The Northern Neck Master Gardeners (NNMG) and Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) will host the 27th Gardening in the Northern Neck seminar (GNN) virtually on March 20.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s seminar will be be held from 8:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m via Zoom.
The theme is “Be Intentional: Create Livable, Edible, Sustainable Garden Spaces,” said NNMG president Marge Gibson. Registration is $25; registration forms are available at www.nnmg.org/gnn, or call the VCE Northumberland County Office, 580-5694.
Brie Arthur, nationally known horticulturist, bestselling author, foodscape consultant, and celebrated speaker, will be the lead presenter. Other speakers will include Nancy Lawson, author of The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife, and Vincent Simeone, whose presentation will be “Grow More with Less: Sustainable Garden Methods.”
“The annual Gardening in the Northern Neck seminar has gained a strong following due largely to the high quality of the speakers,” said NNMG vice-president Lynn Osborn. “This year is no exception, with nationally recognized speakers addressing a range of topics. While the format will be different this year to reflect the times we are in, the high quality for which this seminar is known will remain unchanged.”
Arthur’s presentation
“As the lead speaker, Brie Arthur’s presentation, ‘Foodscaping in the Northern Neck: Brie’s Spring Tricks for Success,’ will reflect the seminar’s theme with her unique approach to gardening,” said Gibson.
In the introduction of her book, The Foodscape Revolution, Arthur defines foodscaping as “…the logical integration of edibles in a traditional ornamental landscape. In other words, to foodscape is to grow food alongside your flowers, within the landscape that already exists.”
Arthur’s approach to gardening is realistic, flexible, scalable, and meant to be both fun and beautiful. Her journey into foodscaping began when she was a horticulture student who could not afford farmers market organic vegetables but wanted to eat pesticide-free, healthy food. Her solution was to plant lettuce on her windowsill, which evolved into her current comprehensive strategy of gardening.
Arthur’s presentation will provide a guide on how to develop and nurture a successful foodscape for any level of gardener.
Lawson’s presentation
Lawson, founder of Humane Gardener, author, habitat consultant, national speaker on garden ecology, naturalist, and certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional, will discuss this approach to gardening that focuses on developing and preserving animal-friendly landscaping methods.
Lawson describes her garden as a place where all creatures and plants are welcome. “Only two things are unwelcome: chemicals and invasive vegetation known to supplant wildlife habitat. Everyone else, from smartweed to milkweed, from ground beetles to groundhogs, has an open invitation,” she said.
Lawson will discuss practical ways to put humane gardening philosophies into action by protecting nesting sites, and provide insight on nurturing plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife.
Lawson also is a columnist for “All Animals” magazine and a frequent speaker on garden ecology.
Simeone’s presentation
Simeone, author, lecturer and teacher at the New York Botanical Garden, will speak on approaches to creating an efficient, sustainable home landscape.
From composting and mulching to planting trees, Simeone will cover all the eco-friendly essentials. He makes the what, how, and why of sustainable gardening remarkably clear. Simeone’s effective, time-proven recommendations, which are field-tested in a large botanical garden and adapted for home, provide a personal roadmap for green gardening.
