By Amy Lynn Albertson

Cooperative Extension

If you have a gardener in your life that has everything, I have the perfect gift for you to give them: tickets to the Gardeners’ Conference in Davidson County.

Rowan County Master Gardener Carol Massey says this is one of the best conferences in our area. “It has the speakers, the vendors and the food is always amazing.”

The Davidson County Extension Master Gardeners are holding their fifth annual conference on Feb. 11, 2016, (with a snow date of Feb. 18) at the Center United Methodist Church of Welcome, 186 Center Church Road, Lexington. Registration is $35, which includes coffee and breakfast foods as well as a generous lunch. Registrations are accepted in order of receipt. Register early as enrollment is limited.

This event is open to gardeners of any level, beginning to advanced, and those just interested in plants. To register for this event, go to http://davidson.ces.ncsu.edu to download the registration forms. For information, telephone 336-236-3131.

The conference starts at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 11 with registration. Felder Rushing, well known for his unique gardens as well as his traveling truck garden, will speak at 9 a.m. on “Slow Gardening.”

Concurrent sessions begin at approximately 11 a.m. and noon with the following presenters:

Derek Smith of the NCDOT Roadside Environmental Unit, “The NC Wildflower Program”; Felder Rushing, “Garden Pollinators”; Brent Heath, “The Shady Lady’s Bulb Garden”; Bob Solberg of Greenhill Farm, “Growing Hostas in Containers in NC”; and Robert Mottern of the Sarah B. Duke Gardens, “The WOW Factor: Effective Planting Combinations for Your Garden.”

Heath of Brent and Becky’s bulbs, a knowledgeable speaker about growing bulbs, will close the conference with “Bulbs as Complementary Plants for Four Seasons.”

The conference ends at 3:30 p.m. Door prizes will be given throughout the day, and there will be opportunities to shop with our garden vendors. Surprise your favorite gardener with tickets.

Albertson is director of the Cooperative Extension office in Rowan County.