January is a time for planning among gardeners. It is a relaxing time for gardeners when the snow is on the ground and the cold weather keeps us inside to plan ahead for spring activities. There are many upcoming garden events that should interest all gardeners, but they all will require planning ahead.

First, locally the Jackson Men's Garden Club will hold a one-day Garden Symposium at the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School on Saturday, Feb. 29, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Annual flowers, safe insect and weed control, landscaping and lawn care, flower arranging, iris and rose culture will be the topics discussed by accredited speakers. There is a fee of $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Watch the Southeast Missourian for more details of the symposium.

The 1992 Orchid Show now going on at Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, featuring a dazzling array of orchids in their natural setting in a tropical rainforest, will be held until Feb. 16. This year's orchid show emulates a rainforest with orchids, waterfalls, vines and other visual elements.

The show is being held in Orthwein Floral Display Hall in the Garden's Ridgway Center. Also, enjoy the "Orchids of Gold" exhibit by Mickey A. Nax in the foyer of the Orthwein Floral Hall. Mrs. Nax is presenting a display of nearly 100 orchid sculptures of 14-18 carat gold. These amazing miniature sculptures are cast from living flowers and are perfect in every detail.

The Botanical Garden's Spring Flower Show will be held March 7 through April 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Meandering paths lined with dogwood, redbuds and forsythias will lead to a charming Ozark mill and mill pond in the Orthwein Floral Display Hall. Violets, Jack-in-the-pulpits, delphiniums, bleeding hearts, shooting stars and more will fill the air with refreshing scents. Missouri Botanical Garden is at 2345 Tower Grove Avenue.

Also in St. Louis, the Junior League of St. Louis will host its second annual flower show April 23 through 26. Theme of the show will be "The Secret Garden," an exploration of English gardening. It is inspired by London's famous Chelsea Flower Show. It will be held at Queeny County Park, 550 Weidman Road.

There will be 20 life-size landscaped gardens to showcase English gardening at its best. These include water gardens, a garden train chugging overhead on trellises of wisteria, Victorian Childrens' Garden with a fully furnished playhouse, and perennial flower beds laid out in perfect designs. There will be 80 booths filled with tempting flower- and garden-related items for sale.

AmeriFlora '92 will be a world celebration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' maiden voyage to the New World. This event will be held in Columbus, Ohio, from April 20 to October 12.

Exploring the role of plants in our national heritage, AmeriFlora will be the first and largest international garden exposition ever held in the United States. It will be held in an 88-acre park, and will integrate art and entertainment around the theme, "Our Green Heritage."

During the opening week of April 20-May 3, a worldwide competition for production excellence will be held. Horticultural producers throughout the globe will enter their best foliage, flowers, trees and shrubs in competition for coveted recognition by the International Producers. The Floridae is held every 10 years in Amsterdam, and we had the opportunity of attending this outstanding event 10 years ago. It is also being held there this year. AmeriaFlora 92 is modeled after the Floridae.

Both of these floral expositions will be outstanding. The one in Ohio will feature, besides the art exhibits and entertainment, food and gardens from around the world, both indoor and outdoor displays, where some of the trends for the future in horticulture will be shown.

Every gardener and even some non-gardeners will want to attend one of these special events.

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Garden catalogs continue to fill the mailbox five one day.

It has been interesting to note that while everything else is going up in price, one catalog has not only lowered its price, but is now offering it for free White Flower Farm. (At one time it was $4.)

The new catalog is packed with stunning pictures and information describing the newest and best herbaceous perennials, shrubs and bulbs from all parts of the world. There are more than 100 new offerings in this issue.

For a free copy write White Flower Farm Plantsmen, Litchfield Conn., 06759-0050, sending your name and address.