Sunshine Farm and Gardens: Lectures and Workshops 2009

In the past, people would pay me not to talk. Now they pay me to talk, go figure. Well, I either know what I'm talking about or I have everyone, including myself, fooled.

Below you'll find my current schedule of lectures, workshops, horticultural events and plant sales for 2009 that are open to the public, most confirmed, some tentative. There are also several not listed that are private clubs, groups and societies.

I've trimmed back my lecture schedule somewhat this year to spend more time here at the gardens. I've done this so that I can personally guide the many visitors I receive each year through the gardens, greenhouses and trial beds. Peak bloom for Hellebores is usually the first couple weeks of April so I've left that block of time open for guests. Even though I call that time period "The Peak", they still look great for a long period of time before and after that. And the southeast section of the gardens are in themselves six acres of nothing but Hellebores, well over 100,000 mature blooming plants. It's quite an astounding sight to behold.

I still have certain dates available for programs, so if your Garden Club, Master Gardener Group, Civic Organization etc would like to schedule a talk, slide presentation, propagation workshop or program, send me your snailmail address and I'll send you my "Speaker's Portfolio". I have many exciting and unusual new plant offerings that we've been building stock on for the last year, so expect regular mailings throughout the growing season.

March 05 - Philadelphia PA: Garden Writers Association Region II Meeting; Contact Kirk Brown - 610-391-0291 -
vista6211@verizon.net - http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=meetings/region2_3_2.html at the Philadelphia Flower Show -
http://www.theflowershow.com/home/index.html
March 08 - Bridgehampton LI NY: Horticultural Alliance of the Hamptons; Contact - Charles Savage - 631-267-6984 -
archibooks @optonline.net - http://www.hahgarden.com/HAHlecture.html
March 14 & 15 - Rochester NY: Gardenscape 2009; Contact - Megan Meyer - 585-264-1051 -
meganmeyer1@mac.com - http://www.rochesterflowershow.com/events/seminars-sat-sun.php
March 21 - Clarksburg WV: Goff Plaza Garden Club; Contact - Beth Hestick - 304-866-7063 -
terratopia@gmail.com - http://www.wildwonderfulwalks.com
April 18 - Charleston WV: Vandalia Garden Festival; Contact - Pat Cowdery - 304-558-0220 Ext 130 -
Pat.Cowdery@wvculture.org - http://www.wvculture.org/eventdetail.aspx?Id=874
Apr 18 - 19 - Leesburg VA: Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival; Contact - Rachael Goodwin - 703-737-7156 -
RGoodwin@leesburgva.gov - http://www.idalee.org/parks/events/FlowerGarden/
April 26 - Huntington WV: Garden Education Series - Lavalette Nursery; Contact - Mark Springer - 304-523-8491 -
Mdeespring@aol.com - http://www.lavalette.net/
May 01 - Hot Springs VA: Piedmont Dental at The Homestead; Contact - Anne Huffman - 276-673-6700 -
Piedmontdental @comcast.net - http://www.thehomestead.com
May 03 - Philadelphia PA: Chestnut Hill Garden Festival; Contact - Kate O'Neill - 215-247-6696 -
koneill@chestnuthillpa.com - www.chestnuthillpa.com/garden.asp
May 09 -10 - Boyce Virginia: Garden Fair; Contact - Ned - 540-837-1758 -
heo5z@virginia.edu - http://www.virginia.edu/blandy/events.htm#gf
May 16 - Alexandria VA: Green Spring Garden Day; Contact - Nancy Olney - 703-642-5173 -
Nancy.Olney@fairfaxcounty.gov - www.co.fairfax.va.us/parks/gsgp/events.htm & www.greenspring.org
June 04 - 06 - Millersville PA: Millersville Native Plant Symposium; Contact - PTE Office - 717-872-3030 -
npilc @yahoo.com - www.millersvillenativeplants.org/
July 20 - 26 - St Louis MO: Perennial Plant Symposium; Contact - Steve Still - 614-771-8431 -
ppa@perennialplant.org - http://www.perennialplant.org/
August 29 - Stevenson MD: Irvine Native Plant Symposium; Contact - Rob Mardiney - 410-484-2413 -
mullerj@explorenature.org www.explorenature.org/
September 19 - Wheeling WV - Ohio County Master Gardeners: Contact - Fred Payne - 304-232-2997 -
fredjpayne @gmail.com - http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/highlght/ohiohi.htm
September 23 - Sep 26 - Raleigh NC: Garden Writers Association Annual Symposium; Contact - Ashley LaGasse - 703-257-1032 -
meetings@gardenwriters.org - http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=meetings/index.html