Indiana Flower + Patio Show - Celebrities & Speakers

JO ELLEN MEYERS SHARP Hoosier Gardener

Saturday, March 11, 2023

12:00 pm & 3:00 PM

Sunday, March 19, 2023

12:00 pm & 3:00 PM

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp is the Hoosier Gardener. She’s a 25-year, award-winning

veteran of print journalism and owner of Write for You! LLC, a freelance

writing and editing business. You can find her blog at hoosiergardener.com. Jo

Ellen is immediate past president of GardenComm: GardenCommunicators

International. She is a garden coach and has a four-season commercial and

residential container planting business. For 20 years, she worked at a large,

independent garden center in Indianapolis, including a stint as buyer of perennials,

trees and shrubs. A popular speaker, she has 50 five-star reviews at

greatgardenspeakers.org. Sign up for her free, award-winning monthly Hoosier Gardener newsletter.

Michelle Soupley Runyon AIFD, CFD Banner Flower House Kokomo

Derek Woodruff, AFF, AIFD, CFD, CF, PFCI Designer with 46th and Spruce

The Ins and Outs of Practical Terrariums

Saturday, March 11 1:30 pm

Derek joined the floral industry at the age of 16 where he began learning floral design in vocational school and working for a local florist. Since then, he as continued to study the trade through institutes such as Michigan State University, the Great Lakes Floral Association (GLFA), and the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD). In 2008 he launched his own business, Floral Underground. Derek is a captivating speaker who specializes in “today’s consumer” connecting and engaging them through different types of media including demonstrations, subscription services and hands-on workshops with both plants and flowers. In addition to being an educator, Derek is considered a “National Floral Design Champion” spending many years polishing the practice of live floral design competition. This love of competition has won him numerous awards in the industry, including the GLFA's Chuck Bannow Award and Designer of the Year (twice), AIFD's Bobbi Cup (Thrice), Chicago’s Best in Blooms Competition, second runner-up on a national television floral design competition reality show called: "The Arrangement", is the 2016 Sylvia Cup Design Competition Champion and was the runner-up in the 2018 FTD America’s Cup Competition.

Abby Perry Abby's Garden Parties

Kayla Meyer Veggie & Vine

See Kayla in Expo Hall, booth 524

Kayla Meyer, owner of Veggie and Vine, began combining her passion for agriculture and the beauty it provides in 2018. Her business offers educational flower arrangement classes held in homes, at wineries, breweries, private businesses, and homes. Additionally, she offers made to order arrangements and consulting to those looking to freshen up their homes. Veggie and Vine incorporates natural gathered elements, in season blooms, and locally sourced components to create beautiful lasting arrangements and memories. In 2023, she is looking forward to expanding in home class offerings and her pumpkin crop. Kayla resides in Carmel, IN with her husband Ethan and son. She is a certified Agriculture Educator.

Don’t miss Kayla from Veggie and Vine as she hosts special demonstrations and interactive flower classes at her Booth #524 in Exposition Hall! They are Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, March 12 at 2 p.m.; Friday, March 17 at 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, March 19 at 12 p.m.

Kymbra Tucker Banner Flower House Kokomo

Cindy Hall Four Seasons Florist

Scott Yelich Eagle Creek Bonsai

Karen Mitchell Purdue University

Todd Jamenson Balanced Harvest Flower Farm

Kathryn Reeves Purdue Extension Master Gardener and Professor Emerita of Art, Purdue University

Friday, March 17, 2023
12:00 pm and 4:00 pm

“Top Tips for Growing Vegetables in Containers”

Kathryn Reeves is a Purdue Extension Master Gardener, award winning artist and photographer. She is a Purdue University Professor Emerita of Art. She also taught in the College of Design at Iowa State University and worked as a garden designer with a landscape architect. She has been a horticultural practices judge for the national FFA conference held in Indianapolis. Her advice on garden design trends appeared in Lafayette Magazine. She grows beautiful plants year-round in the garden and indoors.

Jennifer Butcher, AIFD, CFD Floral Director Indianapolis Fruit

William Brown Brendum Farms Hydroponics

Alan B. Thompson, AIFD McNamara Florist-Carmel

Saturday, March 18, 2023
1:30 pm

A native of Ohio, Alan has worked in the greenhouse, wholesale and retail facets of the floral industry following graduation from The Ohio State University. After several years in Cincinnati he made the move to Indianapolis and McNamara Florist, where he manages their retail location in Carmel, Indiana. Alan has been privileged to participate and design for two Presidential Inaugurations, The World Figure Skating Championships, New Member Induction Ceremony and Final Night Gala at the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) National Symposium in Chicago and Boston, National FFA Convention, the AIFD and McNamara Florist feature Gardens at the Indiana Flower and Patio show as well as many social functions and major sporting events in Indianapolis. Alan has been asked by his clients to take his talents to the air and create weddings on Saint John, United States Virgin Islands, Whidbey Island, Washington and holiday decor in Colorado.

When I create an individual design, Holiday home décor or an entire event… Classic Elegance is my guide with unexpected twists, details and take it just enough over the top!!! For the perfect WOW!!!!!

2023 Speakers & Celebrities