Georgia Native Plant Society Annual Symposium
Each year, the Georgia Native Plant Society holds a symposium to provide members and non-members with up-to-date information on native plants, their habitat and their conservation. Normally a one-day meeting, the symposium brings together a group of native plant experts who give individual presentations. Vendors sell native plants, books and other items, as well. In 2021, due to pandemic conditions, a two-day virtual format was adopted, and this will be continued in 2022.
This is your opportunity to:
- Listen and learn from distinguished speakers
- Take advantage of planting advice from skilled botanists and Master Gardeners
- Purchase native plants from nurseries all over Georgia
- Meet with wildlife and environmental organizations
- Learn about our Native Plant Habitat Certification program
- Check out crafts and gifts from local artists
- Purchase the Plant of the Year t-shirt
- Buy signed books authored by our speakers and distinguished members
- Get to know other chapters and their members
The first symposium was held on April 10, 1995. Sally and Andy Wasowski, authors of Gardening with Native Plants of the South, waived their normal speaker’s fee, as did Kathy Henderson and George Sanko, in order to promote the first symposium at DeKalb College. More recently, the symposia have been held at Middle Georgia State University.
Previous symposia
2021: Georgia’s Wildlife from the Ground Up — Why Native Plants and Places are Essential
2020: Creating and Connecting Native Habitats — How to Sustain Nature in our Yards and Communities
2019: Caring for Our Living Landscapes — How and Why
2018: Rooted in Trees — Landscaping in Harmony with our Native Environment
2017: Working with Nature — Rather than Against
(The first symposium was held in 1995.)
Symposium News
GNPS 2022 Symposium: A Virtual Event on February 19-20
The focus this year of the GNPS 2022 Symposium is Healing our Habitats: both at home and in designed landscapes, as well as conserving and restoring habitat in the wild. Through our actions and our designs, we have the ability to make a difference by getting more...

GNPS Symposium 2021: A Virtual Event on February 27-28
Symposium 2021 Georgia’s Wildlife From the Ground Up: Why Native Plants & Places are Essential