After a three-year hiatus, the Western Landscape Symposium is returning in 2023. This premier event will be held on Saturday, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Pueblo Community College. As a new addition in 2023, we will have an expanded expo room with time to stop at vendor tables and see live demonstrations. We have also added time to “Meet the Speakers” so you can ask your questions and engage in discussion after the sessions.
Our keynote speaker this year is Panayoti Kelaidis, Senior Curator and Director of Outreach at the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG). His keynote session is titled “Tough Gardening, it’s not for Weaklings”. He will be discussing how Pueblo can be a tough place to garden, but not if you are growing the right plants in the right way.
Session speakers this year include Mike Kintgen, Curator of Alpine Collections at DBG, who will be speaking about drawing inspiration from Colorado’s natural landscapes to create sustainable gardens. We will also be welcoming Dr. Tony Koski, Extension Turf Specialist and Professor at CSU, to talk to attendees about how to correctly convert your cool season turf to a more water wise native or warm season species.
Based on feedback the WLS committee had received in previous years, we have also added a new learning track to our symposium this year. This new track focuses more on edible plants rather than the traditional sustainable landscaping track we have provided in previous years. Our edible track speakers this year include food systems expert, Monique Marez, who will be discussing our fragile global supply chain, and how home gardening can create food security. We will also have Ethnobotanical Herbalist and Organic Farmer, Tammi Hartung, speaking about propagating herbs and native plants.
You will not want to miss this great line up of speakers. We will also be giving away door prizes donated by our generous sponsors. Tickets are selling fast, so go to https://2023wls.eventbrite.com now to get your spot. To read more about the event, and to see our list of sponsors, you can visit westernlandscape.org.
We would not be able to put on this excellent educational event without our planning committee. The committee is made up of representatives from CSU Extension-Pueblo County, The Pueblo Zoo, Colorado Master Gardeners, Pueblo Food Project, and Keep Pueblo Beautiful.
I hope to see you on April 1st!
