Professional Horticulture Alumni Association to Host Today’s Horticulture Symposium at Longwood Gardens February 2, 2024

KENNETT SQUARE PA— From garden design to rare plants to woodland pollinators, the topics at the forefront of horticulture take center stage at Today’s Horticulture Symposium on Friday, February 2 from 8 am to 4:45 pm at Longwood Gardens. Leaders in the fields of conservation, restoration, and more guide attendees through the daylong conference hosted by the Professional Horticulture Alumni Association (PHAA). Designed for horticulture professionals, landscape designers and architects, passionate gardeners, and horticulture students, registration for the symposium is now open at longwoodgardens.org/todayshorticulture.

Featured presenters include Tom Coward of Gravetye Manor, who presents history in a new light in his talk on how well-known gardener William Robinson transformed Victorian gardening through innovative ideas. Dr. Kass Urban-Mead discusses supporting wild bees in woody habitats. The lecture series finishes with a talk by Julie Bargmann, founder of D.I.R.T studio, on the complexities of regenerative landscaping.

Not to be missed, the Professional Horticulture Alumni Spotlight highlights the careers of several of the program’s graduates in a shorter vignette format. Hear from Martha Keen, co-founder of Apiary Studios who’s been a major exhibitor at the Philadelphia Flower Show three years running and Rob Shaut of Casey Trees.

In addition to the enlightening speakers, a plant sale benefiting the students in Longwood’s Professional Horticulture Program is open throughout the event.

The daylong symposium is hosted by Longwood Gardens, Chanticleer Foundation, and the Professional Horticulture Alumni Association, with additional support from North Creek Nurseries and The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College.

Registration, priced at $149 for onsite attendees, includes admission to Longwood Gardens, the lecture series, access to the student plant sale, continental breakfast, break refreshments, and lunch. Space is limited and advance registration is required. An online webcast option is also available for remote attendees for $54. For more information and to register online visit longwoodgardens.org/todayshorticulture.

About The Professional Horticulture Program
The Professional Horticulture Program was started at Longwood Gardens in 1970, as a tuition-free, two-year program, which is offered every year to eight to ten students. The cohort of students work in all horticultural areas of the Gardens and receive instruction from Longwood staff and outside faculty. The Professional Horticulture Alumni Association was organized in 1976 to promote communication and disseminate information among its members and others in horticulture. For more information on the Professional Horticulture Program, please contact the Office of Domestic and International Studies for Longwood Gardens via longwoodgardens.org.

About Longwood Gardens
In 1906, industrialist Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954) purchased a small farm near Kennett Square, PA, to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, encompassing 1,100 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ, and grand conservatory. Longwood Gardens is the living legacy of Pierre S. du Pont, bringing joy and inspiration to everyone through the beauty of nature, conservation, and learning. Open daily, Longwood is one of more than 30 gardens in the Philadelphia region known as America’s Garden Capital. For more information, visit longwoodgardens.org 

Contact: 
Lauren Hill, PGAA Event Co-Chair
Alex Correia, PGAA Event Co-Chair
todayshorticulture@gmail.com