There are many beautiful species from tall to small, clumping and sod-forming, all of which can grow in a variety of garden settings.  We will cover native and non-native species and cultivars, planting, propagation, and maintenance, and, of course, which grass work best in shade or sun. 

People tend to think about maple trees when they think about fall color, and beautiful maples certainly abound. There are also many other woody trees and shrubs that provide plenty of fall interest. Diversity is important in a healthy, resilient landscape, so while we will talk about maples, we will cover other great species as well. 

This talk goes beyond tulips and daffodils (although they are covered as well) and focuses on perennial bulb and corm species that don’t get as much attention. There are stellar garden plants, such as crocus, Puschkinia, chionodoxa and alliums that will add variety and interest to your garden. We will discuss bulbs for sun and shade situations, deterring critters that eat bulbs, and general bulb care.

Gardeners love summer.  But as the old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” so too for the gardening season. You may ask yourself, “Now what should I do?”  Should I rake the leaves or let them sit on the yard?  Should I aerate or thatch the lawn before winter?  How should I protect my shrubs and new trees from winter wildlife? All these questions and more will be addressed in this presentation.

Are you have trouble adapting your gardening to the unpredictable weather patterns that are a hallmark of climate change? The first part of this presentation reviews the interconnected causes of climate change, patterns we are observing now, and projected climatic trends for the upcoming few decades. The second part includes a number of place-based suggestions for strategies to make personal landscapes more resilient to weather trends and to shrink your carbon footprint in the garden. The many small actions of gardeners as a group can help with solutions for climate change effects.

Learn about perennial selection, care, propagation, and maintenance. We will cover native and non-native herbaceous perennial plants that will thrive in light, medium and deep shade, as well as plants that will tolerate dry shade or wet shade.

Good soils are vital to growing healthy plants. This class will review physical and chemical structure of soils, pH, organic matter, and techniques for improving the soil you have. We will also cover soil testing and test results and address selecting fertilizer products (both organic and traditional), reading labels, and calculating application rates.

Discover how to select, care for, propagate, and maintain perennials for sunny spots. We’ll cover a diverse range of native and non-native species that thrive in various conditions, from hot, sunny, dry areas to half-sun, wet locations, and everything in between.