Save the Date: Saturday, March 8, 2014 – Grow 2014: A Celebration of Trees, presented by Lexington Horticultural Symposiums at the VMI Center for Landscape and Ethics, Lexington, Virginia

Dr. Michael Dirr is to plants what Bill Gates is to technology. Every horticulturist, landscape architect, landscape designer, reputable plant nursery, and serious tree geek has a copy of Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, considered the standard handbook for trees and shrubs. He is the author of numerous other books and was a revered horticulture professor at the University of Georgia for many years. And – he is actually coming to Lexington! Dr. Dirr will be the keynote speaker for a new horticultural symposium, Grow 2014: A Celebration of Trees. He’ll be joined by Vince Dooley, retired coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs and an avid gardener (and friend of Dr. Dirr) who will talk about the horticultural journey of a football coach and Nancy Ross Hugo, co-author of the Remarkable Trees of Virginia who will discuss the rewards of looking closely at ten common trees of North America as featured in her recent book, Seeing Trees: Discover the Extraordinary Secrets of Trees. Seating is limited, so sign up now via the symposium’s website, www.grow-2014.com.

Continuing education hours will be offered for the day, in addition to book signings and book sales. The $75 fee includes lunch. Visitors arriving on Friday have the opportunity of a free tour of historic Lexington with a trained guide.