2026 Smart Gardening Conference
March 28, 2026 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Registration Deadline: March 1, 2026 - 11:45PM
WCCCD Ted Scott Campus 9555 Haggerty Rd, Belleville, MI. 48111
Contact: Lindsey Kerr
Michigan State University Extension is holding the 2026 Smart Gardening Conference in person on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at WCCCD Ted Scott Campus (9555 Haggerty Rd, Belleville, MI 48111) in Belleville, MI. More information is available on the 2026 Smart Gardening Conference registration page.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just beginning your horticulture journey, this conference offers fresh ideas, inspiring stories, and research-based guidance you can put to use right away. Join us for a day of expert-led learning on climate-adapted plants, butterfly habitat gardening, invasive species awareness, native bee ecology, and native-plant design. It’s a full day of learning designed to help you grow with confidence and make sustainable choices in your landscape.
Speakers include:
Kevin Philip Williams, Denver Botanic Gardens. "Designing Post-Human Gardens: Wild Systems, Material Agency, and the Gardener's New Role"
Kelly Konieczki, an outdoor educator, Detroit Butterfly Nursery. "Growing Hope in the Garden with Native Plants"
Carolyn Miller, Beal Botanical Garden & Campus Arboretum. "Out with the Bad, In with the Good: Removing Invasive Species and Replanting with Native Plants "
Sharron ‘Ronnie’ Miller, PhD candidate, Michigan State University Department of Entomology. "Connecting Pollinators, Place and People"
Matthew Ross, The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park. "Intentional Garden Design: An Interactive Workshop"
Registration cost includes a boxed lunch, tea and coffee, and snacks.
Parking is free and available on-site.
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