2017 Fall Great Plants Symposium
Last fall I test drove a half day garden symposium to see if there would be interest in such an event. There was a great response. So this fall I am kicking off the First Annual Great Plants Symposium, a full day event that is patterned after the spring symposium. (Pictured right: speaker Joanne Palmisano),
The symposium is on Friday, October 6 at the Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center in Sturbridge, MA. In addition to the full day of programming on Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., there is a special ‘Double-Header’ Flower Gardening Class on Thursday from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. This session in NOT part of the symposium programming, it is an additional offering.
The Symposium Features:
*Five info-packed lectures led by nationally and regionally renowned professionals in their fields. The topics: Unique and Interesting Ways to Display and Decorate with Flowers, Plants and Foliage, Combat Cabin Fever with Your Garden!, The World of Roses and Hydrangeas, A Thrifty Gardener’s Guide to Luxurious Gardens, and Designing and Decorating with Salvage, Vintage and Recycled Materials (Photo right: Speaker Kathy Purdy)
*Terrific handouts, door prizes and garden gifts
*Special overnight room rates for symposium attendees at The Host Hotel & Conference Center – $112 single or double (Photo right: Speaker Heather Poire)
*An exquisite setting – The hotel is located in central Massachusetts, just one mile from the famous Old Sturbridge Village, a living museum that re-creates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. Sturbridge is near the intersection of I-84 and the I-90 (the Mass Pike)
*Fall Foliage and Columbus Day Weekend – the symposium backs up the Columbus Day weekend when foliage should be at, or near peak in this lovely New England setting.
Thursday afternoon’s special pre-symposium program includes mid-afternoon refreshments, handouts, door prizes and two of my popular lectures:
*Switcheroos – Plant This, Not That! Get more bang for your buck with these amazing annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs that provide strikingly more color than the commonly planted options. Plus these underused beauties are low-maintenance and in many cases require less water. Presentation includes design tips.
*Garden Therapy: Tips for Reducing Stress, Improving Health and Growing Gorgeous Gardens. This eye-opening presentation will introduce you to remarkable plants and time-saving gardening products & tools that benefit your health, as well as the well-being of the planet, while also beautifying your gardens!
Great Plants Symposium Registration Fee: $93 per person. $88 per person for Master Gardeners and Groups of 5 or more.
Thursday afternoon 3-hour class: $49 per person. $45 per person for Master Gardeners and Groups of 5 or more.
Special symposium room rates at the Sturbridge Host Hotel $112 for a single or double. Symposium rates also available on Friday and Saturday.
To learn more about the symposium, click here.