On the QT | The Official Newsletter of GWA February-March 2016 | Page 10
REGIONAL NEWS & NOTES
Clark County 17th Annual Perennial Flower
School in Springfield, Ohio. Jo Ellen speaks
on March 19 at the Allen County Master
Gardeners Spring Program in Lima, Ohio
about “Fabulous Foliage.” She begins
teaching the City Gardener Program for
the Purdue Extension-Marion County office
March 24. On April 3, she talks to Hancock
County Master Gardeners about “Great
Plants for the Midwest Garden” in Greenfield, Indiana. Jo Ellen has been appointed
to Indiana Landmarks’ Cultural Landscape
Committee, and recently joined the board
of directors of Indy Food Co-op, which operates Pogue’s Run Grocer in Indianapolis.
Maria Zampini of UpShoot LLC, presents
“Garden-pedia: The What, When, Why
and Where of Gardening,” which includes
misunderstood gardening terms, new
plants, garden trends and more, Feb. 27
at the 2016 Columbus Dispatch Home
& Garden Show in Columbus, Ohio. She
makes the same presentation March 9 for
the Gates Mills (Ohio) Garden Club. On
March 12, Maria is scheduled to present
“2016 Gardening Trends for Your Outdoor
Space” at the 2016 Chicago Flower &
Garden Show. Additionally, Maria serves
as director of plant development for the
HGTV HOME Plant Collection. She once
again displays at the California Spring
Trials, April 9 through 14. The HGTV
HOME Plant Collection display is located
alongside annuals partner Dummen
Orange at Edna Valley Vineyards, San Luis
Obispo (springtrials.org)
Irvin Etienne will speak about Carmen
Miranda in the Midwest, and Thug-a-licious
(When Bad Plants go Good) March 3 at the
Clark County 17th Annual Perennial Flower
School in Springfield, Ohio. Jo Ellen will talk
about Ground Covers: More than Ivy and
Myrtle, and Spring Bulbs and Companions.
On March 8, you’ll find Barry Glick
speaking at the Mid-Atlantic Inn-Keepers
Trade Show and Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia. On March 19 Barry Glick of
Sunshine Farm and Gardens heads south
to Fayetteville, North Carolina, to speak at
the Cumberland County Master Gardeners
Festival at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden.
On April 2, you’ll find him in Cleveland to
present a program for the Design Network
of Northeast Ohio. Barry is back in West
Virginia April 15 for the Master Gardener
Statewide Symposium in Lewisburg.
10
On March 19 Barry Glick of Sunshine Farm
and Gardens heads south to Fayetteville,
North Carolina, to speak at the Cumberland County Master Gardeners Festival at
the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. On April
2, you’ll find him in Cleveland to present a
program for the Design Network of Northeast Ohio. Barry is back in West Virginia
April 15 for the Master Gardener Statewide
Symposium in Lewisburg.
Van Wert, Ohio. Additional speakers include Pam Bennett, Irvin Etienne, Amanda
Thomsen, Barbara Wise and Maria
Zampini. Garden enthusiasts and friends
from surrounding states will gather for
a full day of informative speakers, Q&As
and book signings. Continental breakfast
and lunch are included in the $45 admission. For tickets, call 419-238-6722, or visit
NPACVW.org.
Celebrity garden designer P. Allen Smith
is a keynote speaker during the Van Wert
Blooms Gardening Symposium, April 16,
at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center,
Chris Hansen reports that he has sold
his shares of Great Garden Plants to his
business partner, Mary Walters. The two
founded greatgardenplants.com in 2007.
Regional meeting in Chicago, March 12
The GWA Region III Meeting, sponsored by the Chicago Flower & Garden
Show, is promising more exciting story leads for garden writers from across the
country on opening day of the show at Navy Pier, March 12. Bring your camera!
The day begins at 8 a.m. with entry to the show before it opens to the public at 10
a.m. Continental breakfast is provided. The Region III business meeting starts at
10:15 a.m.
Sue Markgraf says that garden writers will get a preview of CHICAGO IS, the
theme of the 2016 Chicago Flower & Garden Show, from Tony Abruscato,
director and owner. Following that, Katie Rotella, Ball Horticultural Company,
and Diane Blazek, National Garden Bureau, will present the season’s hottest
plants. Scott Stewart, director of the Lurie Garden in Millennium Park, has
exciting news about this important, four-season city garden as it steps into its
second decade, following his first year of leadership.
Ponds and water features are increasingly complementing home gardens and
fitting nicely into small landscapes. Aquascape’s Brian Helfrich will show how –
with beautiful results. James and Sandy Syburg, Purple Cow Organics, will make
the connection between healthy soil, healthy plants and healthy people. Chicago
is buzzing over bees, so we thought it might be fun to hear from Laura Ekasetya
of the Lurie Garden and Adam Sturtewagen of Chalet Garden Center about
the unique flavor profiles and foraging characteristics of The City Bee and the
Country Bee. Tim Pollak, Chicago Botanic Garden, will wrap up the day with key
lessons from the ongoing science of Titan (Amorphophallus).
We’ll hold the business portion of our meeting during lunch, generously provided
by Tony and the Chicago Flower & Garden Show. The day will conclude with
exciting raffles and prizes! Don’t miss out. Bring a notebook and dress comfortably for a fun-filled news day at an affordable price.
Registration is $30 for members/spouses and $50 for nonmembers. To register
online now, visit gardenwriters.org. For information about the Chicago Flower &
Garden Show, including the many GWA members participate in its Seminar Series
and Gardening Live presentations, visit chicagoflower.com.