2026 CMGA annual garden Symposium
Saturday, February 7, 2026
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Virtual
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Business meeting & Lifetime Membership Awards
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Rebecca McMackin
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.
10:45 AM -11:45 AM 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.
11:45-12:30 Break
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Kay Cafassa-Director of Sowing Solutions Permaculture Design & Education
Permaculture Design Certification, Naropa Unuversity. 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
1:45PM-2:45PM
George Coombs Bio
George Coombs is the director of horticulture at Mt. Cuba Center where he 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
Honorary $0