plant Society of Middle Tennessee is for people who enjoy landscaping, gardening and growing flowers, especially perennials that come back every year. The group and its invited speakers offer ideas, education and friendship to all. Members include amateurs and professionals, beginners and 'old hands,' and their gardens range from large estate landscapes to small plots beside the kitchen door.
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Invitations to attend private garden tours at some of the most beautiful gardens in the Middle Tennessee area.
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Attend monthly society meetings with special program presentations from guest speakers
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Swap plant ideas and plants with other society members
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Be a part of one of the largest plant sales in Tennessee
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Help fund scholarships for local deserving horticultural students
The 2025 Perennial Plant Sale Has Been Postponed
āNew Date is Sat, Apr 12
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Due to the weather and Metro’s decision to close the Fairgrounds, the Perennial Plant Society has had to postpone our April 5 Plant Sale. We have tentatively rescheduled the sale for April 12, still at 8:30 a.m.at Expo 1 of the Fairground. Stay tuned for more details on how to buy our thousands of great plants. See you soon.
