Lahr Native Plant Symposium and Sale
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Date/Time
Saturday, April 2, 2016
All Day
Location
U.S. National Arboretum
Categories
This is always a great event with speakers, networking and plant sales. Snowzilla postponed the publication of the details, but when it’s ready by Feb 8, you can find it here: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Education/events.html
Who is the Lahr Symposium named for?
Maureen, it took a little searching to find the answer, but our President, Nancy Vehrs, attended the Symposium this year and she had this from a brochure they handed out:
Why is Today’s Program Called the Lahr Symposium?
George and Kathleen (Kay) Lahr were remarkable supporters of the National Arboretum. The Lahrs first discovered the Arboretum through their memberships in the National Capital Area Federation of Garden Clubs and the Men’s Garden Club of Montgomery County. Both were regular volunteers in the early days of Fern Valley, but it was Kay who committed to a full-time schedule. From about 1960 through 1985, she could be found at the Arboretum five days a week. Whether she was illustrating an Arboretum publication, creating a display for Fern Valley, working in the Arbor House Gift Shop, or gardening in the Old Country Garden, Kay had something to contribute every day. For 25 years she was also a popular tour guide at the Arboretum.
After Kay passed away in 1986, friends of Kay and her husband George created a fellowship for the Fern Valley Native Plant Collection to commemorate the couple’s many contributions to the Arboretum.
The spirit of generosity that the Lahrs engendered continues today through the Lahr Symposium and the contributions of so many who make the Symposium and the Fern Valley internship possible.
So, there you have it!