2019 Native Plant Symposium

Every spring, gardeners, landscape designers, horticulturalists and plant lovers gather at the Southern Highlands Reserve to learn about gardening with plants that are native to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The annual Native Plant Symposium is the Reserve’s principal educational event for the year, featuring nationally-recognized native plant and design experts who support our mission to educate others on the importance of native plant conservation and preservation.

This year’s symposium will feature topics related to environmental design to promote sustainability. Joining us to discuss ecological design in the landscape are Thomas Woltz, FASLA, CLARB and principal of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects presenting Designing Hope for a Resilient Future as well as Alfred Vick, the Georgia Power Professor in Environmental Ethics at the University of Georgia presenting Nature Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Biophilic Design for Health and Well-Being. 

We will begin the day with a continental breakfast and spend the morning learning from experts in landscape architecture about their best practices to create and improve resiliency in the landscape.

Following our catered luncheon, guests will enjoy a tour of SHR’s gardens guided by Founders Betty and Robert Balentine and SHR staff.

Registration is $125 and includes continental breakfast, educational sessions, luncheon and tour.