The Lakeland Gardeners will sponsor their fifth annual Gardening Northwoods style Conference Saturday, March 16, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Lake of the Torches Convention Center, 510 Old Abe Road (Hwy. 47), Lac Du Flambeau. All who are interested in Gardening are welcome. Registration for the event closes March 9 and registration includes continental breakfast and buffet lunch.

The goal of the Lakeland Gardeners is to offer gardening education to Northwoods residents. The conference will feature garden vendors displaying many items. The main focus of this year’s conference is working around a landscaping theme. Attendees will have time between the presentations to talk with vendors and visit friends.

This year’s Keynote speaker is Tom Girolamo, a sustainable landscape expert. He is the author of Your Eco-Friendly Yard: Sustainable Ideas to Save You Time, Money and the Earth. His presentations will be “The Real Secrets to Sustainable Gardening in the North,” and “Best Practices for Sustainable Gardens, Landscapes and Properties.”

Scott Reuss will also speak at the conference. He has been the UW-Extension Agriculture and Horticulture Educator for Florence, Oconto and Marinette counties since 1997. He is active with Master Gardeners Groups, home garden management, plant pest identification and management, and residential lawn, tree and shrub care in these counties. He will cover the timing of seed starting, selection and successful planting, as well as the pre-season use of cold frames, hot boxes and similar structures, and late-season protection methods.

Justin Cerney, who will also present at the conference, is part owner of Cerney’s Greenhouse in Tomahawk. He is a frequent speaker at Nicolet College. He will talk about “Container Gardening with Perennials, Annuals and Vegetables.”

Vendors interested in promoting their art may contact Chris Kosin for information at kosin.chris@gmail.com or (715) 588-3043. To pre-register or for additional information, log on to gardeningnorthwoodsstyle.com or call Chris Kosin at the number listed above.