Commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence, this conference aims to highlight how North American plants have profoundly shaped our gardens, evolving from the exotic, treasured specimens brought back from the early colonies to the staples of modern prairie-style planting popularised by Piet Oudolf.

Pioneering expeditions in the 17th-century, such as those of Tradescant to Virginia, brought back the tulip tree, swamp cypress, phlox, asters and Virginia Creeper, while collectors in the following century, such as John Bartram and Peter Collinson, introduced maples, magnolias and rhododendrons among many others, fostering a trend for ‘American gardens’.

The 19th-century exploration of the Pacific North-West coast by collectors such as David Douglas, Thomas Coulter and Thomas Hartweg, introduced many more new trees and shrubs all of which have made an enduring impact on our parks and gardens. Conference will visit the J.F. Kennedy Arboretum, established in 1968, which has one of the most comprehensive and significant collections of woody plants in the world

NIHGT 32nd Annual Conference, New Ross, County Wexford- 1-3 October 2026

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THURSDAY 1st OCTOBER

6.00pm
Registration and Reception (Courtesy of the Office of Public Works)

7.30pm
Welcome by the Chairman (NIHGT) Conference opening by Mrs Lynn Walsh, wife of His Excellency, the Ambassador of the United States of America

Mark Laird ‘Theatrical shrubbery’: New thoughts on American plants [online]

FRIDAY 2nd OCTOBER

9.15am
Francesca Murray Tethered to Nobility in the Age of Discovery: The American introductions of the Tradescants

10.00am
Trevor Chilton Peter Collinson, founder and architect of the American plant exchange in the eighteenth century Tea/coffee break

11.30am
John Edmondston Georg D. Ehret: pre-eminent botanical artist of the mid 18th century

12.15pm
Darach Lupton A Living Legacy: The Story of the John F. Kennedy Arboretum

1.00pm
Lunch

2.00pm
Site Visit Visit to the John F. Kennedy Arboretum led by Kevin Naughton Transport will be provided

7.30pm
Dinner Venue: Brandon House Hotel Speaker: Thomas Pakenham Plant hunters of the Pacific Coast

SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER

9.30am
Finola O’Kane Impact in Ireland of American plants in the 18th century Tea/coffee break

11.00am
Mark Johnston Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast

11.45am
Syd House The impact of Douglas’s tree introductions on forestry and landscape in the British Isles Lunch

2.00pm
Michael Lear The heritage and impact of North American trees at Castlewellan National Arboretum

2.45pm
Iain Parkinson American plants at Wakehurst: From botanical curiosity to climate resilience

3.30pm
Conference discussion