2023 WNC Gardening Symposium

Seeds of Joy: The Evolution of                              Your Home Garden

October 11, 2023
Blue Ridge Community College
Flat Rock, North Carolina

This event is sold out! Waiting list is not available.

 

We are pleased to announce the upcoming 2023 WNC Gardening Symposium! The Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers of Buncombe, Henderson, Jackson, Madison and Polk counties are excited to bring you an inspiring program!  Our WNC Gardening Symposium will be held on October 11, at the beginning of leaf season in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

About the Program

• Linda Vater, a popular YouTuber and our keynote speaker, will kick things off with, Creating an Elegant and Edible Garden: Aesthetics and Practicalities.
  What constitutes an ELEGANT AND EDIBLE Garden? Linda will help us explore this topic from both practical and aesthetic angles, and see how it can be applied to your own garden lifestyle and unique garden challenges.
• Brannen Basham, of Spriggly’s Beescaping, will round out the morning with, Native Bees and the Habitats They Require.
  European honey bees take a backseat to the almost 4,000 species of bees native to North America. Learn about the lives of these pollination juggernauts through an exploration of common species and the habitat each requires for nesting and survival.  From the largest to the smallest, native bees are fascinating and extremely beneficial. Supporting them in your spaces is easier than you might think. This session offers approaches you can infuse into your everyday gardening that make a huge difference to the bees and other beneficial wildlife around you.
• Leslie Harris, podcaster, of Into the Garden with Leslie, will begin the afternoon with, Choosing Your Season to Garden.
  Can we loosen our horticultural grip in autumn? Do we really need to put beds to bed? Leslie will discuss how her fall and winter garden routines have changed over the years as she has learned about sustainability and habitat in her garden.
• Heather Andrews, of Garden Thoughtfully, will present Gardening Lessons from My Grandfather.
  Growing up in North Carolina, Heather was one of 12 grandchildren who spent time in the garden with her Grandfather. Learn the secrets he shared with her that clinical trials confirm, that will help you grow a sustainable garden that is suitable for hosting wildlife.
• Craig Mauney, NC Extension Agent and popular speaker, will end the day with Adventures in Horticulture.
  From working with North Carolina Extension Master Gardeners to traveling the country and the world to help people create gardens and learn sustainable agricultural techniques, Craig Mauney has had an adventurous life, to say the least! In a departure from our usual topics of “how to garden on slopes” and “what can I plant that deer won’t eat” (your county horticultural agents can help with that – stop by your local office and pepper them with questions!), Craig will regale us with his most interesting stories!

Make sure to arrive for the event promptly at 8 a.m. for check-in and a light morning snack. Leave time to shop our vendors’ booths for garden-related products while supplies last!  Linda Vater and Brannen Basham will have books available for sale and signing by the author. The program will begin at 8:45 a.m. and end around 4:15 p.m. Attendance for the full day is valid for 5 hours of continuing education for Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers.

Venue

We are pleased to announce the event will once again be held at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, just off I-26 exit 53, Upward Road.  Signs will be posted to direct you to the Technology Building. The facility offers a roomy conference center with excellent graphic displays and sound system, plus a central area where the vendors will be situated so you can easily see everything they have to offer.

Fees and Registration

The symposium fee includes a light morning snack, lunch, and afternoon coffee break. As always, there will be wonderful door prizes, great vendors, delicious food, and plenty of free parking. In addition, Local Cloth, Inc. has generously donated an amazing two-piece set of prints created using leaves and flowers, which will be raffled off at the symposium.

We will continue to utilize online registration, so you will receive instant confirmation of your reservation. The symposium fee is $60 if you register by midnight on August 31 and $65 after that date. All registrations must be received by September 4, 2023. This event usually sells out before the August 31 early-bird deadline, so please register early. To register, click the button below and follow the instructions for completing your online registration. This event is Sold Out! Sorry, but refunds or waitlists cannot be offered for this event.

Overnight Accommodations

For those who will be staying overnight, reservations should be made early due to fall leaf season here in the mountains. A small block of rooms with two queens or a king has been reserved at a rate of $112.63, including tax, at the Quality Inn and Suites – Hendersonville/Flat Rock 111 Commercial Boulevard, Flat Rock, NC, (828) 697-1085. The block of rooms is listed under WNC Gardening Symposium. In addition, lodging at the same exit includes the Mountain Inn and Suites, a Holiday Inn Express, and Fairview Inn and Suites. Information about area restaurants and things to do can be found at VisitHendersonvilleNC.org.

Questions about this event should be emailed to WNCGdnSymposium@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Funds management activities for the Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers of Buncombe County operate under the auspices of the Extension Master Gardener^SM Association of Buncombe County (EMGVABC), a non-profit, charitable and educational corporation as defined by Internal Revenue Service code 501(c)3. The Extension Master Gardener^SM Volunteer Association of Buncombe County was incorporated on October 9, 2017, in Asheville, NC. The Extension Master Gardener Association of Buncombe County Tax ID number is 56-2152952.