As you all know our International Water Garden Symposium is being held in the UK this year. This is the first time it has been in the UK since 1994, and we are looking forward to a packed itinerary. It will be held from July 16th-20th based out of Reading, UK. The event will include visits to major ornamental and botanic gardens, including Kew, RHS Wisley, and the national collection of waterlilies at Bennett’s Water Gardens in Dorset. There will also be an Education Day featuring presentations from international experts.
We are expecting 100 – 150 attendees from around the world, and already have registrations from the UK, USA, Europe and Mexico. Attendees typically include leading experts in aquatic plant production and distribution, water gardening equipment and supplies, horticultural practice, botanical research, landscaping, and curated aquatics collections, alongside other enthusiasts. It will be a great opportunity for networking between the world’s water gardeners.
With wildlife struggling from habitat loss, pollution, and weather extremes, our gardens have become vital refuges. In addition to the wide range of plants, fish, dragonflies and other water organisms that thrive in our water gardens, many organizations note their value in encouraging and supporting amphibians and bird life too.
How do we encourage gardeners to create diverse and beneficial water features? And how can the industry play its part in supporting biodiversity and becoming more sustainable, responding to environmental concerns?
The Education Day
We already have one of Germany’s leading proponents of Natural Swimming Ponds lined up for a presentation. Prof. Dr. Wolfram Kircher is a professor at Anhalt University, Bernburg, Germany, and co- author of ‘How to build a natural swimming pool’, considered one of the most comprehensive books on the subject. Further speakers will be announced over the coming weeks.
Other events on our Education Day include a Grower Panel and a Hybridizer Panel, where experts from around the world will discuss the latest issues, and take questions from the audience.
We have Poster Presentations, where those carrying out research or investigations into aquatic plants, water gardening, water quality, and related topics, can present their results in an easily digestible format. Abstracts are now being accepted, please consider contributing.
Registration for the full event is now open, and ticket sales for the Education Day will be released on June 11th.
For full details, go to www.iwgs.org/symposium
