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Seminar: Katy Shook: PowerPlants: Assigning Performance Value to Landscape Plants
June 15 | 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Date: Monday, June 17, 2024
Time: 1:30 pm
Speaker: Katy Shook, MHS Project Seminar
Title: PowerPlants: Assigning Performance Value to Landscape Plants
Under the direction of Ms. Anne Spafford and Dr. Melinda Knuth, Co-Chairs
Location: 121 Kilgore / Hybrid
Join Zoom Meeting: https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/92332970176?pwd=bpa4ur9yYEaVmxeUK4G1v4KlrFjRbb.1
Meeting ID: 923 3297 0176
Passcode: 190194
Historically, the value of plants has been measured by features related to production. The horticulture industry has yet to develop a system by which to express the value of features related to landscape performance and the resulting impacts on social, economic and environmental outcomes. Desirable performance is often coupled with the site in which the species is grown. “Right plant, right place” is a term frequently used in horticulture education, but what defines “right plant”, especially when independent of the setting or grower?
This project explores the idea of assigning performance value to landscape plants based on their horticultural features. The goal of this project is to improve education regarding selection and evaluation of landscape plants. Discover how performance features of landscape plants, such as adaptability, display, ecological benefits, maintenance requirements, pest tolerance, resilience, and vigor contribute to their value and therefore a greater impact on social, economic, and environmental outcomes. Not unlike other industries which have used performance value systems to guide users through selection and evaluation (eg. Energy Star), results should not only enhance the impact of landscape plants, but also improve awareness.
Katy Shook is a 2003 undergraduate of the North Carolina State University Department of Horticultural Science and is a 2024 graduate candidate for a Masters of Horticultural Science with a concentration in Landscape Design. From 2003 to 2023 she served as a NC State Horticulture Extension Agent; recently shifting into a career in landscape design. Her academic team includes advisors Anne Spafford, Dr. Melinda Knuth and Meg Calkins.