Has the cold winter weather got you down? Are you tired of looking at the same four walls? Do you find yourself dreaming of a time when the air is warm, the birds are singing and plants are growing?
If you answered all of these questions with an enthusiastic "YES!" then the Cleveland County Master Gardeners (CCMG) have just the event for you. The theme for the group's first annual garden symposium is "Cabin Fever," scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10 from 8 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. in the Student Activities Center at Cleveland Community College in Shelby.
"We will be offering classes and activities aimed at reducing the winter chill and getting folks ready for spring," says Dottie Leatherwood, communication chair of CCMG. "All activities are open to every attendee and will be perfect for any skill level."
A wide variety of presenters will be featured at the symposium.
"Whether you are new to gardening or have cultivated many plots, the presenters will help you learn and grow as a budding gardener and get your mind ready to be outside in the warmer weather just around the corner," says Pat Parr, current President of Cleveland County Extension Master Gardeners.
Bryce Lane will be the keynote speaker at the event. He is the award-winning host of UNC-TV's "In the Garden with Bryce Lane." Since retiring from NC State three years ago, he now spends his time giving garden talks, doing leadership training, consulting and teaching horticulture part time at NC State University and at the JC Raulston Arboretum.
Lane's morning keynote address will be: "The Power of Plants: A Sustainable Approach to Home Landscaping" and will focus on ecological and sustainable approaches to home landscaping. His afternoon keynote address will be "Gardening in Modern Times: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." This final talk will cover mastering basic gardening practices to help transform gardens into outdoor spaces that reward, inspire, enhance and benefit the community and the environment.
Between the two keynote addresses, the day will be filled with two workshop sessions, lunch and an afternoon break. Workshop presenters include Amy Cilmi, proprietor of "Flower Bar" at Hayfields Market in North Salem, NY; Dr. Barbara Fair, Associate Professor at NC State University; Jeanne Aller, Chair of the Speakers Bureau for Extension Master Gardener Volunteers; and Paul Owen, owner of Slightly Different Nursery in Polkville, NC. There will also be vendors and door prizes.
More information is available at the event web site, www.ccemgv.org. Tickets are $65 each and are available by visiting the web site and clicking on the "Event Registration" button at the top of the page.

By April Hoyle Shauf

Special to Community First Media