Horticulturist and garden writer Hugh Conlon will showcase “The Best Conifers for TN/VA Gardens” Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. at BrightRidge, (formerly Johnson City Power Board), 2600 Boones Creek Road (Hwy. 354), Johnson City. In a fast paced journey through the best performing needle evergreen trees and shrubs across the Southern Appalachian region, Conlon will specifically point out those conifers that are highly reliable for this area. He will also show how to landscape with evergreens and discuss their annual growth rate, best varieties, and where to purchase many of them.

Conlon has become an active garden writer and speaker since his retirement as a Horticulture Specialist from the University of Tennessee Extension. He has been a professional horticulturist for over 45 years, and has served on the SAPS Board since its inception including two terms as president.

His current activities include speaking at Master Gardener classes in Tennessee, at garden clubs, and at nursery/landscape programs in Tennessee and other states; contributing articles to Tennessee Gardener and other gardening magazines; and advising home gardeners and commercial landscapers, nursery and greenhouse growers.

The seminar is sponsored by the Southern Appalachian Plant Society (SAPS). The program is free to the public.

For more information, phone 423-348-6572 or email sapsinfo@embarqmail.com.