The garden has gone global!

In 2009, three botanical gardens located in three different parts of the world will observe monumental anniversaries: 250 years of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew; 150 years of the Singapore Botanic Gardens; and 150 years of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. These gardens, along with hundreds of other botanical institutions around the globe, have been collectively greening the planet long before "green" became the universal buzzword of today.

We invite you to join us in celebrating "The Global Garden" at the 2009 APGA Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Beneath the shadow of the Arch, the city once known as the "Gateway to the West" has become the gateway to advancing plant and life sciences research. Playing a crucial role in this thriving "BioBelt" is your conference host, the Missouri Botanical Garden. Led by Dr. Peter Raven, TIME Magazine's "Hero for the Planet" and a world authority on biodiversity and plant conservation, the Garden has branched out beyond its 79 beautiful acres to encompass one of the world's largest plant science and conservation programs. The institution's "unseen garden" behind-the-scenes is now visible in 36 countries around the globe, as 50 Ph.D. botanists and countless others work to identify, classify and conserve species in areas rich in biodiversity yet threatened by habitat destruction.

The Missouri Botanical Garden isn't the only renowned attraction the Gateway City boasts. St. Louis's jewel, Forest Park, is one of the largest urban parks in the country with an expansive 1,300 acres (500 more than Central Park). Inside, visit the nationally-ranked St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Science Center and Missouri History Museum -- all free of charge. Nearer the mighty Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch Museum of Westward Expansion and the Anheuser-Busch Brewery offer a look back at the city's proud history. While fun is inevitable, education is an integral component of the trip. To that end, six program tracks will address key issues facing each member of The Global Garden:

Administration and Management: "Captain and Crew"
Horticulture: "Passport to Plants"
Education: "Itineraries"
Conservation and Research: "Growing, Growing, Growing...Gone?"
Visitor Experience: "How Was Your Stay?"
Marketing and Development: "Dollars, Pesos, Euros, and Yen"

Won't you join the journey? Passengers are now boarding. The Global Garden: APGA Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. June 23-27, 2009.

Conference Program
Download the Conference Program

Presenting Sponsor
Rain Bird Corporation