09/07/2026
California landscapes are being asked to do more with less water, greater wildfire awareness, and increasing pressure for plants to establish quickly. This session from the Sunset® Plant Collection and Better Boxwood® expert will explore garden-tested, high-performing plants for Western climates, with a focus on low-water use, fire-resistant characteristics, and varieties that will be successful in your projects. We’ll highlight practical plant choices that give designers the color, texture, structure, and year-round interest their projects demand while responding to the realities of today’s California urban gardens.
Tom Foley is a horticultural industry executive and plant professional with more than 35 years of experience connecting plant innovation with the needs of growers, retailers, landscape professionals, and consumers.
Tom has worked across plant breeding, product development, commercialization, production, and sales, helping bring new and improved plants from concept to successful introduction into the marketplace. His experience provides a unique perspective on what makes a plant successful—not only in production and at retail, but also in the landscapes where plants must ultimately perform.
Tom is passionate about identifying plants that combine exceptional beauty with practical landscape performance, adaptability, and long-term value. He collaborates with plant breeders, growers, retailers, and industry partners to respond to changing consumer preferences, environmental conditions, and regional landscape adaptation.
His work is guided by a simple belief: the best plants are those that successfully connect innovation with landscape performance. Tom shares insights into emerging plant trends, resilient landscapes, and the opportunities created when plant breeding and landscape design work in tandem.
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Cover photo by: Andrea Doonan
