From what to plant in the growing season to the effects of climate change in the Tri-State, those who have a passion for gardening can explore several different topics at the Ohio Valley Garden Conference Oct. 18 inside the Tropicana Evansville Conference Center.
The Southwestern Indiana Master Gardeners Association (SWIMGA) holds the conference every two years to further the group’s mission to educate the public about gardening. This year’s event will include speakers such as Paul Bouseman, botanical curator at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden and Larry Caplan, extension horticulture educator through Purdue Extension Service -Vanderburgh County.
“We will have different vendors (selling plants and crafts), which people love,” says Martha Schriver, SWIMGA press representative for the conference. “We’re a nonprofit, with no paid staff. This is not a fundraiser; it’s purely an education event for the area. I always say if you want to know anything, ask a master gardener.”
The keynote speaker, Kerry Ann Mendez — creator of the gardening business Perennially Yours in Kennebunk, Maine, and a frequent guest on HGTV — will speak on different ways to garden such as terrace gardening and easier plant choices, plus how to cut time without sacrificing appearance.
“It’s about garden design solutions and exceptional plants for aging and time pressed gardeners,” says Mendez. “It’s really geared to anyone from their 20s to 30s whose lifestyle is changing.”
Vendors will be on-site along with plant sales.
For more information on SWIMGA’s Ohio Valley Garden Conference, call 812-708-0179 or visit swimga.org.
