In September 2009, the 1(st) European Workshop on Plant Chromatin took place in Zurich, Switzerland. The workshop covered a variety of chromatin related topics, including the mechanisms of Polycomb group protein function, long-range interactions of regulatory elements, genome-wide reconfiguration of epigenetic marks during gametogenesis and protection of chromosomal ends by epigenetic marks. Some of the highlights of this meeting are summarized in this report.