Toward a greener you
Stopping to smell the flowers
By Arlene Marturano marturano@yahoo.com

As assured as the blooming of the azaleas and dogwood, the South Carolina Midland Master Gardener Association returns with the 18th annual spring gardening symposium. This year's theme "How Green is Your Garden?" features nationally recognized experts and local exemplars of state of the art gardening practices for a greener garden.

Gardeners from across the southeast will convene March 27 for a day of fertile inspiration and down to earth discussion. Joe Lamp'l, host of GardenSmart on PBS and garden writer, will speak on the importance of eco- friendly practices in the garden.

Ted Stephens, plant collector, horticulturist and owner of Nurseries Caroliniana in North Augusta, will discuss hardy rare and unusual imports for the Southern garden.

Tamson Yeh, plant scientist with Cornell University Extension Service and author

of Can My Petunia Be Saved?,

will offer practical solutions for growing healthy plants.

Participants rotate to concurrent sessions on composting, rain gardens, managing wildlife in the garden, heirloom tomatoes and creating water features interplanted among the three featured speakers.

Symposium participants will be able to browse garden book displays, meet plant and yard art vendors, and bid on silent auction items. A pre or post self- guided tour of Philip Jenkins's breathtaking Irmo garden is part of the package too.

To join the largest bouquet of gardeners in the Midlands, one must preregister. The symposium is from 8:30 am- 3:30 pm at the Columbia Conference Center off Fernandina Road in St. Andrews. Registration information is online at www.scmmga.org. and includes all presentations, demonstrations and displays, vendor sales, buffet lunch, silent auction, refreshments, handouts, door prizes and garden tour.

A preview of Philip Jenkins' garden.