"Free Seminar - Landscaping With Native Plants"

The Community Council of the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center is pleased to announce the 45th in its series of free seminars. February's presentation is on native plants. This topic has been so popular, that the Council will offer a Thursday evening session in addition to its typical Friday morning session. The speakers this month will be Mickey Cummings and Jennifer Cordier.

Mickey Cummings has been the Union County Extension Coordinator for sixteen years. Mickey received his Bachelors degree in Agronomy from UGA and his Masters from Clemson University. He is the Past President of the National County Agents Association. In addition to his involvement in vegetable research, Mr. Cummings is studying the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid and mapping mature Chestnut trees in Union County. He coordinates the Master Gardener and Master Naturalist courses in Union County. Mr. Cummings is active in the Blue Ridge Cattleman's Association, and works with the Union County 4-H Shotgun Team as well as the Livestock Show Team.

Jennifer Cordier is a Master Gardener and the owner of Ivy Log Farm & Candy Company in Blairsville. She has been studying and teaching classes in organic gardening, herb gardening and native plant medicine making for the past 15 years. Ms. Cordier has been the Chair of the Community Council's Preservation Committee since its inception in 2004. The Preservation Committee has many ongoing projects, including its newest, the Appalachian Native Botanical Sanctuary Certification Program. This Committee is also developing an Ethnobotanic Garden and a Woodland Medicine Trail on the grounds of the GMRE Center. These gardens serve as a living display of plants that the Cherokee and early settlers of this area used for food, fiber and medicine.

Mickey Cummings will discuss the use of native plants in the landscape. He will present information on the trees, shrubs and wildflowers that naturally grow in this area, and how to incorporate them into your specific site conditions. Mr. Cummings has been out hiking and photographing plants, working hard to add to his slide collection. Jennifer Cordier will discuss the Preservation Committee's Appalachian Native Botanical Sanctuary Certification Project. This new project involves recognizing homeowners and developers for their commitment to saving and/or using native plants in their landscapes. Come to this seminar to find out how you can create a native plant sanctuary in your back yard.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Thursday, February 28, 2008. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Program begins at 7 pm, in the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center's auditorium.

AND AGAIN:

Friday, February 29, 2008. Doors open at 9:00 am. Program begins at 10 am, in the Georgia Mountain Research & Education Center's auditorium.

NO Pre-registration required! Seating is limited.

Clare Johnston, Technician

GA Mountain Research & Education Center

2564 GA Mtn. Experiment Station Rd. Blairsville, GA 30512 (706) 745-2655

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Land transfer tax-- let the voters decide	1