75th Annual Garden Symposium Explores Responsible Gardening: Sowing Seeds for a Bright Future

Registration is open for Colonial Williamsburg’s 75th annual Garden Symposium, “Responsible Gardening: Sowing Seeds for a Bright Future,” April 28 – May 1, 2022. The event is offered both in-person and online and will feature horticulturists, historians, and designers – including noted horticulturist, author, and television personality P. Allen Smith – sharingmethods and techniques for creating gardens that benefit both humans and wildlife.

“We have the opportunity to study and enjoy historic landscapes because our predecessors practiced responsible gardening techniques,” said Colonial Williamsburg Director of Landscape Joanne Chapman. “What better way to celebrate 75 years of the Garden Symposium than by using it to learn what we can do today to ensure that our modern gardening practices allow us to enjoy gorgeous landscapes for generations to come.”

Symposium highlights include:

• A presentation on the iconic Governor’s Palace gardens, originally conceived by noted American landscape architect Arthur A. Shurcliff, delivered by celebrated author and Shurcliff biographer, Elizabeth Hope Cushing. The presentation will be followed by a visit to the highly-acclaimed CW Lights which provides a rare view of the Palace Gardens at night.
• Insight from Rebecca Lindenmeyr, landscape and biophilic interior designer, into biodiversity and designing regenerative landscapes.
• Advice on the art of sustainable organic gardening with professional gardeners Brie Arthur and Matthew Benson as they discuss foodscaping and growing beautiful food.
• Information on sustainability in gardening practices from distinguished horticulturalist P. Allen Smith. 
• An overview by renowned garden designer Renny Reynolds of the influence of English gardens on his creation of the 60-acre garden of Hortulus Farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
• Discussion of past, present and future initiatives in Colonial Williamsburg’s Gardens with former and current Directors of Landscape Laura Viancour and Joanne Chapman. 
• A wide variety of break-out sessions hosted by Colonial Williamsburg staff ranging in topics from plant propagation to decorating in the Williamsburg style.

Registration

To register by the April 1 deadline, visithttps://colonialwilliamsburg.org/garden-symposium, email [email protected] or call 1-800-603-0948 toll-free 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Registration for in-person attendance is $325 and includes in-person and online access to all lectures; coffee and snack breaks; two evening receptions; one ticket to CW Lights; and one seven-day ticket voucher to Colonial Williamsburg to be redeemed by Dec. 31, 2022. Anyone attending an Educational Conference in-person is required to submit proof of full vaccination. Guests are not required to wear masks indoors or outdoors while touring Colonial Williamsburg. Due to Federal Transportation Security guidelines, all guests are required to wear masks on Colonial Williamsburg shuttle buses. The latest updates to Colonial Williamsburg’s Health & Safety Guidelines can be found here.

Registration for online-only admission is $150 and includes access to all lectures utilizing the conference streaming platform as well as one seven-day ticket voucher to Colonial Williamsburg to be redeemed by Dec. 31, 2022. Conference guest tickets are available for a seven-day ticket voucher to Colonial Williamsburg’s Art Museums and Historic Area ($22), Thursday and Saturday receptions ($60 each) and CW Lights ($19).

A limited number of student scholarships are available with an application deadline of March 18.Special room rates at Colonial Williamsburg hotels are available for conference registrants who register by March 28. Reservations can be made by calling 800-261-9530 toll-free 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday.

Colonial Williamsburg’s 75th annual Garden Symposium is supported by the American Horticultural Society, BrightView Landscape Services and the Phoebe Moyer Garden Symposium Speaker Fund.