2025 Annual Conference: Louisville
“Home of Fast Horses, Great Bourbon, and Horticulture”

Date: Tuesday, October 14 - Friday, October 17, 2025          Location: Seelbach Hilton Hotel, Louisville, KY

Early Bird Tickets available this summer - stay tuned!    Reserve your room in the IPPS Room Block - available soon!

This fall, experience an unforgettable blend of Kentucky’s finest—fast horses, legendary bourbon, and nationally recognized plant science—at the 2025 IPPS Eastern Region Conference in Louisville, KY.

Sponsorship

Click here to view the Sponsorship Packet. Support our industry and gain recognition by becoming a sponsor, multiple levels are available to fit your needs.
Questions? Contact Keith Osborne at ippsersponsorships@gmail.com.

Program Details

Full-Day Pre-conference Tour (Oct 14)

• Cave Hill Cemetery – Explore the celebrated arboretum featuring an extensive variety of mature trees and historical botanical collections. (2.5 hrs) 
• Roundstone Native Seeds – Gain insights into native seed production, sorting, and processing at one of the leading native seed providers.
• Optional bourbon distillery tour in Downtown Louisville (TBA): Cap your day with an authentic taste of Louisville's famous bourbon heritage.

Wednesday, Oct. 15 – Trees & Bourbon

• Keynote: Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar (Univ. of Louisville) presents groundbreaking research on trees & human health. Read this great Washington Post article about Dr. Bhatnagar.

  

  Focus: In addition to this outstanding presentation, we will talk about one of the most important plants to Kentucky, the White Oak! Talks on everything from seed collection, germination, and production of Oaks will be the theme. We will take you from seed to cryopreservation for long-term storage! After the morning talks, we will be visiting one of Kentucky’s finest, Buffalo Trace Distillery! Home to beautiful grounds and the best Bourbon in the world!

• Afternoon Tours:

  • Buffalo Trace Distillery - Enjoy a guided tour of historic grounds and gardens, complemented by a bourbon tasting experience at one of Kentucky’s most iconic distilleries.
  • Summers Nursery - Discover innovative plant propagation techniques at this specialized nursery, well-known for exceptional grafting and unique plant collections.

Thursday, Oct. 16 – A Day of Plants

Thursday will feature a Day of Plants! – The speakers will be Bill Hendricks, Paul Cappiello, Allen Bush, Brian Jorg, and Tim Brotzman. These are a few of the best plants people in the Country so be sure not to pass up this opportunity! 

In the afternoon we will visit two of our favorite Kentucky Gems, Riverfarm Nursery and Yew Dell Botanical Gardens. Riverfarm Nursery specializes in the production of B&B trees as well as a new Container Production area. Yew Dell Botanical Gardens started on the original nursery property of Kentucky plantsman Theodore Klein. Since then, Director Paul Cappiello, (Yes, the Paul Cappiello) has transformed this into one of Kentucky’s finest gardens! If plants are your thing, this is your place!

• Afternoon Tours: 

  • Riverfarm Nursery - Visit this specialty nursery renowned for its innovative propagation practices and container tree production.

  • Yew Dell Botanical Gardens & Kentucky Artisan Distillery - Explore picturesque gardens showcasing unique horticultural collections, followed by a delightful tour and tasting at a local artisan bourbon distillery.

Friday, Oct. 17 – New Plants & Cutting-Edge Research

Friday will include the always popular New Plants Forum! The latest new plant selections on the market so if you have a plant you want to show off, here is your opportunity! 

Other talks will include the always entertaining and educating Dr. Bob Geneve. Dr. Theresa Culley will be discussing her research on the preference of Box tree moth on Boxwood Cultivars.

This will be an IPPS meeting you do not want to miss! Bring a friend, bring a new plant propagator or production specialist, bring a student, bring someone who has not experienced the motto “To Seek and to Share” and show them what that really means!

 Thank you to Steve Foltz, Paul Capiello and our Local Site Committee for coordinating this enriching program! 

Airports

• Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) – approximately 10-15 minutes drive to the Seelbach Hilton Hotel. 
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) – approximately 90 minutes drive. 

Getting to the Hotel

• Call ahead to the Seelbach Hilton Hotel to arrange for the shuttle.
• Taxi and rideshare services are available from SDF and CVG. 
• Public transportation via TARC (Transit Authority of River City) from SDF.  

More details to come!