On the QT | The Official Newsletter of GWA February-March 2016 | Page 11
REGIONAL NEWS & NOTES
“This will allow me more time to focus all
of my efforts on building Garden Solutions,
LLC, which is the name of my breedingwholesale production company, and home
SunSparkler Sedums, Chick Charms Hens
& Chicks and Winter Thriller Hellebore
breeding programs,” he said. A year ago,
Hanson and crew completed a colorful
3,000 square foot rock garden, which is
used as a showpiece and photography
stage for all of Garden Solutions’ hardy
introductions. Chris’ email also has
changed to [email protected].
REGION IV
CHEVAL OPP
Katie Elzer-Peters is the new editor in
chief of the APLD Journal, The Designer,
effective Jan. 1.
Jenks Farmer shares slides and stories
from his book, Deep Rooted Wisdom:
Stories and Lessons from Generations of
Gardeners, around the country this winter
and spring: Feb. 5, Horticulture Symposium,
Greensboro, North Carolina; Feb. 29, Boca
Grande, Florida; March 19, Memphis
Master Gardeners; April 7, Denver Botanical Garden’s Bonfils Stanton Lecture Series.
He presents a workshop on the history,
culinary use, propagation and fanatical
collectors of big bulbs, including Crinum
lilies, at the Denver Botanical Garden, April
8. In April, he starts tours of his organically
managed field nursery and 18th century
farm near Augusta, Georgia. Tours are
limited to horticulture and gardening
groups. More information can be found
on jenksfarmer.com/events.
Plant Development Services Inc. is
thrilled to announce the introduction of
Encore® Autumn Fire azalea, available at
retail this spring. In addition, PDSI’s Buddy
Lee will speak at the Southern Springs
Home and Garden Show in Charlotte,
North Carolina, Feb. 26 and 27. For more
information: southernshows.com. Buddy
is also speaking at the Atlanta Home
and Garden Show, March 18 to 20
(atlantahomeshow.com/ahs-index.html).
On March 2, Brent Heath entertains the
members of the Talbot Garden Club in
Easton, Maryland, with his informative talk,
“Bulbs for the Deep South”. Brent presents
“Bulbs: Their Use, Planting and Maintenance” on March 9 for the James City
County Master Gardener’s training in the
Chesapeake Lounge. On March 12, Brent
gives a presentation for the Williamsburg
Home Show at William & Mary Hall. Brent
is in Atlantic, Iowa on March 19 giving the
keynote presentation for the Cass County
Master Gardeners. On April 15, Brent gives
a “Living Flower Arrangements” talk and
workshop at the Polly Hill Arboretum in
West Tisbury, Massachusetts. Various other
clubs and organizations will be visiting
Brent and Becky’s Bulbs for seminars,
workshops and garden tours between mid
February and mid April.
Brienne Gluvna Arthur’s speaking
schedule is full, too. She talks about
“Foodscaping” at the Charlotte (North
Carolina) Garden Club, March 21; the
Farm Bureau Ag to School Conference,
March 26 and the Georgia Perennial Plant
Association in Atlanta, April 19. Brie speaks
about “The Heritage Collection of
Camellias & Heirloom Tomatoes” at
Colonial Williamsburg, April 24.
Teresa Watkins is the evening banquet
speaker at the Florida Federation of
Garden Club State Convention, April 18.
The convention is at the Embassy Suites,
Lake Buena Vista South, Kissimmee.
Teresa’s talk, “Your Garden Muse: Transforming Your Garden Inspirations Into
Landscape Realities,” highlights the
convention’s theme of Inspired Gardening.
The American Rhododendron Society
and the Azalea Society of America
present a joint convention in Colonial
Williamsburg, Virginia, April 20 to 24. Tours
are planned to public and private gardens
in Richmond, Norfolk and Gloucester,
including Brent and Becky’s Bulbs. GWA
President Kirk R. Brown opens the meeting
with his hilarious presentation as the early
American plant explorer John Bartram. For
more information: arsasaconvention2016.org.
You must be a member of one of the
societies to attend.
REGION V
BILL ADAMS
Denny Schrock makes the rounds of the
speaker’s circuit this winter and spring. On
Feb. 11 at Reiman Gardens in Ames, Iowa,
he presents “The Weird and Wonderful
World of Orchids.” At Coe College on
March 5 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he teaches
classes on “Succulent Savvy: Easy-care
Plants for the Garden” and “Plant Combinations That Work: Great Go-togethers.”
At the West Pottawattamie Spring Gardening Conference in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on
March 26, he talks on “Flower Gardening
for Small Spaces” and at the Siouxland
Garden Show at the Sioux City (Iowa)
Convention Center on April 2, he reprises
the class on plant combinations and also
speaks on “Inspiration From Great Gardens
Near and Far.”
Jodi Torpey’s new book, Blue Ribbon
Vegetable Gardening, kicks off the 2016
gardening season with presentations and
book signings at the Northwest Flower &
Garden Show in Seattle, Feb. 18 and 19;
the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show,
March 16; the Western Landscape
Symposium in Pueblo, Colorado, March
19 and the Wyoming Master Gardeners
Conference, April 9, in Caspar. For more
information: [email protected].
Pam Penick, award-winning blogger and
author, presents, “Hold the Hose! How
to Make Your Garden Water Thrifty and
Beautiful,” Feb. 27, at the Natural Gardener
Nursery in Austin, Texas. Pam is the author
of Lawn Gone!, and her new book, The
Water-Saving Garden, will be released in
late February.
Kelly Norris speaks at the Guilford
Horticultural Society’s annual symposium
in Greensboro, North Carolina, March 5,
followed by an appearance at the
Philadelphia Flower Show the following
weekend, March 12. On April 1 he speaks at
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