Just yesterday I ventured out onto my back porch for a visit with my father-in-law and I noticed one of the first signs that gardening season has come upon us -- pollen on my outdoor furniture. This begins every February in South Carolina, yet it catches me by surprise every year.

Gardening enthusiasts will have an opportunity to learn new skills and enhance established ones this week at Historic Columbia’s 2013 Gardening Symposium, which begins at 8:30 a.m. Friday, March 1, at the breathtaking Robert Mills House & Gardens in the heart of Columbia.

The keynote speaker will be Bill Alexander, a landscape and forest historian who has managed the diverse gardens and landscape of Asheville’s famed Biltmore Estate for 35 years. Alexander will share some of his wealth of knowledge about the estate’s history as a working, self-sustaining property. He is a frequent speaker on the topic and has written a well-received book, “The Biltmore Nursery: A Botanical Legacy.” These days, many gardeners are interested in making their properties more sustainable and naturally abundant, so this will certainly be a special treat.

Other participating speakers include:

* Andy Cabe, director of Riverbanks Zoo Botanical Gardens,
* Eric McClam, co-founder and farm manager of City Roots Urban Farm,
* Betsy Kaemmerlen, LEED-AP and landscape architect,
* Dr. Jeffery Adelberg, Clemson University Associate Professor,
* John Sherrer, director of cultural resources at Historic Columbia Foundation,
* And David Simpson, director of grounds at Historic Columbia Foundation.

Registration fees for the symposium are $50 for HCF members, $65 for non-members and $35 for students. The fees include lunch, snacks, a post-event reception and a walking tour of the beautiful gardens of Columbia’s Heathwood neighborhood at 10 a.m. March 2. Click here to register. For additional information, call Sara Blackwell at Historic Columbia at (803) 252-1770, ext. 33.