IPPS Exchange Program 2017 July 7-14 - England, Belgium, the Netherlands
Open to IPPS-Southern Region Members 35 years old or younger or SR members new to the industry.
Overview
Our Southern Region participant should arrive on Thursday, July 6 to meet the IPPS-European host. On July 7 you will join the bus for a tour of Belgium and Holland before the conference starts.
London Gatwick Airport would be the best airport to fly into but Heathrow Airport is an acceptable second choice. Departure should be from Amsterdam Schipol airport on Friday, July14th.
Tour details:
Friday, July 7: On this day, the group will leave England to travel to Gent in Belgium. They will take the ferry to Calais and travel on to Gent via the Willy de Nolf nursery with its 65 acres of greenhouse and container fields of high quality plants. Those coming on the short tour will join us this day. Hotel Ibis Ghent Centrum St Baafs Kathedraal, Ghent, Belgium booked for two nights.
Saturday, July 8: In the morning, there will be a visit to Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its medieval centre, canals and chocolate shops.
After lunch the group will go to the nursery of Carlos Verhelst, a long standing IPPS member. His family nursery produces grafted trees, shrubs and especially wisteria. A progressive grower, he uses compost teas and activated composts. Then the group returns to Gent via the PCS Ornamental Research Station. Created in 1988 is the research and information centre for Flemish ornamental horticulture. In the evening, we will go into Gent for a meal of local dishes in the 15th century Great Butchers Hall.
Sunday, July 9: Leaving Gent the group will travel to the Netherlands, stopping at Solitair, a nursery owned by the Cools family. It is especially known for its trees pruned into specific shapes. In the afternoon there will be the opportunity to see something of Dutch engineering for the prevention of flooding at the Delta Works. Novotel Breda Hotel, Breda, booked for 1 night.
Monday, July 10 :The Rötjes brothers who own a young plant nursery will host a visit to the town of Lottum, where the group will have the opportunity to see several nurseries and horticultural businesses before traveling to the final hotel, the Van der Valk in Alphen on the Rhine for 5 nights.
Tuesday, July 11: A highlight of the tour will be a visit to the world famous flower auction in Aalsmeer. Be prepared for an early start. In the afternoon, the tour will be joined by those attending the conference to visit nurseries in the Aalsmeer area.
Wednesday, July 12: The first full conference day will have speakers in the morning followed by a visit to Boskoop after lunch, a town renowned for its production of hardy nursery stock. Those going on the alternative program will visit Amsterdam on this day.
Thursday, July: 13 Conference papers will be followed by a visit to the Westland area, where glasshouse production is of particular importance. There will be an alternative program for those not attending the conference.
Friday, July 14: The final day of the conference that closes at lunch time. After lunch the post conference tour will depart for Germany. The conference venue is not far from Schiphol airport for those who are flying home from the Netherlands.
View the complete European Region tour and conference program:
http://admin.ipps.org/uploads//IPPS_2017_Conference_Itinerary_FINAL_VERSION3.pdf