Kick off spring with the Smart Gardening Conference
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EmailRegister for the 2026 Smart Gardening Conference in Belleville to learn about native plants, invasive species, pollinators and garden design.
Michigan State University Extension will host the 2026 Smart Gardening Conference at the WCCCD Ted Scott Campus in Belleville, Michigan, on March 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 2026 Smart Gardening Conference will bring together gardeners, educators, researchers and community leaders to explore practical, research-based approaches to gardening in a time of changing climate conditions, habitat loss and declining insect and bird populations.
Designed to meet the needs of today’s environmentally conscious gardeners, the conference highlights practical strategies that support healthy plants, resilient landscapes and thriving communities. The 2026 conference features a lineup of speakers covering topics such as native plants and bees, invasive species, habitat gardening and landscape design. Sessions are geared toward gardeners of all experience levels, including home gardeners, Extension Master Gardener volunteers, landscape professionals and educators.
Smart gardening is about making informed choices that benefit plants, people and the environment. This conference connects research-based knowledge with real‑world application, empowering participants to take action in their own gardens and communities.
The Smart Gardening Conference kicks off with keynote speaker Kevin Philip Williams, author and manager of horticulture at Denver Botanic Gardens. Drawing on years of plant exploration and bioregional practice, Williams will introduce an approach in which wild systems, climate realities and materials themselves shape the garden’s form and function. He will explore what it means to design gardens that move beyond human-centered thinking. He will also share insights on how gardeners can create regionally grounded spaces that embrace complexity, adaptability and storytelling.
Additional highlights of the conference include:
- Kelly Konieczki, Detroit Butterfly Nursery, will share how her journey as a habitat gardener continues to inform her gardening practices to create healthier landscapes.
- Carolyn Miller, Michigan State University’s (MSU) Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum, will present “Out with the Bad, In with the Good: Removing Invasive Species and Replanting with Native Plants.”
- Sharron ‘Ronnie’ Miller, PhD candidate, MSU Department of Entomology, will present the connections between bee and human communities and ways to strengthen these relationships.
- Matthew Ross, The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park in Traverse City, Michigan, will develop a landscape design—as the audience watches and participates!—that brings together native and ecologically sensitive plants and features into a residential garden.
In addition to educational programming, the Smart Gardening Conference 2026 offers opportunities for networking, collaboration and inspiration. Participants will be able to engage with speakers, explore design ideas and connect with other gardeners. Lunch is provided to all registrants on-site, allowing participants to build community together over a shared meal.
The Smart Gardening Conference 2026 underscores MSU Extension’s commitment to science‑based education and community impact, reinforcing the importance of informed, environmentally friendly gardening practices now and for generations to come.
Learn more and register at the Smart Gardening 2026 registration website.
