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Full agenda follows

Agenda

7:45 AM - 8:45 AM

Check-In

8:45 AM - 9:00 AM

Welcome

Holly Greene

President, Extension Master Gardener Association of Cleveland County

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Opening Keynote

Dr. Allan Armitage

"From Chaos to Contentment, The Making of a Garden.” Dr. Armitage will take us on a journey, one that starts with the “D” word – downsizing – and continues as he selects plants for his new garden, which began with nothing. We will listen as he discusses his choices of small trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, annuals, and a variety of perennials to fill his small garden. Sit back, smile, and enjoy the trip.

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Break and Vendors

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Follow-Up

Dr. Allan Armitage

"Common Sense Gardening" Blending humor, wisdom, and decades of hands-on experience, Dr. Armitage shares lessons learned from a lifetime among plants—and the people who love them. It’s a joyful, down-to-earth guide for gardeners of every level, reminding us why we dig in the dirt in the first place.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch and Guest Speaker

Debbie Clark - Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

"Lake Lure Flowering Bridge - Remembering the Past" ⸻ Debbie will begin by sharing a series of “before” photographs of the gardens and the bridge, providing helpful context for attendees who may not have had the opportunity to visit the site. She will then review the effects of flooding from Hurricane Helene on both the gardens and the bridge, illustrating the extent of the damage and the challenges that followed. The presentation will conclude with a forward-looking section outlining plans for the future—including images of the newly reopened Education Center, the updated garden design, and any significant developments.

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

Visit with Vendors

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Room A -Bring Your Garden to the Sun - Success with Containers - C. LeHoullier

Craig LeHoullier

Craig will take the audience well beyond his typical focus on tomatoes to show how you can have wonderful gardens by choosing the place in your yard where the sun shines best and using the flexibility of growing your garden in containers and/or straw bales. Craig will share the success factors for using each of these techniques and explain the types of crops that can grow best in them. He will also touch upon a special class of tomatoes, dwarf growing varieties, that are the result of a long-term all-volunteer breeding project. Bring all of your questions for him to answer. Craig will have his book, Growing Vegetables in Strawbales, available to purchase and for him to sign.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Room B -" Environmentally Friendly Gardening" - Steve Pettis

Steve Pettis

Steve will teach you techniques that you can implement this spring to make your garden a friendly place for wildlife, including pollinating insects. Steve believes that at least part of our landscapes should mimic nature as much as possible. Healthy urban and suburban environments can be achieved by reducing lawns, practicing holistic tree health care and protection, using biorational pest control methods, and increasing biodiversity through the use of native plants in naturally designed plantings.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Room C - "Science-Based Tree Care for a Changing Landscape"- Vince Girdauskas

Vince, Girdaukas - Bartlett Tree Experts

Vince will share how Bartlett Tree Experts integrates scientific research with practical arboriculture to promote healthy, resilient trees. Topics include proper pruning, soil and root care based on laboratory diagnostics, tailored water management, Integrated Pest Management, and structural support for at-risk trees. Vince will also highlight Bartlett’s environmental initiatives—research on emerging pests and diseases, sustainable treatment practices, hybrid fleet adoption, and reforestation through the Bartlett Legacy Tree Program. This session will provide gardeners, homeowners, and professionals with practical, research-based guidance for improving tree health and supporting a more sustainable environment—along with an understanding of the organic and naturally based care options available for those seeking greener alternatives.

2:00 PM - 2:15 PM

Break and Vendors

2:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Room A -"Funky and Fun - Creating a Garden with Year Round Interest"

The Shady Ladies of Raymond's Garden Center

Transform your landscape into a bold, personality-packed garden that shines in every season. We’ll discuss common design challenges and explore how to use unique foliage, striking shapes, playful textures, and thoughtful bloom timing to keep your garden vibrant all year long. Come ready to get creative, think outside the planter box, and craft a truly unforgettable space!

2:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Room B - "The Thrill of Growing Dahlias in Zone 7b/8A " - Cindy Briggs

Cindy Briggs

Many gardeners may read this seminar title with bewilderment, but dahlias are among the most rewarding perennials to grow. Common complaints include “way too much work,” “prone to diseases and pests,” “finicky about watering,” and “a pain to dig up at the end of each season.” Worry not. In this seminar, you will learn tried-and-true methods for growing dahlias successfully in Zone 7b/8a. Participants will receive a step-by-step guide to the dahlia growing season, from unpacking tubers in the spring and caring for them as they grow into stunning blooms, to dividing and repacking them in the late fall.

2:15 PM - 3:15 PM

Room C - "Growing Conifers in the South" - Bruce Duncan

Bruce Duncan

Join conifer specialist Bruce Duncan for an in-depth look at how to successfully grow conifers in the challenging heat and humidity of the Southeast. Bruce will introduce participants to a wide range of conifer species—including their sizes, colors, and growth habits—that perform well in southern gardens. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience, he will share proven techniques for planting and establishing conifers to ensure long-term health and success. Bruce will also highlight specific varieties that have thrived in his own gardens and will showcase photographs of the extraordinary conifer landscapes he has created in just three years. This session is ideal for gardeners seeking practical, regionally informed guidance on choosing and growing conifers that flourish in southern climates

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM

Closing -Auditorium - "What We Grew, and What We Grow" - Craig LeHoullier

Craig LeHoullier

Highlighting Trends of More Than 150 Years of Gardening in the United States. This colorful talk will use dozens of scans of old seed catalogs and recent pictures from Craig's gardens to describe what American gardens used to grow, ranging back to the mid-1800s - then, using 50-year snapshots, bring us up to today's choices. Craig will focus on the dangers posed by the emergence of hybrid varieties in the 1950s and how the formation of the Seed Savers Exchange in 1975 rescued thousands of varieties of flowers and vegetables from extinction, making them available for gardeners to grow today. Craig will cover a variety of crops and show how garden trends evolved due to the features of American seed catalogs.

4:00 PM - 4:15 PM

Closing Remarks