Saturday, March 9, 2024 Schedule
History of Black Floriculture in the U.S.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Speaker: Abra Lee is an international speaker, writer, and founder of Conquer The Soil, a community that explores the history, folklore, and art of horticulture. She has spent a whole lotta time in the dirt as a municipal arborist and airport landscape manager. Her essays have been featured in publications including The New York Times and Wildflower magazine. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University College of Agriculture and an alumna of the Longwood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture professionals.
Presentation: It was nothing short of a grand affair when Blanche Hurston launched her Florida floral business during the roaring twenties. And when it came time to sell beautiful blooms, the mighty Mahalia Jackson made customers an offer they couldn't refuse! From the ordinary to the extraordinary--join in as we shine the spotlight on these Black floriculturists who forged a path to economic and social freedom, inspiring plant lovers today.
The Art of Gardening with Native Perennials
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Speaker: Laura Cruz is a garden designer and horticulturist based in the Philadelphia region. Inspired by nature, ecologically-minded horticulture is her passion and expertise. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Sheffield and has spent several years working in residential and public horticulture as well as the nursery industry, including with Natural Lands' Stoneleigh: a natural garden, North Creek Nurseries, Longwood Gardens, and Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
Presentation: Pollinator value and long season blooms, dramatic fall foliage, and bird-attracting seed heads -- there are so many reasons to add native perennials to your garden! Join garden designer and horticulturist Laura Cruz as she discusses a variety of herbaceous perennials hailing from the eastern US, including dependable and dazzling favorites as well as promising new introductions. She will also share tips for cultivating these beautiful and valuable plants, with their growing conditions and reproductive strategies in mind.
Rock Gardening DIY
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Speaker: Sharee Solow is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's most respected certified horticulturists and landscape designers. Sharee blends a lifetime of accomplishments and international travel to offer unique landscape designs. She is known for visionary ideas but also practical and realistic applications which make her a popular speaker for professional landscape organizations, societies, and arboreta. Also, Sharee is the newsletter editor for the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Rock Garden Society.
Presentation: What happens when you must take your shade garden into full sun and wish it was easier to maintain? Make it into a rock garden. That is what I did, and I'll show you every step along the way. I have practical advice for the beginner along with some planting failures and successes for the more experienced gardeners. There are plenty of new and unusual plants to enjoy as I show you how my urban rock garden evolved over seasons and years.
