PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
KIRK R . BROWN
FULL EXPOSURE RECOMMENDED
This is the Expo edition of GWA ’ s On the QT . In the past 12 months , I have enjoyed traveling to a number of sites that have hosted international expositions : Barcelona , Spain ; Seattle , Washington ; Flushing , New York ; Genoa , Milan and Rome , Italy ; Los Angeles and San Francisco , California ; Baltimore , Maryland ; Knoxville , Tennessee ; Omaha , Nebraska ; Philadelphia , Pennsylvania and Jamestown , Virginia . The shared attributes among them are an historic sense of place and strong cultural identity . GWA is developing a plan to strengthen our identity and create a space within the gardening industry .
Atlanta has hosted several international expos : 1881 International Cotton Exposition and 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition . Atlanta is a celebration of Southern gardening traditions and brash international commerce . It is placed at a crossroads , where modern high-rises intersect with romantic antebellum charm . In 2016 it will host the 68th GWA Annual Conference and Expo . Are you registered yet ?
ON THE TRACK OF PROGRESS
On the road to Atlanta , GWA prepares to update and revitalize its bylaws . In Atlanta , the Board will meet to evaluate our progress over the past nine months and update strategic initiatives . New committees have redesigned and invigorated programming : First-timers , Vendor Appreciation Reception , Membership / Mentor outreach , Defined Meeting Spaces , Educational Formatting ! We ’ ve been busy on every front . Will you meet me in this “ Bee Hive ” of activity ?
This year , Regional and Connect Meetings were held across the U . S . and Canada . More than 500 members , spouses and friends attended them . We ’ ve been a new presence at trade shows and industry events . GWA has opened doors and initiated outreach to other horticultural associations . We hosted a first-ever NextGen Summit , and dedicated a full day of educational networking with some of the world ’ s leading innovators . Are you planning to attend an event in your area in 2017 ?
WE NEED YOU
I encourage you to stop right now and take a moment to put a face on the future of GWA that would keep you active and energized . Then , talk to someone about it . I want to hear from you with ideas that will create more new programming , outreach opportunities and ways to expand our ability to communicate gardening . Call me or call any board member .
Call your best friends in the industry — whether or not they are GWA members — and ask them why they are or aren ’ t members . Anyone who engages any of the five senses with anything garden-related needs to belong to this organization . We ’ re writing , photographing , designing , growing , inventing , talking , planting , eating , living and being gardens . It ’ s simply the future of GWA .
Please join me in Atlanta . It will be a new Expo experience .
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The greenhouse is fitted with a wood-burning fireplace , casual wicker furniture and a small fountain — a lovely area to relax .
KNOT GARDEN At the other end of the size spectrum is a delightful knot garden in a very urban setting . The postage-stamp-size property is surrounded at the back by a wooden privacy fence that also provides a perfect backdrop for growing espaliered fruit .
Evergreens in contrasting colors are trimmed into ribbons that weave around rectangles . Raised domes provide height to the design . Simple wooden seating areas allow visitors to rest and enjoy the garden whatever the season . The garden designer for this property will be on hand to chat with attendees .
CONTEMPORARY GARDEN
A landscape has to be in tune with the property . The Pollack home is ultra contemporary with black windows and large white roof and the garden reflects that . It features formal angular ponds surrounded by long white edging and terracing with raised vegetable beds .
SHADE GARDEN
While gardeners need to address keeping home and garden in tune , they should not have to fight nature to keep it neat . A perfect example is in the Johnson shade garden where moss was taking over one slope . Rather than rip the moss out and try to grow grass , the owner decided to embrace the moss . Now there is an almost maintenance-free , year-round , green , moss “ lawn .” The enjoyment of moss has gone beyond the “ lawn ” area to include birdbaths and a rock garden where moss creates interesting features .
SLOPED GARDENS
Several of our gardens have steep slopes that require terracing . At the Davidson garden , where the property faces a slope , the lower terrace has containers and a patio while the upper terraces have a swimming pool and shrub areas to wander around . The McWilliams ’ garden has a gentler slope that moves away from the home so the terraces are short . Here , steps can be avoided if you take the longer , sloping footpath . Lots of whimsical natural artwork is in this garden . The Dunn garden also has whimsy . Rather than one continual landscape , it comprises a series of discrete rooms including a cutting garden and a white garden with a small patio for relaxing in the evening and enjoying the sweet garden scents .
ATHENS GARDENS
The post-conference day is in Athens , Georgia , home of the University of Georgia , and where Michael Dirr , Allan Armitage and University of Georgia Bulldogs ’ football coach Vince Dooley all reside . The private gardens of Dirr and Dooley are on this tour , along with a third private garden in the same area . This is a unique opportunity to see the work of these great horticulturists . ( Please see more about the post-conference tours on page 9 ).
Kate Copsey is head of the local organizing committee for the Atlanta Conference and Expo .
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