ISU: Network of perennial plant lovers across all continents

ISU: Network of perennial plant lovers across all continents

One of the main aims of the annual ISU Winter Days is to exchange personal experiences about perennials, their natural habitats and their use in design on an international level. This year, for the first time, over 100 participants from 19 nations (Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Israel, Romania, Hungary, Poland, South Africa) - a new record - came to the 16th ISU Winter days at the Bildungsstätte Gartenbau in Grünberg.

The speakers, invited by ISU board member Gerben Tjeerdsma from Sweden, reported on plants from four continents: Oron Peri from Israel reported on rare and unusual bulb flowers and their cultivation. Laura Fernald Ekasetya presented public plantings by Piet Oudolf in the USA. Leon Kluge from South Africa showed the impressive diversity of South African representatives of the genus Pelargonium and other gems. Alpine perennials in Iran were the subject of Stina Weststrand from Sweden, in particular the genus Dionysia, its occurrence in the natural habitat (in situ) and its conservation and cultivation in the Gothenburg Botanical Garden (ex situ). Andreas Wiedmaier from Freiburg presented exotic jungle plantings in the urban environment and showed impressive combinations and layer plantings with species that were generally not considered hardy in Central Europe. Karin Svensson from the University of Agriculture in Sweden presented the flora of Arunchal Pradesh in the border region between India and China. László Máté Tálas from Hungary gave suggestions for garden plants of the future with his presentation on drought- and stress-tolerant perennials and grasses from the Balkans. Petra Pelz from Germany illustrated her design concept of reduction to the essentials. The last lecture was given by Razvan Chisu from the UK. He gave a talk about the plants and Castles you can find in Transylvania.

ISU President Aad Vollebregt from the Netherlands announced that he would not be standing for re-election at the ISU-Summer Days in Angers, France. Jana Holzbecherová from the Czech Republic presented herself as his successor. She was instrumental in organizing the Future Days in Prague last year. The coordinator for the Future Days 2026 in Sofia, Aleksandar Todorov, Deputy Director of the Botanical Garden at Sofia University, familiarized himself with the International Perennial Plant Union at the conference. Some young participants of the Future Days were also in Grünberg for the first time. "We are expanding and rejuvenating our network of international perennial plant friends," was also the conclusion of ISU President Aad Vollebregt.

The 17th International Perennial Plant Conference will take place in Grünberg from February 14-16.