“Gardening for ALL Ages,” CT Hort’s Symposium, is scheduled for Oct. 24

Connecticut Horticultural Society Presents: 2026 Symposium: “Gardening for ALL Ages”
featuring Rebecca McMackin, Christine Darnell, Jennifer McGuinness and a panel of experts
Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Cromwell

The Connecticut Horticultural Society’s biennial symposium, “Gardening for ALL Ages,” returns in person on October 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Marriott Hartford Cromwell. The daylong event will feature presentations by garden experts Rebecca McMackin, Christine Darnell, and Jennifer McGuinness, followed by “Gardening at Every Age,” a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by Jim Sirch. Panelists include gardening experts at various stages of life and career: Karen Bussolini, Nancy DuBrule-Clemente, Dan Furman, Eric Mason, Jennifer McGuinness, and Jillian Shea.

The symposium is designed to inspire, enlighten, and educate novice and expert gardeners alike—of all ages.

Our keynote speaker is Rebecca McMackin, whose talk is “Adventures in Ecological Horticulture.” Rebecca McMackin has cultivated gorgeous landscapes in the toughest environments possible: urban parks, school playgrounds, and the sidewalks of New York City. She will take lessons from her work at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Museum, and decades of research to share how those of us who are fortunate enough to care for land, can do it beautifully and ecologically.

Christine Darnell’s will present “Approaching the Garden.” She is a garden and planting design specialist. Her firm, Christine Darnell Gardens, offers naturalistic planting design services in the CT area, and specializes in biodiverse landscapes and beautiful sustainable gardens. Christine is the vice-chair of Lyme’s Inland Wetlands and Conservation Committee, serves on the Building and Grounds Committee for the Florence Griswold Museum, and teaches landscape design for the Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association, training the next generation of gardeners, designers and nursery men and women.

Jennifer McGuinness will discuss “Designing for Birds: Lessons from an Evolving Garden.” Jen McGuinness is a lifelong gardener and the author of the award-winning Bird-Friendly Gardening, published by Cool Springs Press. She is also the garden writer and photographer behind Frau Zinnie (FrauZinnie.com), where she shares personal gardening insights, expert interviews, and seasonal inspiration. Based in Connecticut, she champions organic, wildlife-friendly gardening and brings a background in journalism, communications, and visual storytelling to her work.

Between speakers, symposium attendees can meet our many vendors.

Admission, which is the same as it was in 2020, includes coffee, buffet lunch. Parking is free. Register by October 1 and the cost is $95 for members, $125 for non-members, and $40 for students with a valid ID. From October 2-14, members are $120, non-members are $150, and students are $65. Seats are limited to 225. Sorry, no walk ins. Go to CTHort.org to register.