EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The Wisconsin Master Gardener Association will hold their Annual Conference on September 21 and 22, 2018 at the new Lismore Hotel in Eau Claire, Wisconsin at the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers. This year, the Annual Conference will feature Western Wisconsin horticulture with tours of local farms, orchards and garden centers and speakers with an interest in growing practices in Western Wisconsin. Hosting this year’s conference are Master Gardener Volunteers from Barron, Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties and the St Croix Valley association. Information about the conference can be found at their website, wimgaconferences.com and will include registration details.
Keynote Speakers are renowned horticulturalists from Wisconsin; Mark Dwyer, Director of Horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens, Janesville and Ben Futa, Director of Allen Centennial Garden at UW-Madison. Dwyer will speak Friday evening on Woody Plants for Fantastic Foliage. Trees and shrubs, while forming the “bones” and framework of the garden, can also be valuable ornamental assets. Woody plants with fantastic foliage can have long-lasting and significant value in the landscape. Futa will present on Saturday, Plant Design with Perennials. The eternal quest in garden design is to create a garden with consistent interest year-round, and perennials can play that role. This presentation will demystify the design process, empowering you to create your most captivating garden. Mark and Ben will also present at break-out sessions during the day on Saturday.
During the day on Friday, September 21, three tour options are available. Tours include visits to Silver Springs Foods, horseradish production, Sunbow Farm, a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and Down to Earth Garden Center, or River Bend Vineyard and Winery and Mary Dirty Face Farm fruit orchard. A walking tour of Phoenix Park and the Mayo Clinic Gardens will also be available.
Several speakers for the 2018 Conference Breakout sessions feature local experts in the field of horticulture. Topics for discussion include berry production, daylilies, herbs and mushrooms. Experts will also talk about plant diseases, GMO’s and sustainable gardening. On the lighter side, you can sign-up for tips on garden photography or getting kids hooked on gardening.
Registrations for Autumn at the River are due by September 9. You may register for the whole weekend or just part of the conference so registration prices range from $45 for a tour to $170 for the full weekend. Please visit our website, wimgaconferences.com for more information on the conference and registration or call the Eau Claire UWExtension Office, 715-839-4712, for more information.
The 2018 Wisconsin Master Gardener Association Conference Committee is excited to bring this horticultural experience to the Chippewa Valley. Whether you are a gardening novice or horticultural pro, Autumn at the River will be a fun filled and educational two days in Eau Claire.
The Wisconsin Master Gardeners Association (WIMGA) is an independent, statewide volunteer organization providing support and leadership to individual UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers and affiliated local MGVs Associations. The State Conference is intended to encourage, foster, support and promote horticulture for all gardeners in the state and to promote the UW-Extension from which we are founded. WIMGA is the collective voice of over 2,000 UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers and 53 local Associations.
— Wisconsin Master Gardener Association
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