Gardening to the Moon and Back
May 6-8, 2026
The Alabama Master Gardeners Association’s 2026 Annual State Conference will be held Wednesday, May 6 through Friday, May 8 in Huntsville.
Registration Closed
Featured Speakers
Doug Tallemy
Keynote Speaker Thursday Evening
Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he authored 114 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 45 years.
Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities.
His books include Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rich Darke, Nature’s Best Hope, a New York Times Best Seller, The Nature of Oaks, winner of the American Horticultural Society’s 2022 book award.
In 2021, he cofounded Homegrown Natural Park with Michelle Alfandari.
His awards include recognition from The Garden Writer’s Association, Audubon, The National Wildlife Federation, Allegheny College, Ecoforesters, The Garden Club of America, The Herb Society, and The American Horticultural Association.
Harvey Cotten
Keynote Speaker Wednesday Evening
Harvey Cotten is a garden writer, designer, and consultant. After 22 years with the Huntsville Botanical Garden, most recently as vice president and chief horticulturist, he retired in 2014. He continues to present workshops for the Botanical Garden, Master Gardener Associations, Garden Clubs, and other botanical gardens and arboreta while lecturing across the southeast on various garden topics.
Harvey is very active in the industry. He currently serves as president of the Alabama Nurserymen’s Association and is past president of the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and the Alabama Invasive Plant Council. Harvey co-authored the popular book Easy Gardens for the South published in 2009. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Mississippi State University. Prior to joining the Huntsville Botanical Garden staff, he was general manager of Monmouth Plantation in Natchez, MS, and co-owner of Chase Nursery Co in Huntsville.
Edward Pate
“Everything grows better with love”
Edward Pate
After retiring from public education where he taught writing and literature to Grade 6 through law school seniors, Dr. Edward Pate became an Alabama Master Gardener. Since 2022, through the Master Gardener program, Pate, known as “Garden Man” to students, has applied his love for learning, people, and nature to the development of school gardens at Conecuh County Junior High School and Repton Junior High School in partnership with the Conecuh County Extension Service.
Through regular Garden Days in the gardens, students (PreK to 6th Grade) learn diverse lessons about growing plants, beneficial and harmful insects, nutrition, and effects of weather, among others. Through the Grow More Give More program, students also help their communities by donating fresh produce from the gardens to those in need- Donations now total almost 400 pounds!
The main ingredient of a successful garden? Says Pate, “Everything grows better with love”.
Patrick Thompson
Patrick Thompson grew up in Shades Mountain near Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated with a Masters of Science degree from the Auburn University Department of Horticulture in 2018. He has been employed by the Auburn Department of Biological Sciences’ Davis Arboretum since the year 2000.
Patrick has curated the Arboretum’s oak collection and deciduous azalea collection since 2008, and both are now certified by the Association of the Public Gardens of America’s Plant Collection Network.
He is an honorary Lee County Master Gardener, a climbing arborist, and the coordinator of Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance.
Jesse Akozbek
Jesse is a forager, and he wants you to be one too! He has taught thousands of students how to bring wild food into their lives through in-person foraging walks and online videos on his page, Feral Foraging, and his app, Gather: The Foraging App.
Obsessed with developing and refining better methods for gathering and processing wild food, Jesse is always looking for ways to make foraging easier and more accessible for everyone.
He helps students build a strong foundation for their foraging journey—emphasizing core skills and guiding them to put it all together, brick by brick.
Darryl Patton
Mr. Patton has been hunting, gathering and working with medicinal plants for the past twenty-five years on Lookout Mountain in the Southern Appalachians. He is a Master Herbalist and brings many years of experience to the field of alternative medicine.
Darryl is the author of, Mountain Medicine, The Herbal Remedies of Tommie Bass, published by Natural Reader Press and has appeared on Alabama Public Television and the Comedy Channel. Darryl has also been featured in many newspaper and magazine articles relating to the uses of medicinal plants and is in demand nationally as a speaker on alternative medicine.
Darryl operates a wilderness survival training school in the mountains of North Alabama where he teaches a wide range of subjects including medicinal plant walks and one-on-one apprenticeships for those seeking to further their knowledge in the world of herbs and alternative medicine.
Cindy Upton
Cindy Upton was born in Decatur, AL. where she still lives, and has been an Alabama Master Gardener since 2001. She loves reading gardening books like some people read novels.
Cindy’s relatives were mostly farmers on Sand Mountain, and growing up with garden chores made her hate everything about it! It wasn’t until much later when she got her own house and planted her first thing: a hydrangea shrub, that she realized she loves gardening after all! She barely dug a hole big enough to cram it in, and her Dad discovered her poor attempt and showed her the right way-while laughing at her! She still has that hydrangea but not her Dad…except that she can go visit that sweet memory anytime she feels like it by looking at that shrub.
Plants and gardens have such a wonderful place in our lives, and she was just hooked after her hydrangea experience. She guesses that gardening was in her blood after all.
Cindy has worked for NASA for 36 years, and loves it. She manages the National Space Science & Technology Center, where fascinating research is done in many areas of earth and space science
Pre-conference Tours
Pre-conference Tour Descriptions
Wednesday Tours, May 6, 2026:
Tours are at various locations and times. Please note that some tours have a cost associated with the activity.
*Tour#1: Walk Huntsville Botanical Garden (HBG) with Harvey Cotten, 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, check-in Murray Hall, limited to 35 people. 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue Huntsville, 35805
Meet Harvey at the Cherry Circle, a short walk from the Propst Guest Center, for an informative and historical walk through the Gardens. Mr. Cotten was the Chief Horticulturist at the Garden from its inception and was featured in the Huntsville Times’ Living section called Dear Harvey, where he answered gardening questions weekly, for many years. He also had a weekly TV spot full of gardening tips and pertinent information. Come with questions, because he’s sure to have an answer!
*Tour#2: Hudson Alpha Greenhouse, 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM, check-in at Hudson Alpha GH, limited to 25 people for each tour session. 601 Genome Way Huntsville, 35806
Get a behind the scenes guided tour of Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology’s 14,000- square-foot glass greenhouse. The highly sophisticated facility is equipped with two lab spaces, seven grow rooms with fifteen-foot ceilings, and several technologically advanced features rarely found in other greenhouses. The facility will help researchers in the Hudson Alpha Center for Plant Science and Sustainable Agriculture (Plant Center) advance their mission to use genomics to help sustainably feed and fuel our planet.
*Tour#3: US Space & Rocket Center, 1:00 PM-3:30 PM, $20, check-in at USSRC, limited to 45 people. 1 Tranquility Base Huntsville, 35805
Take a self-guided tour of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, a museum operated by the state of Alabama, showcasing rockets, achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program.
*Tour#4: Bonnie Plants, 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM, check-in at Bonnie Plants, limited to 25 people for each tour session. 1601 South Monroe Street Athens 35611
Take a guided tour of the Bonnie Plant Farm greenhouse range in Athens, Alabama, a short drive from Huntsville. Today, Bonnie Plants are available in all 50 states (plus Canada) and come in nearly 300 varieties (including Organics!), many of which have been test-grown in their own garden in Union Springs, Alabama. Bonnie Plants don’t travel far to make it to you, either, as they now have over 70 growing stations across the country.
*Tour#5: Harvest Square Nature Preserve, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, $50, limited to 15 people. 111 Allyson Sadie Boulevard Harvest 35749
Go on a guided foraging walk with conference speaker Jesse Akozbek, founder of Feral Foraging, an organization dedicated to educating others about safely foraging for wild edibles. Jesse’s website states the purpose of his company is: To create a world with more foragers who are deeply connected with their land and inspired to defend it, thus carving a path to reverse the loss of natural habitat.
*Tour#6: Herb & Terry Lewis’ Garden, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, check-in at their address, limited to 25 people. 1709 Montdale Road Huntsville 35801
Herb and Terry Lewis, honorary Master Gardeners, have turned their backyard into a birding oasis complete with water features, time tested feeders, and walking paths all within a carefully curated habitat of ornamental and native plants. Together the Lewis’ have spread their love of gardening and their bird watching enthusiasm to HBG where you can stroll the Lewis Birding Trail and explore Tweetsville, to Hudson Alpha’s Terry and Herb Lewis Demonstration Garden, and bird blinds built for the Land Trust of North Alabama. While this is a self-guided experience the Lewis’ will be on hand to answer questions.
*Tour#7: Tram tour of HBG for AMGA Board of Directors, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, limited to 24 people.
Huntsville Botanical Garden staff will drive the AMGA Board members through the Garden on a narrated tram tour lasting 1 hour. This will be both informative and visually special as you travel to the best of the Garden’s Naturally Delightful environment. Meet your driver in the Atrium of the Prost Guest Center.
Pre-conference Demonstrations and Workshops
Pre-conference Demonstrations and Workshops
Wednesday Workshops:
Workshop space is limited. There is a charge for workshops #1 & #2. The workshops are held at Huntsville Botanical Garden (HBG), Murray Hall. 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue Huntsville, 35805
9:00 AM-10:30 AM: *WS#1, Hydroponics, Murray Hall, $35, 35 people
Discover how to take your gardening skills to the next level with hydroponics! This hands-on workshop will introduce the fundamentals of soilless growing systems. Learn how hydroponics can be adapted for both small-scale home use and educational or community garden projects. Participants will also build and take home their own mini deep water culture hydroponic system to continue exploring at home. Whether you’re a seasoned Master Gardener or just curious about innovative growing methods, this session will equip you with practical knowledge and inspiration to bring hydroponics to life in your own home or garden. Taught by Regional Extension Agent Brian Brown.
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: *WS#2, Floral Arrangement, Murray Hall, $35, 30 people
Join us for a fun, flower-filled workshop of creativity! You’ll learn the essentials of floral design from home horticulture agent Lilly Oaks. Experiment with color and texture, and build your own beautiful arrangement to bring home and enjoy.
2:00 PM-2:45 PM: *WS#3, Social Media Guidelines for MG, Free, 45 people
How can you get the word out to your community about what Extension Master Gardeners do, who we are, and how they can become involved? Social Media! This workshop will cover purpose, tips for effective posting, samples, and a Q&A time. While the workshop will focus primarily on the use of Facebook, the information can be applied to a variety of social media platforms. Taught by MGNA Member Anita Reeves.
Wednesday Demonstrations:
Demonstrations are no-charge, at HBG, and are all 30 minutes in length and limited to 30 people each. Start times for each are 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, and 12:30 PM.
*Demonstration #1: Vegetable Garden, check-in Murray Hall
The Demonstration Vegetable Garden, maintained by the Master Gardeners of North Alabama, showcases various gardening styles like traditional row, wide row, raised bed, and square-footgardening. It features a collection of All America Selections and heirloom vegetables suitable for the region. The garden not only produces a bounty of vegetables donated to local organizations, but also demonstrates composting techniques, offering valuable insights for home gardeners.
*Demonstration #2: Fern Glade, check-in Murray Hall
The Fern Glade is a serene area showcasing nearly 150 species of ferns along winding paths. This shady oasis, located at the Nature Trail’s northern end, features both deciduous and evergreen ferns that thrive in the region. Notable species include the Christmas Fern and the Cinnamon Fern. The glad also features a waterfall, and, belvedere, enhancing the tranquil atmosphere.
*Demonstration #3: Herb Garden, check-in Murray Hall
The Herb Garden spans a quarter-acre and features 13 themed gardens alongside a charming herb cottage. Central to the garden is a Knot Garden, with beds designed for accessibility. Themes range from Culinary to Fragrance, with a special Tussie Mussie bed conveying messages through the language of flowers. Maintained by the Huntsville Herb Society, the garden is a living showcase of herbs’ rich history and utility.
*Demonstration #4: Daylily Garden, check-in Murray Hall
The Van Valkenburgh Daylily Garden is a display recognized by the American Hemerocallis Society. It boasts more than 700 cultivars, offering a rich tapestry of colors, sizes, and forms. Each plant is labeled with its cultivar name and hybridizer, and the collection is continually updated with new cultivars. The peak bloom season starts in late May, reaching its zenith in mid-June, and continues with reblooms until frost.
*Demonstration #5: Grubbers, check-in Murray Hall
The Mathews Nature Trail takes visitors through a southeastern lowland forest, showcasing a variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. It’s known for its seasonal beauty, with spring wildflowers, summer blooms, and vibrant fall foliage. The trail is maintained by the “Grubbers.”
Click here to download the Pre-conference Demonstrations and Workshops
Conference Schedule
2026 AMGA State Conference Agenda
Westin at Bridge Street Town Centre
Gardening to the Moon and Back
May 6 – 8, 2026
Huntsville, Alabama
Wednesday Workshops and Demonstrations, May 6, 2026
9:00 AM Registration Check-in Opens at the Westin Hotel
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM *Free Access to Huntsville Botanical Garden (HBG), register at Murray Hall
Wednesday Workshops:
Workshop space is limited. There is a charge for workshops #1 & #2. The workshops are held at Huntsville Botanical Garden, Murray Hall
9:00 AM-10:30 AM: *WS#1, Hydroponics, Murray Hall, $35, 35 people
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: *WS#2, Floral Arrangement, Murray Hall, $35, 30 people
2:00 PM-2:45 PM: *WS#3, Social Media Guidelines for MG, Free, 45 people
Wednesday Demonstrations:
Demonstrations are no-charge, at HBG, and are all 30 minutes in length and limited to 30 people each. Start times for each are 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, and 12:30 PM.
*Demonstration #1: Vegetable Garden, check-in Murray Hall
*Demonstration #2: Fern Glade, check-in Murray Hall
*Demonstration #3: Herb Garden, check-in Murray Hall
*Demonstration #4: Daylily Garden, check-in Murray Hall
*Demonstration #5: Grubbers, check-in Murray HallWednesday Tours, May 6, 2026:
Tours are at various locations and times. Please note that some tours have a cost associated with the activity.
*Tour#1: Walk HBG with Harvey Cotten, 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, check-in Murray Hall, limited to 35 people. 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue Huntsville, 35805
*Tour#2: Hudson Alpha Greenhouse, 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM, check-in at Hudson Alpha GH, limited to 25 people for each tour session. 601 Genome Way Huntsville, 35806
*Tour#3: US Space & Rocket Center, 1:00 PM-3:30 PM, $20, check-in at USSRC, limited to 45 people. 1 Tranquility Base Huntsville, 35805
*Tour#4: Bonnie Plants, 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM, check-in at Bonnie Plants, limited to 25 people for each tour session. 1601 South Monroe Street Athens 35611
*Tour#5: Harvest Square Nature Preserve, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, $50, limited to 15 people. 111 Allyson Sadie Boulevard Harvest 35749
*Tour#6: Herb & Terry Lewis’ Garden, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, check-in at their address, limited to 25 people. 1709 Montdale Road Huntsville 35801
*Tour#7: Tram tour of HBG for AMGA Board of Directors, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, limited to 24 people.
Wednesday Program, May 6, 2026
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Vendors and Silent Auction Open
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM *Reception and Harvey Cotten Book Signing
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM *Welcome and Speaker Introduction
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM *Session 1: Speaker, Harvey Cotten
Thursday Program, May 7, 2026
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast on your own
8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Vendors and Silent Auction Open
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM *Welcome, Speaker TBD
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM *Session 2: Speaker, Edward Pate
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Break and Door Prizes
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM *Session 3: Speaker, Patrick Thompson
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM *Lunch – BBQ or Vegetarian
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM *AMGA Business Meeting
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM *Session 4: Speaker, Jessie Akozbek
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Break and Door Prizes
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM *Session 5: Speaker Darryl Patton
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM *Awards
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Vendors and Silent Auction Open
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM *Book Signing: Doug Tallamy
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM *Dinner – Italian or Vegetarian
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM *Session 6: Doug Tallamy
Friday, May 8, 2026
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast on your own
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM *Session 7: Cindy Upton
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Closing Remarks, Adjournment
10:30 AM – 12:00 N Pay and Pickup Silent Auction Item
Conference Brochure
Booking
Special Group Rate:
The Marriot Westin Huntsville Hotel offers a special group rate of $179.00 USD per night. The last day to book the special group rate is Monday, April 20, 2026.
Click the link below to book your room now! There’s no special code; it’s a direct link to our group rate.
Book Your Group Rate for the Alabama Master Gardeners Association State Conference 2026 Here
Other suggestions for local hotels in proximity to the event:
Sonesta Simply Suites, Huntsville Research Park
0.58 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
Sleep Inn & Suites, Huntsville
1.78 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
Surestay by Best Western, Huntsville
2.3 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
Huntsville Marriott Space & Rocket Center
2.6 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
2.9 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
1.6 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
Hampton Inn & Suites Huntsville Research Park Area
0.7 Miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
Hyatt Place Huntsville Research Park
0.2 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
Clarion Pointe Huntsville Research Park
1.7 miles from Bridge Street Town Centre
0.6 miles to Bridge Street Town Centre
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Any 2026 Conference Registration Cancellation must be made, in writing, no later than April 15, 2026. 50% of the Registration fee will be eligible for refund. No refund will be provided for T-shirts, workshops or excursions. No refund will be provided for ConferenceAttendee Cancellations once the stated date has lapsed. Written request should be sent electronically to Norris Johnston at h2odocnnj@gmail.com and copied to Susan Steele at ssteele1954@yahoo.com.
Refund Disbursement:
– If your cancellation request is approved, your refund, in the form of a check, will be sent to you by the state AMGA treasurer.
– We are unable to refund your credit card directly
