The second annual Midwest Gardening Symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 13, 2011, Road Trips Gardeners. “Green Gardening from the Ground Up”, to be held at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, celebrates “green”, low-maintenance gardening with practical advice from Midwest-focused, hands-on gardening experts.

Participants will learn how to create the healthiest soil, eco-friendly ways to deal with pests and diseases, how to determine where to use native and non-native plants, and how to create pleasing landscapes with shrubs – the latest excitement in low-maintenance plants. The Midwest Gardening Symposium is co-sponsored by Olbrich Botanical Gardens and Allen Centennial Gardens.

Registration deadline is March 5, 2011. Cost is $119, but the course fee includes a boxed sandwich lunch. For information, call 608:246-4550 or go online.

(Photo of crabapple blooms courtesy of Olbrich Botanical Gardens)