Greenwood and Spartanburg, South Carolina will host the 2023 America in Bloom Symposium and Awards Program September 28 – 30. Thursday activities will include a tour of the Biltmore Estate & Gardens. Nestled within 8,000 acres of pristine Blue Ridge Mountain beauty, the Biltmore Estate is a one-of-a-kind destination. You will discover the estate’s origin and its evolution from the country home of the Vanderbilt family to beloved national treasure. This audio-guided tour spans three floors and the basement of the luxurious home, and then you can explore the historic gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape design. You will be in horticultural paradise experiencing the indoor and outdoor gardens! This tour includes transportation and admission to the house and gardens. Lunch options are available at the Biltmore for all budgets and styles. This tour requires walking. The cost for this tour is $149. Seating is limited so register early. Later, catch up with old friends and make new ones at the Opening Night Reception followed by dinner, awards presentations, and silent auction.
Friday morning’s Keynote Presentation is Protecting the Life that Sustains Us – Conserving Pollinators, with Ann Barlow, Clemson University Master Gardener. Research has shown significant global declines in native pollinator population sizes and ranges. Fortunately, correct landscape practices can help to build thriving, diverse native pollinator populations. In this presentation, you will learn how to galvanize your community to sustain pollinators by increasing the abundance of native plants, providing nest sites, and more. Ann will show how volunteers can be involved, mosquito prevention programs and pest control practices to implement, how to educate the residents, and more. More talks and a networking lunch will be followed by a community tour of Greenwood, which will present a look at Greenwood’s rich history with tours of the Railroad Historical Center and the Benjamin E. Mays Historic Preservation Site. Your learning tour will continue as you walk through the city center and explore pollinator gardens, recent commercial and residential development, and the vibrant Arts and Cultural District. You will learn about Greenwood’s renowned SC Festival of Flowers’ Signature Topiary Display, including where they live and how they are created. The showstopping topiaries will be displayed throughout the walking tour, so make sure you’re prepared for numerous photo opportunities. In the evening A Taste of the South dinner is hosted by the City of Greenwood. Dinner will be served in the City’s Uptown Farmers’ Market that architecturally continues the rich railroad tradition in its “depot” design. Enjoy an ultimate Southern buffet complete with all the “fixins.” Dessert will be provided by the Career Center’s Culinary Arts Department, all in a true Southern setting complete with Southern flora and fauna. The fun won’t stop there, as the Greenwood in Bloom Committee has prepared a special and fun end to the evening.
Saturday is filled with optional sessions and showcases, ending with the Evening in Bloom America in Bloom Awards Banquet. For complete information, registration, and discounted hotel information visit https://americainbloom.org/about/
