The Master Gardeners in California are planning a statewide conference for October 5-6, 2006 to be held at the Dolce Hayes Mansion in San Jose. This conference will be attended by Master Gardeners from all over the state, from Eureka to San Diego, from the coast to the mountains. The Mansion, once a lavish private estate, is convenient to both San Francisco and San Jose Airports and is conveniently located in close proximity to many of the premier recreational facilities in Northern California. In addition to well equipped meeting rooms and guest rooms, The Spa at Dolce Hayes Mansion includes a fully equipped fitness center, heated swimming pool and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. A planning committee of enthusiastic Master Gardeners and UCCE staff are arranging a dynamic program of speakers and topics.

The conference will include four primary topics:

• Low-impact landscaping to foster sustainable use of natural resources
• Environmentally sensitive pest management and control of invasive species
• Improvement of water quality through management of non-point source pollution
• Garden-based learning at school gardens and other community sites

This conference will provide Master Gardeners with excellent, current information, the opportunity to network with each other, and a chance to celebrate 25 years of the Master Gardener Program in California. Mark your calendars for Oct 5-7, 2006! Further information can be found in the most recent Press Release.