Garden Writers Conferences

I’ve ignored the Garden Writers Association symposium calls so far, but the promo stuff landed in my mailbox yesterday, compelling attention.

In my third year of GWA membership and I’ve not attended an annual symposium yet. So, this year . . . to go or not to go?

Keynoter Kierstin De West intrigues, Felder Rushing is a draw anywhere, anytime, but is a 4-day conference with 24 break-out sessions still a viable model? The garden tours have no appeal for me (what grows in East Texas does not necessarily grow in North Georgia) and what can we learn in person that we cannot learn online? I recently spent half a day attending a virtual summit (fee: $99) with speakers that included Arianna Huffington, David Meerman Scott and Edie Weiner. For three months afterwards, a few mouse clicks will take me back there and I can make sure I caught all the salient bits.

How do accidental gardeners and business writers like me justify a $1,500 (conference fee, airfare, hotel) adventure? I’m not interested in “winning” a camera or iPad, I don’t care who sponsors the name badge holders and attendance assures me that I’ve got a two in three chance of picking the wrong break-out session – eight times!

What if, instead, I followed Kiersten De West’s vision of sustainability and innovation more closely on-line for the next year or so? What if I attended Felder Rushing’s next event in North Georgia (you’ve got to see his truck-bed garden, y’all!)? What if I spent $500 on more books? I could sit in my garden, read books, add $1,000 to my cash flow, and would not have to take off my shoes at any time - unless I just wanted to and make a toe connection with the turf . . . 

Now that’s appealing!

Catalogs, Books & Conferences

Plant and seed catalogs have been arriving in my mailbox at a pretty steady clip the past several weeks, although not nearly in the volume of earlier years. And that’s a good thing. Why fell more trees and print more stuff when everything is a quick click away on the Web?

Of course I want to order just about everything I see! But, I have a small garden and it is pretty much full (would love to dig up the front yard for a vegetable garden, but that is not likely to get HOA approval). The catalogs of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange are all enticing, especially the last, with all those tomatoes on the cover. I swear, though, that this year I’ll think at least twice before growing any tomatoes – too much work, and the local farmers’ market will have everything I need.

I’ve loved reading “Waking up in Eden”, by Lucinda Fleeson, not long ago, and just yesterday read the Fourth Edition of Karen Platt’s “Black Magic and Purple Passion” (available as an e-book directly from the author, but the Third Edition can still be found on Amazon) – more than 600 plants with very dark flowers or foliage. I’ve already decided to go looking for some Actaea (Black Cohosh) and the ‘Twilite Prairie Blues’ variety of Baptisia in the coming months. The book includes lots of Bearded Irises and Daylilies and great photographs of such specimens as Ajuga lupulina, Arisaema, and Primula ‘Elizabeth Killelay’. I love Primulas, as they are so cheerful early in the gardening season.

The Georgia Master Gardeners have their winter conference coming up on January 23, with lots of good stuff to offer its attendees, not in the least a presentation by pre-eminent Georgia gardening guru Walter Reeves.

On the heels of that is WinterGreen 2010, this region’s trade show for the horticulture industry, which I pan to attend. And then, on February 3, Northeast Georgia Writers will hold its first 2010 seminar, with Cecil Murphey as the speaker.

Advice to Myself:

Stick to writing. And gardening. A little photography, maybe. Painting? Not so much.

I had a great time last night at Masterpiece Mixers and I can’t wait to tell friends and neighbors about this unique establishment. Go on-line, pick a topic that interests you (“Fall Flowers” was last night’s), make a reservation and show up with $25 and a beverage of your choice. Yes, that’s right, if you like to have a glass of wine or a bottle of beer while you create your masterpiece, Masterpiece Mixers has a BYOB permit that makes this possible.

Then, you tie on an apron, put a stretched canvas on an easel, get a Styrofoam plate (uh, a palette . . .) with paint and a cup full of brushes and “follow the leader” – the instructor of the evening, who leads everyone through the process step-by-step. There were close to 20 of us last night; great group!

Two hours later, you take your creation home and hang it . . . . .? Well, I think mine may find a place in the garage! :-)

Here I am, with my less-than-masterpiece, flanked by instructor Kelli (left) and fellow-student (Nikki); it was great fun!

Gardening, Writing, Promoting . . .

The Garden Writers Association's revamped web site is up and running; take a look! GWA has also formed a group on LinkedIn - available for discussions and the posting of news items.

I've been asked to serve on the GWA Web Marketing Task Force and am not quite sure yet what's expected of me in this capacity. The task force has been charged to "recommend a marketing plan to promote GWA website resources to potential employers and others in need of professional gardening communications talent" - this is huge!

I'll do my best to keep you updated, but the LinkedIn group may well have more details faster than I can post here. See http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=1489187&trk=anet_ug_hm