Reflections from the APGA 2026 Annual Conference

The IrisBG team recently attended the American Public Garden Association's 2026 Annual Conference: Inspiring Innovation, in San Francisco. As always, we had the opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the public garden community. the conference offered the perfect environment for sharing ideas and we came away with exciting knowledge about the latest developments in plant collections management, conservation, and horticultural technology.

One theme emerged again and again throughout the week: plant records matter.

Whether discussions focused on conservation planning, GIS, nomenclature, disaster recovery, or accessioning, plant records were consistently recognized as the foundation for informed decision-making. Gardens increasingly rely on accurate, accessible data to strengthen living collections, support research, engage visitors, and contribute to global conservation efforts.

Conservation Action Starts with Plant Records

A highlight of the conference was our Industry Insights session, Conservation Action Starts with Plant Records. The session explored how well-managed plant records can help institutions identify conservation gaps, prioritize collections, and transform data into meaningful conservation action.

To accompany the session, we created a resource page featuring key conservation terminology, recommended reading, living collections policies, and more Whether or not you attended the session, we hope these resources help continue the conversation.

🌱 Explore the APGA 2026 Industry Insights resource page.

Conversations Across the Community

One of the most rewarding aspects of the conference was the opportunity to reconnect with existing IrisBG users and meet many new professionals working in public gardens, arboreta, universities, and conservation organizations.

Several recurring topics emerged during these conversations:

• Growing interest in GIS workflows and mobile field data collection.
• The importance of data standards and interoperability between institutions.
• Using plant records to support conservation planning, research, and long-term collection management.
• The value of peer-to-peer learning through initiatives such as the IrisBG Coffee Chats.

Sessions That Inspired Us

The conference featured an excellent range of presentations covering both strategic and practical aspects of collections management. Some highlights included:

• Building a US Action Plan for Plant Conservation, exploring national collaboration for plant conservation.
• GIS for Disaster Response, demonstrating how spatial data can support storm recovery and future risk mitigation.
• Puzzling Through Plant Names, examining current challenges in cultivated plant nomenclature.
• Accession Numbering: Form, Function & Foundation for Innovation, emphasizing the importance of consistent accessioning practices.
• Piecing Together the Past, an inspiring case study showing how standardized records and GIS can rebuild institutional knowledge after staff turnover.

The IrisBG team also attended the The Living Laboratory: Climate Innovation at UC Davis tour, where researchers showcased climate-ready tree trials featuring species from Texas and Mexico. The program highlighted the importance of long-term research, student training, and thoughtful collection development to support climate resilience.

Looking Ahead

Conferences like this one provide far more than an opportunity to showcase our software. They create space for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and meaningful conversations about the future of public gardens.

Thank you to the American Public Gardens Association, the conference organizers, presenters, volunteers, and everyone who stopped by to chat with us throughout the week. We left inspired by the innovative work taking place across the public garden community and look forward to continuing these conversations through future Coffee Chats, webinars, and conferences.

🌱 We hope to see you again next year in Philadelphia!