Connie Cottingham created Garden Travel Experiences to inspire people to discover public gardens and open spaces in their travels – and in their hometowns. As a home gardener, landscape designer, Lifelong Master Gardener, a garden writer published over 800 times, and years on staff for both a city parks department and a state botanical garden, she provides insight into each garden’s personality and offers ideas to bring home to your garden. Connie has gardened for two decades in Athens, GA, and returnied to her roots in NW Arkansas in Summer 2022.
Design Services:
An hourly landscape consultation involves walking through your garden with you, giving advice on design, plants, circulation, colors, and lowering maintenance. It will be an interactive time that may include a to-do list or design sketches. Together we will discover ways that your outdoor spaces can best fit your life and satisfy you. $120/ hour, one hour minimum. $.50/mile travel compensation outside of Benton County, AR.
Speaking:
I can speak casually without A/V, with hands-on demonstration (container gardening), or with PowerPoint presentations. Fees are negotiable. Topics include:
- Ten Favorite Plants and Why I Love Them (easily done in a home without A/V)
- Deer-Resistant Plants I Love
- Travelogues: English Gardens, Quebec City, the Côte d’Azur
- Design Characteristics of Native Plants
- My Favorite Fall-planted Bulbs for the Southeast (easily done without A/V in Aug/Sept/Oct)
- Landscape History: A Whirlwind Tour (must use a PowerPoint)
- Container Gardening (can be done as a talk, demonstration, or hands-on class)
- Design Tips to Lower Maintenance (without A/V)
- Introduction to Social Media for Small Businesses and Busy People
Talks I have given to clubs, organizations or as part of seminars:
- Southern Gardens 101 Tele-Summit
- Clayton County Garden Symposium
- Southern Garden Heritage Conference
- National Conifer Society Annual Meeting
- State Botanical Garden of Georgia Native Plant Symposium
- Historic Houses Museum Workshop
- Garden Club Landscape Design School
- Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association Annual Meeting
- and classes within University of Georgia Continuing Education Center and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
I am available to speak to groups and to walk through your garden with you to add insight and advice.
Communicator of the Year, Georgia Green Industry Association, 2010.
Certificate in Native Plants, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, 2010.
Master Gardener, Georgia, 2001, Arkansas 1990.
Lifetime Master Gardener, 2011.
Certified Arborist training, 2002.
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, University of Arkansas.
Calendar of Talks:
February 12, 2019, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Philadelphia and the World’s Largest Indoor Flower Show (with Pat Brusack)
July 13, 2018, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Friends First Friday: Learning about Gardening
April 5, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Rethinking Annuals for Your Garden (with Mike Sikes)
Friday, December 1, 2017, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Friends First Friday: Using Greenery from your Garden (with Pam Butts)
Friday, September 8, 2017
Friends First Friday: Athens Music Project and Music at the State Botanical Garden
Tuesday, January 24, 2017, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Garden Travels: Gardens in the Côte d’Azur
November 5, 2016 – Clayton County Garden Symposium XI, Deer Resistant Plants we Love (with Mike Sikes)
October 2016 – Southern Gardens 101 Tele-summit: Some Favorite Deer-Resistant Plants (with Mike Sikes)
October 7, 2016, 6:00 p.m. – Barnes & Noble, Athens, Meet a few of Georgia’s Native Plants
October 7, 2016 – State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Friends First Friday: Spring Bulbs (with Mike Sikes)
September 12, 2016 – Green Acres Garden Club, Athens
Our Favorite Deer-Resistant Plants (with Mike Sikes)
August 16, 2016 – Athens Area Master Gardener Association
Our Favorite Deer-Resistant Plants (with Mike Sikes)
March 8, 2016 – Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, UGA
Our Favorite Deer-Resistant Plants (with Mike Sikes)
February 10, 2016 – Bobbin Mill Garden Club
What’s New at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia
July 20, 2015
My Favorite Deer-Resistant Plants
March 17, 2015 – OLLI Garden Enthusiast Group
Benefits of Becoming a Friend of the Garden
February 18, 2015 – Rose and Dahlia Garden Club, Athens.
What’s Happening at the State Botanical Garden
December 5, 2014 – Polo Golf & Country Club, Cumming, GA
Winter Container Gardening Demonstration
Friday, November 14, 2014 – The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens
Who were the Olmsteds and what is the Olmsted Legacy?
SOUTHERN GARDEN HERITAGE CONFERENCE: Olsmted’s Legacy in the South
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 – Classic City Garden Club, Athens
Winter Container Gardening demonstration
October 3, 2014 – The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
FRIENDS First Friday: Arts in the Garden
June 19, 2014 – Reynolds Plantation, Our Favorite Deer-Resistant Plants (with Mike Sikes)
March 4, 2014 – Peachtree City Garden Club, Deer Resistant Plants
November 12, 2013 – Piedmont Gardeners, Favorite Spring Bulbs with Mike Sikes
October 22, 2013 with Mike Sikes – Garden Travels, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Quebec City and Les Quatre Vents
October 10, 2013 – Winder Garden Club, Winder GA – Favorite Spring Bulbs
October 2, 2013 with Mike Sikes – Rose Garden Club, Buckhead, Atlanta – English Gardens
October 1, 2013 with Mike Sikes – Class at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens, Gardening with Deer