Talks on gardens, trees, birds and bees headlining speaker topics at 2017 Arkansas Flower and Garden Show
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Jan. 27, 2017
Fast Facts:
- 2017 Arkansas Flower and Garden Show taking place Feb. 24-26
- Single day tickets $10; 3-day pass $15
- Children 12 and under get in free
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(Photos of speakers available at https://flic.kr/s/aHskTgmtpm)
LITTLE ROCK — Some of the region’s top experts on horticulture, botany, pollination and other topics will be featured speakers at the 26th annual Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, taking place at the Statehouse Convention Center in downtown Little Rock on Feb. 24-26.
Friday’s speaker lineup kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with Dr. Dan Scheiman, Bird Conservation Director for Audubon Arkansas, a state office of the National Audubon Society. Scheiman will be speaking about birds who play the roll of pollinator, and the tight relationship between nectarivorous birds and their plants using examples from around the world.
Lissa Morrison, garden manager and designer for Fayetteville’s Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, will also speak at 10:30, sharing the history, development, and value of northwest Arkansas’ magical botanical gardens.
At 11:45 a.m., Pulaski County Master Gardener Jane Gulley will discuss the idea of “trees as storytellers,” while University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture extension horticulture specialist Janet Carson introduces attendees to the basics of vegetable gardening essential to begin growing fresh healthful food for the table.
Scheiman, Morrison and Gulley will give other talks and presentations throughout Friday and Saturday, as will many other speakers from around the region, including Miller County master gardener Debra Bolding, University of Delaware professor and chair of entomology and wildlife ecology Dr. Douglas Tallamy, Division of Agriculture extension horticulture specialist and professor Amanda McWhirt, president and CEO of Tulsa Botanical Gardens Dr. Todd Lasseigne and Richard and Andrea Cleaver, owners and operators of Culberson’s Greenhouse in Mayflower.
Krista Quinn, executive director of the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, said attendees to the 2017 show can look forward to interesting insights into developing the kinds of gardens that will really add to the enjoyment of their homes.
“I'm excited that we will have several different speakers on eco-friendly landscaping,” Quinn said. “These speakers will show us how we can have beautiful landscapes that are safe for our families and wildlife, help support valuable pollinator populations, and use a variety of native plants.
“Dr. Doug Tallamy is a national expert on creating ‘backyard ecosystems,’” she said. “He will explain why it is important that we, as homeowners, do what we can to make our landscapes havens for wildlife. He will also show us that an eco-friendly landscape doesn't have to be wild and unkempt. Even traditional, formal landscapes can be ‘living landscapes’ that support wildlife and pollinators.”
This year’s show will also feature the return of “Rock in the Garden,” a live music event Friday evening, featuring Little Rock musicians Wildflower Revue. The show will feature nearly 100 vendors, as well as workshops, classes and a professional florist competition and juried flower competition, all held throughout the Statehouse Convention Center.
Tickets to the Show can be purchased at the door or online. Single-day tickets are $10, and three-day passes are $15. Children 12 and under get in free. To purchase tickets online or to learn more about the 2017 Arkansas Flower and Garden Show, visit www.argardenshow.org.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact your (insert appropriate office) as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact: Mary Hightower
Dir. of Communication Services
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
(501) 671-2126
mhightower@uada.edu
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