The inspirational and exhilarating Eighth Annual Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium (that has sold out for several years) will energize your approach to gardening.  The symposium will be held Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 at The Equinox Resort, a world class, four diamond resort in Manchester, Vermont.  The symposium features six info-packed lectures led by nationally and regionally renowned professionals in their fields, as well as a vendors area.  Exchange ideas and swap “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” gardening stories with other passionate gardeners at workshops, meals and free time.  Drawings for great gardening gifts throughout the Symposium will sweeten the deal.  One and two night packages are available, as well as day-only rates.  Speakers include Ellen Ecker Ogden on The Complete Kitchen Garden: The Art of Designing a Classic Potager, Bill Cullina on The Botany of Design, as well as Beyond Black-eyed Susans and Border Phlox: Exceptional Native Perennials for Creative Gardening, Charlotte Albers on Mad About Blue, Heather Poire speaking on Proven Winners Annual: The Perfect Accessory for Perennial Gardens, and Kerry Ann Mendez presenting Exciting New or Underused Perennials for 2011. Symposium sponsors include The American Horticultural Society, Equinox Valley Nursery (see their lilac image below,)  The Espoma Company, Fine Gardening Magazine, Gardener’s Supply Company, Liquid Fence, Luster Leaf Products, Neptune’s Harvest, Proven Winners, SmileMonster.com, and White Flower Farm.  You may register on line at www.pyours.com/Symposium2011.html.  Registration deadline is March 28.