About

Our Purpose

Climate change is among the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced. Our response must include everybody; everyday; everything; everywhere. The plant sync brings that spirit to gardening and raises awareness for action in other areas. The plant sync inspires and empowers climate change action through gardening.

Our Approach

Appropriate plant choices and gardening practices create resilient landscapes, prevent greenhouse gas emissions, and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Climate-mindful gardening integrates and supports water conservation, wildlife, food, pollinators, biodiversity, and energy savings. Gardening for climate signals to the wider community our commitment to climate action. It helps create the political will that is needed to move from fossil fuels to clean energy.

Facts

  • The plant sync was established on April 25th, 2015. It is an umbrella organization doing business as Steadfast Plants, LLC,  a company in Ankeny, Iowa, USA that specializes in breeding of ornamental plants.
  • The purpose of the plant sync is to inspire and empower climate change action through gardening.
  • Matthew Bailey is the owner, founder, president, treasurer, secretary, etc. of the plant sync.
  • With degrees in biology, plant biotechnology, and crop genetics — and careers in industry and academia as a scientist and research administrator — Matthew ditched his real job in 2009 to work for himself and breed ornamental plants. Along the way the irksome issue of climate change eventually got the better of him, and the plant sync  was born.
  • The plant sync  is an umbrella organization that promotes actions to combat climate change in the realm of home gardening. We have considered options to organize as a non-profit or as a business. Because the facilities and activities of the plant sync  are currently inseparable from our plant breeding business (Heuchera and related genera), we have chosen to operate as a business, at least for now. In brief, the plant sync  is currently a climate change action organization doing business as Steadfast Plants, LLC.

Program Examples

  • Open Source Plantsᵀᴹ

    Our first program for Open Source Plantsᵀᴹ is “Grow-Share-Repeat.” Grow-Share Repeat is the local, seasonal propagation and sharing of ornamental plants. By growing and sharing plants locally, we avoid the “embedded carbon” inherent in having a plant grown a thousand miles away, shipped to a store and sold to a consumer.

  • My Summer Valentineᵀᴹ

    Greenhouse gas emissions are embedded in the cut flower industry. Plants are started in other countries, shipped all over the world, and sold in the United States. An alternative to Valentine’s Day, My Summer Valentineᵀᴹ encourages people to celebrate when cut flowers are available locally and can be gifted with less embedded greenhouse gas emissions.

The People

Matthew Bailey, Owner/Founder

RESUME

With degrees in biology, plant biotechnology, and crop genetics — and careers in industry and academia as a scientist and research administrator — Matthew ditched his real job in 2009 to work for himself and breed ornamental plants. Along the way the irksome issue of climate change got the better of him, and the plant sync was born.

 

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The Images

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Des Moines Botanical Garden February 20th (1)-2

 

Presentations

2015

April 20th, 2015. “Plant Sharing Through Open Source Plantsᵀᴹ”. Presentation. Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden – Earth Day Celebration.

2016

April 3rd, 2016. “Gardening for Climate Change and Heuchera Breeding”. Radio Guest. WHO radio, Des Moines, Iowa.

April 20th, 2016. “Plant Sharing Through Open Source Plantsᵀᴹ”. Presentation. Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden – Earth Day Celebration.

April 30th, 2016. “Gardening For A Changing Climate”. Presentation. Polk County Extension Office, Altoona Iowa. Enabling Garden and City of Altoona Arbor Day Celebration.

August 9th, 2016. “Gardening For Climate Change”. Presentation. Urban Ambassadors of Des Moines.

2017

April 2nd, 2017. “Gardening for Climate Change and Heuchera Breeding”. Radio Guest. WHO radio, Des Moines, Iowa.

April 22nd, 2017. “Plant Sharing Through Open Source Plantsᵀᴹ”. Presentation. Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden – Earth Day Celebration.

April 29th, 2017. “Plant Sharing Through Open Source Plantsᵀᴹ”. Presentation.  Iowa – State Capitol Grounds – Climate March.

May 9th, 2017. “Gardening For A Changing Climate”. Presentation. Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.

August 17, 2017. “Gardening For A Changing Climate”. Presentation. Reiman Gardens, Ames, Iowa.

2018

February 24, 2018. “Gardening For A Changing Climate”.  Indianola, Iowa. Thing Spring! Garden Seminar of Warren County Master Gardeners and City of Indianola.

2020 

February 15, 2020. “Gardening and Climate Change.” Presentation. Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Contact

theplantsync@gmail.com | © 2016-2020 The Plant Sync