CG Speakers

Pam Beck is a freelance garden writer, photographer, designer and lecturer... more about Pam

TOPICS

Mixed Border Design -
A mixed border containing deciduous and evergreen trees, ornamental grass, shrubs, vines and decorative touches has distinct advantages over a simple herbaceous planting bed, not only adding year-round excitement introducing height, various textures, and colors that carry your garden through the entire four seasons, but the woody plants may cut some of the time and labor involved in caring for a perennial bed.

Gardening and Spirituality -
xplore the connection between the garden as a place and gardening as an act of faith and worship. Religions around the world depict paradise as a garden of various types and enlightened souls as residents and caretakers of that garden. When we approach our personal gardens, large or small, with delight and expectation, the experience can transform ?sweat equity? into ?sweet ecstasy? within our own piece of heaven.

Fine Vines -
Vines and climbers add height, flower and foliage interest in the landscape in a unique way, by traveling vertically. This lifts the eye, frames entrances, softens edges, and enhances plain buildings. This slide lecture will encourage you to embellish your own "de-vine" garden.

Peter Loewer is one of the most prolific garden writers and illustrators in the Southeast. To date, he has written 34 books and provided illustrations to literally hundreds more... more about Peter

TOPICS

The Evening Garden -
An enchanting look at night-blooming and night-fragrant plants, based on Peter?s book, The Evening Garden. Today, most people have forgotten that the human eye has limited night vision or never even realize there is no color under the light of the moon. These fascinating topics plus dozens of plants, ranging from the night-blooming cereus to the tropical water lilies, are featured.

Murder in the Garden -
Peter reviews movies for National Public Radio in Asheville, and over the years, has gathered a great deal of information on the connection between movie monsters and flowers, plus all those plants used by mystery writers to dispatch their victims. This is a lighthearted look at things that go bump in the garden.

The Wild Gardener -
For many years, Peter has written and talked about the use of wild plants in the home garden plus a great deal of lore about their uses in medicine. Based on the book of the same name (The Wild Gardener, Stackpole, 1991), a number of rare, common and unusual plants are covered in this lecture.

Barbara Pleasant is the author of twenty books on gardening (including The Whole Herb, The Southern Garden Advisor) and countless magazine articles... more about Barbara

TOPICS

When Plants Meet Stone -
Beyond stone?s practical use for garden walkways, steps, walls and waterfalls, plants and stone naturally combine to form unforgettable spots of beauty. Explores the textural contrast, geometry of line, and mystery that evolve when plants are partnered with stone. Included are growing plants as ?green mortar? in stone walls and crevices; using stone?s geometry in garden design; and small, personal-size stone projects that are too much fun to pass up.

The Secret Side of Southern Gardening -
A garden should charm you at every level, from the sensual delights of color, fragrance and flavor to fascination with the wilder side of the outdoor world. Barbara celebrates the secret side of Southern gardening, providing insights that will make every moment spent in the garden more rewarding, fascinating and fun.

Habit-Forming Herbs -
Whether you are plucking thyme to toss into pasta, soothing a sore throat with echinacea tea, or tucking lavender sachets into your linen closet, herbs simply make life better. This speech, adapted from her book, The Whole Herb, scheduled for release later this year, weaves together the history, uses and appeal of a dozen herb plants no herb lover should be without. Topics covered will include creative cooking with herbs, herbs as medicines and foolproof propagation methods.

Margot Rochester, author of Earthly Delights: Gardening by the Seasons the Easy Way, has a relaxed and entertaining speaking style and "imparts wisdom like... more about Margot

TOPICS

A Glorious Garden The Easy Way -
An easily maintained garden need not be boring or impersonal. This program promotes diversity of texture, color, shape and size that makes a garden not only more satisfying and inviting, but also environmentally friendly and undemanding in regard to cost, time and labor. The speaker's freewheeling attitude and enthusiastic delivery is infectious as she describes her garden design concepts and methods of soil preparation, mulching, composting, planting, deadheading and other main. (Slides)

The Garden of Happy Accidents -
Plant collectors (as distinguished from garden designers) tend to have gardens that just happen. The gardener purchases a plant or a dozen plants and then wanders around trying to decide where they should go. While the speaker may not have had a design or plan, she keeps the vision of a large overflowing bouquet with plants layered and intermingling. This program describes the haphazard evolution of the speaker's own diverse garden that brings daily surprises and continuing joy. (Slides)

Small Group Presentation or Concurrent Sessions -

My Big Fat Mixed Up Garden - Create a mixed border with shrubs, small trees, perennials, annuals, herbs, grasses, vines and ferns (Plants)

More, Gotta Have More - Multiply your plant supply with cuttings, seeds and division (Propagating materials)

Herbal Delights - Enrich your life and add diversity to your garden with herbs (plants, slides)

Keep on Keeping On - Neither age nor infirmity should deprive a gardener of gardening pleasure. Refocus on flowering shrubs, foliage, easy perennials, tools and labor-saving strategies