2021 Massachusetts Gardening Symposium- Inspiration for Next Year: Specialty Gardens

Due to the pandemic, the MMGA was forced to cancel our fall 2020 Gardening Symposium. But you can’t keep a great learning opportunity down! For everyone’s safety and convenience, we’re back this September VIRTUALLY.

To avoid Zoom fatigue, we’ve packaged the four Symposium lectures into four dates, one talk per day, 1-1/4 hrs. each:

• Two Monday evening presentations, September 13 and 20 (7:00-8:15 PM EDT)

• Two Saturday morning presentations, September 18 and 25 (10:00-11:15 AM EDT)

Who should attend? Gardeners with all levels of experience, beginners to Master Gardeners, including Green Industry professionals. And because we’re virtual this year, we’re welcoming everyone everywhere…so invite your friends in other states. All lectures will be presented live and include handouts as well as 15 minutes of moderated Q&A time with the speakers.

Please join us in September. We hope the “Inspiration” you take away from our 2021 Gardening Symposium becomes your 2022 reality!

TOPICS AND SPEAKERS

Jeff Epping

“Gravel Gardening: Gardens that Rock”

Monday, September 13, 2021, 7:00-8:15 PM EDT

LEARN HOW to create a stunning and earth-friendly gravel garden that requires less water, mulch, energy, chemicals, and labor – but gives back so much more.

Jeff Epping is the longtime Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin, which was voted “One of the Top 10 Most Inspiring Gardens in North America” by Horticulture Magazine. Jeff practices environmentally conscious gardening with plants as its central focus. With gravel gardens you get the same beauty as a traditional perennial garden but with significantly less maintenance. Once established, these sustainable plant communities thrive on natural rainfall alone.

Annie S. White, PhD, ASLA

“Ecosystem Gardening”

Saturday, September 18, 2021, 10:00-11:15 AM EDT

LEARN HOW to create your own sustainable garden that conserves natural resources and welcomes pollinators.

Annie White is an Ecological Landscape Designer and the owner of Nectar Landscape Design Studio in Stowe, Vermont. She is also a full-time Lecturer of Sustainable Landscape Horticulture and Design at the University of Vermont. Annie holds an MS in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in Plant & Soil Science from UVT. She is passionate about designing cutting-edge and science-based ecological landscapes of all sizes.

John Lonsdale, PhD

“Unusual Bulbs for the Garden”

Monday, September 20, 2021, 7:00-8:15 PM EDT

LEARN HOW to design with, grow, and propagate fall- and spring-flowering favorites as well as “unique treasures” such as Erythronium, Arisaema, Corydalis, Trillium, and other less well-known ephemerals.

John Lonsdale was born and raised in England where he earned a PhD in Microbiology. A chemist by profession, he was also a very active member of the Alpine Garden Society and in 1995 was awarded the AGS Gold Merit. After a move to the US, his focus shifted to bulbs that thrive at his new property, The Lonsdale Garden in Edgewood, Pennsylvania.

Ken Druse

“The Scentual Garden”

Saturday, September 25, 2021, 10:00-11:15 AM

LEARN HOW to incorporate familiar and unusual scented plants, shrubs and trees in your garden to stimulate the senses and soothe and restore the spirit.

Ken Druse is a celebrated lecturer, podcaster, and award-winning author and photographer. Called “the guru of natural gardening” by the New York Times, he is best known for his 20 garden books, published over the last 30 years. The Garden Club of America presented Ken with the Sarah Chapman Francis medal for lifetime achievement in garden communication. Ken’s latest book, The Scentual Garden, explores the world of botanical fragrance.

PRICING

• $80.00 regular pricing, July 2 – September 7, 2021

• Includes four live lectures and handouts

• Lectures are not available individually, and missed talks are not refundable

• Refunds for the full four-lecture program available through September 7