High & Dry in the Chinook Zone
North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS)
Conference & Annual General Meeting
June 25-28, 2026 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The Calgary Rock and Alpine Garden Society (CRAGS) invites rock gardeners to Calgary next June to celebrate rock-loving plants and rock gardens.
Calgary is located on the western edge of the Northern Great Plains, within sight of the Rocky Mountains. Owing to its elevation (1045 m, 3400 ft) and associated cool nights, Calgary provides favorable conditions for rock and alpine gardens, despite the challenges of warm, drying winds (chinooks) that punctuate otherwise cold winters.
Nature abounds in the Calgary region, including six UNESCO World Heritage Sites with either alpine or dryland rock-loving vegetation within a 2 to 7 hour drive.
The 2026 meeting and associated activities promise to be engaging and informative. Confirmed speakers include Vojtěch Holubec (Czech Republic), Jay Akerley (Kamloops, British Columbia), Todd Boland (St. John’s, Newfoundland), Stephanie Ferguson (Calgary, Alberta), Mike Bone (Denver, Colorado) and John Noad (Calgary, Alberta).
Opportunities and challenges of gardening in the Chinook zone will be discussed during visits to gardens of CRAGS members and municipal rock gardens the club helped develop. Field trips to the nearby Front Range of the Rocky Mountains will provide guided introduction to the native alpine flora.
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