Grow The Good Life 2026, March 14 -- IN PERSON

Join four in-person gardening experts to learn the essentials of gardening, including soil preparation, design options, and care for both edible plants and ornamental varieties.

Grow The Good Life 2026 will be held on March 14, 2025 at Bethlehem United Methodist Church, 13586 Old Moneta Road, Moneta, Virginia from 9:30AM to 4:00PM. Doors open at 9AM. Attendance will be available for both in-person and via Zoom.

Registration Fees:

$55 In-person attendance and includes lunch catered by Farmhouse Catering. (You will be asked to indicate your lunch selection in the registration/check out process.)

$40 Virtual attendance via Zoom

For Zoom Registration please click on the link below to take you to the registration portal for the virtual Grow The Good Life 2026:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grow-the-good-life-2026-march-14-virtual-tickets-1975343510615?aff=oddtdtcreator

Four in-person gardening experts will discuss basic soil principles and how to properly prepare garden beds, planting techniques that will provide future plant sustainability and easy landscaping ideas, information on selecting and caring for less-care varieties of popular and rare fruits that can be incorporated into your gardens, and experiences, tips, and tricks on how and how not to take care of your perennials and woody plants.

Bryce Lane -- "If You Build It, They Will Come"

Melanie Burrow -- "Lazy Landscape Like A Boss"

Michael McConkey -- "Less-Care Edibles for the Homeowner"

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D. -- "Gardening Gaffes and Possible Solutions"

In addition, we plan to have several vendors, including Justin Kelley, a professional sharpener who will sharpen your garden tools for a fee. Remember to bring your tools with you to the seminar to have them sharpened while you attend the event.

9:00AM: Doors Open and Badge Pickup

9:30AM: Welcoming Remarks and Announcements

9:40AM – 10:45AM: Bryce Lane -- "If You Build It, They Will Come"

10:45AM - 11:05AM: Break

11:10AM – 12:10PM: Melanie Burrow -- "Lazy Landscape Like A Boss"

12:10PM – 1:10PM: Lunch

1:15PM – 2:15PM: Michael McConkey -- "Less-Care Edibles for the Homeowner"

2:15PM - 2:30PM: Break

2:35PM – 3:35PM: Holly Scoggins, Ph.D. -- "Gardening Gaffes and Possible Solutions"

3:35PM – 3:45PM: Wrap up & Evaluations

Bryce Lane

Presentation: “If You Build It, They Will Come”

Presentation Description:

Join Bryce Lane and learn basic soil principles, and how we can use that understanding to improve our garden soils, properly prepare garden beds, reduce fertilizer inputs, compost, and maximize growth in our gardens.

Melanie W. Barrow

Presentation: "Lazy Landscape Design Like A Boss”

Spend less time tending to your yard and more time enjoying it!

Some people love the backbreaking business of taking care of their lawn and garden. Then there’s the rest of us: We’d rather relax and let our little piece of heaven largely take care of itself. This session will delve into planting techniques that will provide future plant sustainability, types of plants that are successful in our area, and easy landscaping ideas to make your outdoor space the envy of the neighborhood.

Michael McConkey

Presentation: “Less-Care Edibles for the Homeowner.”

Presentation description:

How to choose and care for plants that are edible, including vining types, shrubs, and fruit trees, which require less care but still look good in your landscape.

Holly Scoggins, Ph.D.

Presentation: "Gardening Gaffes and Possible Solutions"

Presentation description:

Like most avid gardeners Holly Scoggins, has walked into garden nurseries, looked around at all the wonderful plants, and just HAD to take some home with her. Drawing on her three decades of gardening history, including mistakes, Holly will discuss how and how not to take care of perennials and woodies.

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Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and local governments, and is an equal opportunity employer. For the full non-discrimination statement, please visit ext.vt.edu/accessibility. If you are a person with disability and require any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this event, contact Scott Baker, VCE Bedford, at 540.586.7675 (TDD # 800.828.1120) during business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) at least 5 days prior to this event.

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Host or Publisher Virginia Cooperative Extension -- Bedford