Photo © 2017 Regina Roach.
~ FORTIETH ANNUAL ~
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
40 Years – Celebrating the Ever-Changing Garden
The following horticultural luminaries are featured speakers at the 2026 symposium.
BRYCE LANE
The Joy of Gardening: How Plants Transform Our Perspective
Gardening is more than a hobby- it’s a lens through which we can better understand life. From love and time to history, art, career, and patience, the natural world offers profound lessons. In this engaging and thought provoking presentation, Bryce Lane shares how the act of gardening can shift our worldview and enrich our lives.
Bryce Lane is the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus at NC State University. After earning his BS in Plant Science at the University of Massachusetts and MS in Ornamental Horticulture at The Ohio State University in 1981. He has spent 34 years teaching and advising over 25,000 students and is the recipient of numerous local, regional and national teaching awards. From 2003-2014 Bryce hosted and produced a three-time Emmy-award winning UNC TV public television show called “In the Garden with Bryce Lane.”
PRESTON MONTAGUE
Towards Ecosystem Service Potential: A Decision-Making Framework for Gardeners
While access to plants and gardening information has never been greater, the abundance of resources – books, blogs, social media, and expert advice – can be overwhelming. Preston Montague presents a practical framework for garden decision-making, drawing on modern landscape design and land management practices to guide gardeners toward thoughtful, sustainable choices.
Preston Montague is founder of Preston Montague Studio. He is a landscape architect and artist whose goal is to strengthen relationships between people and the natural world. His degrees include a BFA from UNC-Greensboro, a Bachelor’s in Horticulture and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from NC State University. He leads a landscape and art studio practice focused on the design of environments that have narrative qualities, are experience-rich and ecologically robust in Durham, NC. He aims to create meaningful, resource-efficient, long-lived places that promote education, public-health, and environmental stewardship.
REBECCA SWEET
Refresh Your Garden Design: Simple Strategies to Wake a Weary Garden
Using vivid photography and real-life transformations, Rebecca Sweet will help you identify what’s not working in your garden – and how to fix it. With a balance of practical guidance and creative insight, she breaks down design principles into clear, doable steps that will bring new energy and beauty to your outdoor space.
Rebecca Sweet is a garden designer with her design firm, Harmony in the Garden. Her gardens have been featured in national and regional publications such as Sunset, Garden Design, Fine Gardening and Horticulture Magazine. She has been featured on the PBS series “Growing a Greener World” and has been a radio guest on numerous programs, including Martha Stewart Living. She is the author of nationally best-selling books and is a content creator for GardenDesign.com. In her blog, Harmony in the Garden, Rebecca shares tips on garden design, amusing observations, and how-to videos for novice to experienced gardeners.
BOBBY MOTTERN
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens: Where Craft and Nature Coalesce
Take a walk through Duke Gardens with Bobby Mottern and discover how expert craftsmanship and natural beauty come together. Through intentional design and the integration of materials like stone, wood, and metal, Bobby reveals how the garden’s dynamic plantings and scenic vistas create a space that is both artistic and deeply connected to nature.
Bobby Mottern is the Director of Horticulture at the world-renowned Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC. He leads a dynamic team of 16 horticulturists on this 53-acre botanic garden in the heart of Duke University campus. He has a BS in Horticulture from Clemson University and a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. His previous work experience includes: Reynolds and Jewell landscape architects in Raleigh, and 10 years as Director of Horticulture at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC.
