Guest speakers for the fourth annual Dowagiac Arbor Day observance next Saturday, April 30, from noon to 5 p.m. at Williams’ A-1 Expert Tree Service south of town on M-51, will be spouses Tom Conklin and Joyce Latta, partners in Walnut Hill Farm near Lawrence.

They have owned and worked their 310-acres farm since 1997.

Situated on rolling hills, it features a small lake, wetlands, a 12-acre restored prairie and nature trails, as well as one of the largest private rose garden displays in Michigan with more than 600 different varieties.

Together, they plant and maintain more than 1,500 roses in the ground. They have some 1,500 potted roses in their nursery for sale retail and wholesale, specializing in hardy varieties primarily grown on their own root.

Their garden display showcases unusual ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials and herbs. In fact, the couple gave the committee a Chinese Gingko for a door prize.

Their farm and gardens are enjoyed by numerous garden clubs, rose societies and artist groups. Tours, classes and workshops are scheduled throughout the growing season.

Conklin, educated at Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School, practiced law in Illinois and Michigan until 2009.

Latta, a licensed landscape architect with a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, has had her own firm, Camouflage, Ltd., since 1984, specializing in residential site design.

“Both of us give lectures and classes on a variety of horticultural topics,” said Joyce, who was in Dowagiac Wednesday evening for the committee meeting. “Tom is especially interested in horticultural history, and has lectured on Liberty Hyde Bailey in South Haven. Our farm is located just north of Dowagiac on C.R. 681.

“We are going to have a small table where attendees can bring their hand pruning shears to us to learn how to properly sharpen them (and actually do the sharpening) and we will also offer other pruning supplies available for sale.

“We met Dan and Dave while we were attending an International Society of Arboriculture Conference for continuing education over near Detroit last fall, and I think we determined we four were the only Certified Arborists from southwest Michigan who attended.

“For some reason most of the ISA Certified Arborists in Michigan live and work on the east and north parts of the state.  We were happy to meet Dave and Dan and to find that they are fine representatives of this profession in southwest Michigan, where ‘topping’ of trees by non-professionals is still all too common, and when asked to help with the Arbor Day celebration, were glad to help out. Tom will probably cover the history of Arbor Day and its founder, J. S. Morton, and I may give some thoughts on carrying Arbor Day into the future, through proper care of the trees we already have growing here.”

The committee moved Arbor Day events from after school on Friday afternoon outside City Hall to Saturday at a more spacious location in Pokagon Township in hopes of expanding participation. The city will be providing Dial-a-Ride bus service to the location.

There will be a plaque unveiled in memory of Tree City USA inspiration Edwin Darr, lunch, recognition of contest prize winners and demonstrations of tree climbing, planting and transplanting and specialized equipment.

Business sponsors include Judd Lumber, Haley’s Septic, Booth’s Country Florists, Creative Vinyl, Saylor’s Front Street Pizzeria, The Mane Attraction, Burling TLC, Elks Lodge 889, C Wimberley, The Rev’s Video, Garage Doors Plus More, LJ Packaging, Cross Excavating, the City of Dowagiac and its Fire Department, funeral director Brad Yazel, Harding’s and Pamida, as well as Williams A-! Expert Tree Service.

Merchant support enables the committee to award prizes for a poster contest, a photo contest and a chili contest, and to serve a lunch of chili, hot dogs and brats.