About The Tour

 

Travel and Accomodations

 

Schedule

 

Helpful Tips

 

The Grower Kick the Dirt Tour will visit two sites the first day in Maryland and four nurseries the second day in New Jersey, in addition to education sessions held at the hotel. The host sites include field grown caliper tree and shrub operations in addition to container growing sites. We spend about 1 1/2 hours at each location.

 

These Mid Atlantic growers are legends in the East Coast nursery trade. You will see consistent, uniform high quality growing. Several of our sites focus on crops for the large landscape market, while others grow retail material. We will several long time users of the H-2A program and a company that has developed a unique co-branding program for the consumer market.

 

Educational sessions focus on plastic recycling and managing irrigation pond pH levels.

 

ANLA/ WNGA Grower Kick the Dirt Tour attendees come from all over the country. Attendees are owners and managers of nursery growing operations. You will find many diversified businesses on the tour whose operations include landscape, distribution (re-wholesale) and/or retail divisions. Most importantly, our attendees all share common business challenges, are decision makers in their companies, and bring a willingness to share their successes and failures with their peers.

 

This year’s tour is held in conjunction with the ANLA Landscape Distribution Tour. Attendees of the ANLA/ WNGA Grower Kick the Dirt Tour may stay for an extra day after their tour ends and join the distribution tour for their second day including stops at The Conard-Pyle Company, Manor View Farm, and The Perennial Farm. This extra day requires an additional fee of $150. Attendees joining the distribution tour will depart with them Friday morning when their busses leave the host hotel.

 

This year’s tour is based in Wilmington, DE. Discounted hotel rates end Thursday, August 14th: Book your room today to guarantee availability and rates.

 

Doubletree Hotel Wilmington

4727 Concord Pike

Wilmington, DE  19803

(302) 478-6000

 

Discounted rooms are available at a rate of $125 single/$140 double by calling (302) 478-6000 and referring to the ANLA Kick The Dirt Tour & Talks. Please note that check-in time is after 3:00 pm, but every effort is made to accommodate guests arriving before the check-in time. Checkout time is before noon.

You may also register online on our personalized group reservations site by clicking here.

 

Arrival: Onsite registration will be open on Tuesday, September 9 from 1 pm to 5 pm, so please plan to arrive to the Doubletree hotel no later than 4pm that day. This will allow you time to check-in and receive your tour materials before the opening session, which will begin at 5pm. This session will be immediately followed by the opening reception, also at the Doubletree.

 

Departure: Tour events will end late on Thursday night, September 11th. You are advised to make arrangements to depart no earlier than Friday morning, September 12.

 

 

Airline Information: The Philadelphia Airport (PHL) is approximately 17 miles from the Doubletree Hotel. With the vast number of airline discounts available, we encourage you to use the internet (sites like Sidestep.com or Kayak.com) to find the most cost-effective flights. We recommend that you also look into flights/airlines servicing the Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI). BWI is approximately 90 miles south of the Doubletree Hotel in Wilmington, however you may find significantly lower fares.

 

Ground Transporation: We recommend that you book your shuttle from the airport and hotel with Delaware Express Shuttle by clicking here. (Costs are noticeably less than a taxi, which run about $65 one-way.) Choose your drop-off/pick-up location in the hotel drop down list: “Doubletree Wilm.”

 

If you have any problems, please call them directly at (800) 648-5466. The cost is less than $40 per person one-way, however if you make reservations for multiple people at the same time, you will save a considerable amount. Shuttles run from the Philadelphia airport AND the Baltimore Washington International Airport. Be sure to choose the appropriate airport in the drop-down box at the top of the reservations screen.

 

Driving: Complimentary parking is available at the hotel, which is conveniently located just four miles north of I-95 on US 202 Business and Commercial Corridor. A full map and driving directions can be found by clicking here.

 

You are responsible for booking your travel and hotel room. Those costs are not included in the registration fee.

 

You will arrive at the Doubletree Hotel Wilmington by 4pm on Tuesday September 9th. Upon arrival check-in with the hotel and then head to the ANLA registration area to collect your registration materials, such as your registration badge and binder. The opening session will begin at 5pm followed by the opening reception.

 

Wednesday will begin with an educational program at the hotel followed by touring in Maryland with dinner back in Delaware at the Mt. Cuba Center. Thursday we will tour four nurseries in Southern New Jersey. The tour will end with a closing dinner on Thursday September 11th allowing for departures any time on Friday the 12th.

 

Heavy hors d’oeuvres (enough for dinner) and beverages will be provided at the opening evening.

 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided on both days of touring.

 

Because you will be spending a great deal of time touring nurseries, we encourage you to wear comfortable clothes and be ready for any weather, rain or shine. Comfortable walking shoes are a must! As a rule of thumb, attire you would wear to a trade show or working with customers will always be appropriate.

 

The Mid Atlantic in early September hits an average high of 85 during the day and 65 at night. You should pack a light sweater or jacket in case of a cool evening.

 

Don’t forget to bring a camera and plenty of business cards for networking.