Education and sharing of knowledge is a major component of the 69th Annual International Lily Show & Symposium. While you leisurely tour the Chicago Botanic Garden, take a break to attend our exciting educational symposiums composed of expert speakers from across North America. We will have concurrent symposium sessions, or a session and an activity, from which you can choose to attend. Please review our current line-up of speakers below, and continue to check back for complete bios and expansion of symposium topics;
Dr. Johnny Randall will present the Ben Gowen Memorial Lectures. Dr. Randall was the recipient of a NALS Research Trust Fund Grant. Dr. Randall represents the North Carolina Botanical Garden and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The lectures are sponsored by the North Star Lily Society. He will speak about Sandhills lily (Lilium pyrophilum): Runs, hits, and errors in rare plant recovery and Rare Plants - preservation.
Brent Heath, a third generation bulb grower and co-owner of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, is a wholesale/retail mail-order business that provides numerous types of bulbs to many botanical gardens, cities, universities, landscape designers and discriminating gardeners across the country. The following two presentations are being offered:
- Lovely Long-Lasting Lilies and Awesome Alliums: a real garden treat awaits you as alliums and lilies unfold their myriad of colorful and fragrant blossoms. Brent will review overall samples of each genus and discuss best cultural practices to keep them blooming repeatedly for years.
- Bulbs as Companion Plants: Whether you are planning to plant bulbs in a fresh, newly prepared empty garden, or whether you are adding them to an already existing one, this seminar will have the answers for you!
- Shoot That Lily! Part 1: Ever wonder how Frans seems to capture the essence of a lily in a photograph? Frans will present his tips and techniques. Then YOU spend the rest of the day practicing with your camera to be ready for Part 2.
- Shoot That Lily! Part 2: Weather permitting, you will take a walk with Frans for a hands-on approach to taking portraits of flowers and plants. Don’t forget to share the photographs you took after the Part 1 session to gain important advice.
Brian Bergman of Toronto, Ontario, will talk about My pursuit of Lilies for the Garden, hybridizing to find that perfect lily with staying power. He will share his thoughts on his favorite lilies and why.
Ieuan Evans of Alberta, and a possible surprise guest speaker, will present Magical lilies from test tube beginnings.
Warren Summers of Michigan will present on Lily Hybridizing in North America, covering many of the most important and significant accomplishments in lilies throughout the years, as well as introduce many of the hybridizers and characters in the lily world involved in these accomplishments.
Art Evans of Arkansas will present Rhizoctonia Kills Lilies! Dire threats require dire measures; learn more about this dastardly fungus.
Kathleen Hoxie of Virginia and Bill Hessel will talk about Designing with Lilies, they will show you how to create floral arrangements using lilies as the main focus.
David Maltby of Ontario, will present on Eastern North American Lilies.
The Chicago Botanic Garden will lend their expertise in the following two areas;
- Meet and Greet with Jim Ault, tour the Breeding and Evaluation Programs in the New Lab Center. We will be meeting at the Bernice E. Lavin Plant Evaluation Garden which is about a half mile walk from the visitor's center.
- Chicago Botanic Garden Library will conduct a special tour of rare books, with a focus on Lilium.
Final confirmations have been received from our symposium speakers. To review speaker biographies, and expansion of Symposium Session, please click on the Speaker's name.
