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GWA Portland Symposium
September 19 – 22, 2008
Portland “The City of Roses” was our host
city for the 60th Annual Symposium. It was fitting as Portland has about
37,000 acres of parks and gardens and 3 Rose Gardens. I have only been a
member since 2000 I think and would not miss these for the world now ...
they are so worthwhile. We get to meet in incredible cities, visit the best
private and public gardens, meet old friends and make new ones, see the
latest and newest in garden plants and accessories, enjoy wonderful meals
together and most of all network with our peers. I belong to Region VII
which is Canada and International. Thankfully moving to Panama still means I
am part of my Region because over the years I have met some awesome people –
and you have too as some of them are writers on our site!
Portland Airport has one of the coolest modes of transport – right from the
baggage area you walk out the door and there is MAX…buy your ticket, hop on
and in a matter of less than 30 minutes you have arrived in the center of
Portland and seen some nice scenery along the way. This ticket cost us at
that time $2.30 and since we were staying at the Doubletree Lloyd Center,
dropped us off about 2 minutes away.
Hotel check in was fast and the Doubletree has fresh chocolate chip cookies
that they hand out to you on your way to your room so that you can make a
nice cup of tea, enjoy your cookies and unpack to get ready for the
symposium. Our rooms were lovely, large and quiet and I even had a balcony.
The 19th was our registration, first timer get together for those new
members and exhibits opened. With 80 booths, this year’s Garden Products
Information Exhibition was one of the most exciting places for any garden
communication expert to expand their knowledge of current garden trends,
products, and information. I then went out for dinner hosted by Gardenmedia
Group that was in an incredible little restaurant with these wonderful
birdhouses scattered in the garden. Our tables were outside, the weather was
perfect and the meal was excellent! All the foods were locally grown and
prepared with loving care. No wonder this place is busy all the time! From
Farm to Table Cuisine in Portland, OR at Meriwether’s Restaurant, 2601 N.W.
Vaughn Street Portland, Oregon
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