07/18/2008

Two-Day Horticulture School Targets Nursery, Landscape Pros

AUBURN, Ala. — Horticulture professionals from throughout the state will converge on Auburn Aug. 12-13 for the 2008 Auburn Landscape, Greenhouse and Nursery School and the annual summer business meeting of the 660-member Alabama Nursery and Landscape Association

In previous years, the school, which is offered by Auburn University’s Department of Horticulture and the ALNLA, primarily has targeted the green industry’s landscape sector. But this year, the event is expanding to also include a full day of professional development sessions for nursery and greenhouse owners and operators.

The gathering kicks off Tuesday, Aug. 12, with a tour of area nurseries and greenhouses in the afternoon and a barbecue supper that evening at the Ham Wilson Livestock Arena.

Day two will begin with ALNLA’s membership breakfast meeting, followed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by concurrent, back-to-back-to-back sessions along three tracks—landscape, nursery and greenhouse, and pest management. The landscape and nursery/greenhouse sessions will be at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center; the pest management program will be held in the Paterson Greenhouse classroom. Those who choose the pest management track will qualify for 10 pesticide recertification points.

Because of its broader scope, the 2008 school is expected to have the largest attendance ever.

Included in the count will be Master Gardeners from across the state, who will be attending the Auburn Master Gardener School that will run simultaneously with the school for industry professionals.

As in previous years, AU horticulture professor Charles Gilliam and ALNLA executive director James Harwell have developed and organized the 2008 schedules. The list of speakers includes AU Department of Horticulture faculty members and seven professional horticulturists and landscape specialists. Kerry Smith, administrator of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s statewide Master Gardener program, has also lined up several of those same speakers to lead sessions for the Master Gardeners attending.

Cost of attending the Landscape, Greenhouse and Nursery School is $80 for the sessions only and $110 for sessions, the pre-conference tour and the barbecue dinner. To download the registration form, go to www.alnla.org. For more information, contact Harwell at 334-821-5148 or info@alnla.org.

Master Gardeners can find the Master Gardener School schedule and registration form online at www.aces.edu/mg. The registration fee for Master Gardeners is $50.

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Contact: Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu

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OFFICE OF AG COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Auburn University College of Agriculture
3 Comer Hall,
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849

334-844-2783 (PHONE)
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