Celebrating
Native Plants
Two days honoring the remarkable plant diversity of the Southern Appalachians — one of the most biologically rich temperate regions on Earth.
Friday's plant sale & garden tours are free and open to all. Saturday's symposium, reception & auction are ticketed. Proceeds benefit the Botanical Gardens as the Station approaches its Centennial in 2027.
One of Earth's richest temperate landscapes
The Highlands Plateau is one of the most biologically rich temperate regions on the planet. Here, ancient mountains, abundant rainfall, and diverse habitats create a landscape where native plants shape entire ecosystems.
Every two years, this community gathers — a rhythm of return and renewal. As the Station enters its second century, the celebration carries that tradition forward, honoring a legacy of discovery while shaping the future of conservation.
Two days, one living collection
Spend Friday among the plants themselves, then gather Saturday for an afternoon of talks, conversation, and a live auction supporting the Garden.
Plant Sale & Garden Tours
A full day in the garden: shop a curated native plant sale, take a guided walk through the Botanical Gardens and campus grounds, and get a preview of Saturday's symposium.
Symposium, Reception & Auction
An afternoon of presentations from leading voices in botany, conservation, landscape design, and art — closing with a reception and a live plant auction benefiting the Garden.
What the weekend holds
Native Plant Sale
Take home plants suited to Southern Appalachian gardens, with loading help on site.
Guided Tours
Hour-long walks through the Botanical Gardens and Station grounds at four set times.
Leading Voices
Three acclaimed speakers spanning science, design, and deep botanical knowledge.
Live Plant Auction
Bid on rare and special plants — proceeds support the Botanical Gardens.
Three ways of seeing the natural world
Through science, through design, and through deep botanical knowledge. David George Haskell, Preston Montague, and Alan Weakley each bring a distinct voice — inviting us to look closer, think deeper, and connect more fully with the landscapes around us.
David George Haskell
David George Haskell is a writer and biologist acclaimed for his lyrical explorations of the living world. His 2026 book, How Flowers Made Our World, was described by The New York Times as a passionate floral manifesto that leaves readers cheering.
He is a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction, for The Forest Unseen and Sounds Wild and Broken, and his book The Songs of Trees won the John Burroughs Medal. He is a recipient of an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and has written essays and multimedia experiences for The New York Times, Emergence Magazine, and other venues.
A Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and a Guggenheim Fellow, Haskell is Adjunct Professor of Environmental Sciences at Emory University and Professor Emeritus at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
“How Flowers Made Our World” · 4:00 PM + Book Signing
Preston Montague
Preston Montague is an artist, educator, and landscape architect based in Durham, North Carolina, whose work explores the relationships between people, plants, and place. Through his studio, he blends art, horticulture, and landscape architecture to create meaningful, ecologically rich experiences that deepen public connection to the natural world.
He is especially known for his botanical illustrations and native plant advocacy, including his design for North Carolina's Venus flytrap specialty license plate, which celebrates one of the state's most iconic and imperiled plants. Montague has taught landscape architecture at North Carolina A&T State University and regularly shares his work through public programs, workshops, and garden-centered conversations.
His creative practice invites people to look more closely at the living world and to imagine landscapes as places of beauty, belonging, and ecological care.
Talk 2 + Q&A · 3:00 PM
Alan Weakley
Alan Weakley is a botanist, plant taxonomist, ecologist, and conservationist whose work has shaped the study and protection of plant life across the Southeastern United States. He serves as Director of the UNC Herbarium at the North Carolina Botanical Garden and is Adjunct Professor at UNC Chapel Hill and at Highlands Biological Station.
He is the author of Flora of the Southeastern United States, a landmark resource used by botanists, students, naturalists, land managers, and conservation professionals throughout the region. His career has included work with the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, and NatureServe, and he currently serves as Chief Botanist for the Southeastern Grasslands Institute.
Widely recognized for his deep knowledge of southeastern flora, Weakley brings together taxonomy, field biology, conservation planning, and a lifelong commitment to helping people better see and understand the plant world.
Talk 1 + Q&A · 2:15 PMPlan your weekend
Native Plant Sale
Guided Tours (~1 hour each)
Doors Open
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Talk 1 + Q&A
Talk 2 + Q&A
Break
Talk 3 + Q&A + Book Signing
Reception & Live Plant Auction
Reserve your place among the plants
Join us September 11–12 to celebrate the native flora of the Southern Blue Ridge — and help grow the Garden into its second century. Friday's plant sale and tours are free; Saturday's symposium is ticketed, and seating is limited.
Register for the Symposium