2026 CMGA Virtual garden Symposium
Gardening For Good
Resilient, Restorative, Regenerative Gardening
Saturday, February 7, 2026
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and Event Information
9:15 - 9:30 Lifetime Membership Awards
9:30 - 10:30 Rebecca McMackin
10:30 - 10:45 Q&A
10:45 - 11:00 Morning Break
11:00 - 12:00 Michael Washburn
12:15 - 12:30 Q&A
12:30 - 12:45 Lunch break
12:45 - 1:45 Kay Cafassa
1:45 - 2:00 Q&A
2:00- 2:15 Afternoon Break
2:15- 3:15 George Coombs
3:15 - 3:30 Q&A
symposium speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Rebecca McMackin
Permaculture Design Practices for Your Abundant Home Landscape
https://www.rebeccamcmackin.com/
Rebecca McMackin is an ecologically obsessed horticulturist and garden designer. She lives in the woods of Connecticut, writing, lecturing, and designing the occasional garden. She is a public servant, dedicated to bringing beauty and biodiversity to all corners of our cities. Her TED Talk has been viewed more than a million times.
Rebecca spent a decade as Director of Horticulture of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically and with an eye towards habitat creation for birds, butterflies, and soil microorganisms. Rebecca is the Lead Horticulturist for the American Horticultural Society
Michael Washburn - Preservation Director, Seed Savers Exchange
Michael Washburn serves as the Preservation Director at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, where they maintain a collection of 20,000 varieties of heritage garden seeds and apples. The Preservation Department works to educate about the importance of preserving biodiversity through seed stewardship. It provides programming and other opportunities that engage gardeners, farmers, seed savers, and breeders with their collections. Michael is a long-time seed saver focusing on southern US and Middle Eastern varieties. Over time, much of his work has focused on diverse organic farming systems and traditional farming practices.
Kay Cafassa - Director of Sowing Solutions Permaculture Design & Education
Permaculture Design Certification, Naropa University
Kay is a certified permaculture designer practicing the thoughtful design of ecological landscapes. She is also a certified design course instructor who has led over 25 Permaculture Design Certification Courses (PDC’s) to date, and has certified hundreds of graduates, while consciously designing and creating supportive learning environments.
CLOSING SPEAKER: George Coombs, Director of Horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center
https://mtcubacenter.org/
The Resilient Canopy Project at Mt. Cuba
George guides the care and development of one of the preeminent native plant gardens in America. To date his efforts have focused on making Mt. Cuba’s gardens more accessible to a growing number of guests as well as developing strategies to prepare and adapt the garden for a changing climate. Prior to his current role, George managed Mt. Cuba’s trial program, publishing several research reports and helping to bring new cultivars of native plants to market.
Non-Member $90
Members $60
Interns $40
Sponsored $40
Complimentary $0