I am so excited – feels like I just opened a stack of Christmas presents! While researching garden events this morning, I found a treasure trove of virtual events and ended up registering for six webinars (many with garden celebrities), plus three 2020 coffee table gardening books – all for under $100. Half of the events are free.

This afternoon I will be speaking as part of the Georgia Master Gardener Annual meeting. After that, I am all in for learning from others at this conference and these webinars. You can find all of these and more are on my website calendar ( tinyurl.com/garden-events ), but I am sharing direct links for you below.

Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.              The Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival

Nature’s Cure

Monty Don, Britain’s treasured horticulturist, author, and broadcaster, and Sue Stuart–Smith, prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist, reflect on the life-affirming capacity of gardening and nature to soothe troubled minds in our disturbing world. Part of The Charleston to Charleston Literary Festival.

Sunday, November 15, 2 p.m.

Rebirth

OK, this one is not gardening, but looks interesting: Is it possible that the arts could not only survive, but emerge from the COVID crisis and recent social unrest stronger than before? Cultural leaders from the US and UK re-imagine the future of their art forms.

Monday, November 16, 7 p.m.

Jared Barnes: Perennials that are huge both in size and in personality

The world is getting smaller! With more globalization, more efficient technology, and more people, small is now the big thing. Gardening is following the trend as breeders and plant companies select miniature models of plants and pixies for the patio. But, in an ever-shrinking world, we horticulturists shouldn’t forget the friendly giants of the landscape. Jared Barnes will share perennials that are huge both in size and in personality and show how to incorporate them into gardens both big and small. This free event is a partnership with the Georgia Perennial Plant Association and the Atlanta History Center.

Note from GC: Webinars will be presented via Zoom. Links will be sent to registered attendees on the morning of each webinar. If you cannot join us for the live webinar, we still encourage you to register! A link to a recording of the webinar will be emailed to registrants in the days following the session.

November 19, 2 p.m.     $40 for the book and talk, $15 for just the Zoom talk

Larry Lederman, Garden Portraits: Experiences of Natural Beauty

Garden Portraits: Experiences of Natural Beauty , a painterly collection of sixteen magnificent and diverse landscapes, is the sixth botanical photography book from Larry Lederman, the photographer of the New York Botanical Garden.

December 3, 2 p.m.        $28 for the book and talk, $15 for just the Zoom talk

Dan Hinkley, Windcliff: A Story of People, Plants, and Gardens

Windcliff: A Story of People, Plants, and Gardens  follows the course of Dan Hinkley’s plant-obsessed life as he developed his latest garden on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound in Indianola, WA. As he reflects on his property, he also reflects upon the principles of good horticulture gathered from over five decades of gardening.

December 17, 2 p.m.     $28 for the book and talk, $15 for just the Zoom talk

Renny Reynolds, Chasing Eden: Design Inspiration from the Gardens at Hortulus Farm

Chasing Eden: Design Inspiration from the Gardens at Hortulus Farm  (Timber Press, January 2020) is a lavishly illustrated roadmap to creating a personal Eden. Together with his late partner, Jack Staub, Renny Reynolds created Hortulus Farm Garden and nursery, a 100-acre 18th-century farmstead and nursery in the rolling hills of Bucks County, PA. Hortulus Farm is not only a model of classical gardening and design teners, but also a showcase of how traditions can successfully be broken.

You can also stream their summer series of speakers for free.  Thank you, Garden Conservancy!

Betrothal is a 35-minute comedy about two iris growers who meet at a competition under a tent during a rainstorm. Natalie and Joe Carmolli will perform in the play by Lanford Wilson, which will be videoed by Adriana Robinson of Spring Meadow Nursery. Pat Stone, publisher of GreenPrints, will entertain with a musical introduction.

I hope this inspires you. My geeky little heart was racing as I found more and more ways to see gardens and learn about gardening. It felt like presents were dropping from the internet cloud.

OK, my registrations are in, all is on my calendar. Alexa, add popcorn to my shopping list.