EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’ S MESSAGE
MARIA UNGARO
Connect, learn and grow
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As most of you know, the 68th annual GWA Conference & Expo will be in Atlanta, Sept. 16-19. With insightful education delivered by the best in the green industry, tours of Atlanta and Athens’ best public and private gardens and many opportunities to network, GWA Annual Conference and Expo is a unique opportunity to Connect, Learn and Grow.
Here are a few reasons you should attend:
1. Connect: Make connections and network with your colleagues and peers – individuals who are as passionate about the garden industry as you. Whether this is your first show or 68th show, there are ample opportunities to network during learning sessions, garden tours, breaks and receptions.
In addition to networking with your peers, take advantage of the GWA Expo Hall to network with our sponsors and exhibitors. We have a great list of companies who will be joining us, and they are looking forward to meeting you.
2. Learn: This year’ s education schedule is jam-packed with insightful and dynamic sessions from leaders in the industry, focusing on horticulture, writing, technology, business, publishing and much more! Who wouldn’ t want to eavesdrop on their editor, or entice the next generation of gardener. You could even learn how to publish your own book!
GWA is honored to bring exceptional keynote speakers to you this year:
• Vince Dooley, former University of Georgia head football coach, who recently has gained recognition as one of the region’ s finest gardeners.
• Michael A. Dirr, a legend in the horticultural world and retired professor at the University of Georgia and woody plants guru.
• Maria LaRosa, meteorologist and co-host Weekend Recharge, The Weather Channel.
We hope you will walk away from these keynotes with a renewed energy for the green industry and your work.
3. Grow: Be inspired by the incredible gardens Georgia has to offer. This year’ s tour line-up will feature a fantastic group of gardens, covering a wide array of techniques and trends, including public gardens, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where 20 spectacular installations by Chihuly will be on display, Gibbs Garden and the Carter Center, as well as private gardens, such as the homes of The Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, Vince Dooley, Michael Dirr, among many more. Consider staying an extra day for a special visit to Athens, Georgia, and the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia.
# GWA2016 is going to be an exciting four days in the green industry. I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta, and the chance to meet each of you. For registration and additional information about the event, please visit gardenwriters. org.
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the road, with heirloom roses on each level, making this a popular location for films as well as weddings.
The Quarry Garden path winds down a wooded hillside where more than 600 native plants grow. Rhododendrons and azaleas gardens, plus an Asian American Garden and the Smith Family Farm Gardens and its heirloom vegetable garden, are all on this museum site.
Apart from the gardens, the Atlanta History Center also is the home of the Kennan Library, which holds, among other collections, the Cherokee Garden Library. The library holds documents and archives from southern gardeners, magazines and newspapers that span the past 150 years. Original catalogues from early southern nurseries, authors and many other documents are available for research.
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY
This extraordinary library will be available for serious research to conference attendees on Friday morning, Sept. 16, before the conference starts. A limit of 10 people will be admitted to the library, 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. and, if the research topic is provided prior to arrival, documents will be brought out of the archives and ready for researchers to browse. Search the archive catalog.
The library also has a collection of Civil War letters and documents, if there are members who would prefer to browse those, rather than the garden collections.
SPOUSE ACTIVITIES
Also new to the conference this year is a way to keep your spouse occupied while we play in the gardens. If your spouse is accompanying you and would like company to view the CNN center or play golf, we are creating a list, so that they can find each other. If your spouse is arriving with you and would like to get together with other spouses, send me an email with some thoughts as to what they are interested in doing, along with their contact information, and we will aim to get them together. Emails should go to ktcopsey @ aol. com.
Kate Copsey is head of the local organizing committee for the Atlanta Conference and Expo.
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