A nonprofit TN organization supporting horticulture education in TN, the use of perennial plants and effective gardening techniques
2026 Society Meetings & Events
PLANT SOCIETY MEETING 2026
Date: Tuesday, Mar 17 2026
Time: Social Hospitality: 6:00 pm Meeting at 7:00 pm
Location: Ed Jones Auditorium at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville
Topic: "The Wild and Wonderful World of Hummingbirds"
Join us March 17 as Michelle Campanis takes us into the world of hummingbirds, both regionally and globally. We will meet the largest and smallest hummingbirds. Have you ever wondered who came up with the idea of hummingbird feeders? What hummingbirds can you expect in Middle Tennessee and what can you do to support them? These are some of the questions we'll explore during the program.
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Speaker: Michelle Campanis, educator University of Tennessee Arboretum/Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center
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Speaker Bio
Michelle Campanis is an East Tennessee native and holds a degree in ornamental horticulture from the University of Tennessee. She has worked at the Arnold Arboretum, Chicago Botanical Gardens and taught horticulture to high school students in Massachusetts. Under a year-long fellowship, she studied in England at the Royal Botanical Gardens, and studied landscape design at the Chelsea Physic Garden. She's a 20-year veteran of the Belmont University landscaping staff where she also was the floral designer for campus events while raising her daughter and twin sons. She returned to East Tennessee in 2017 to serve as the education coordinator for the University of Tennessee Arboretum. She co-hosts the First Thursday Nature Supper Club on Zoom and loves all things outdoors.
New Perennial Plant Society Meeting Place
In response to a membership survey and feedback, the PPS board has decided to relocate our meetings to the Ed Jones Auditorium at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. The auditorium has been recently renovated, and there is ample parking. Time for meetings remains the same. We will also continue the plant swap. We would also like to encourage anyone who wishes to bring a treat to share. Social hospitality will still begin at 6:30 p.m., with the formal meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Directions on how to reach Ed Jones are below. Any questions, please email mariwynevans @att.net.
From Franklin Road: Turn east onto Hogan Road and continue on Hogan.
From Harding Place: Turn south onto Trousdale Drive by CVS. Continue on Trousdale and then turn left onto Hogan Road (by Crieve Elementary)
Hogan Road will end at entrance of Ellington Agriculture (Marchant Drive is the cross street - do not turn here for Ed Jones) Go through gates into Ellington and then turn right. Follow road through Ellington following signs to Ed Jones at the top of the hill passing the museum. There is parking on both sides of the auditorium.
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From I-65:
Take Exit #78-A east on Harding Place. Take a right at the second light onto Trousdale Drive. Travel south on Trousdale for approximately 1.5 miles. Turn left on to Hogan Road at the four-way stop. Hogan Road ends at the front gates of the Ellington Agricultural Center. Note: all buildings have identifying lawn signs for your convenience.
From I-24:
Take exit #56 west on Harding Place to the Nolensville Road intersection at Harding Mall. Turn left onto Nolensville Road and travel south 1/10 mile and turn right onto Edmondson Pike. Travel 1 1/2 miles on Edmondson Pike. The west entrance to Ellington Agricultural Center is on the right
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