If you want a garden that truly rocks, look no further than a gravel garden. Earth-friendly gravel gardens require less of just about everything – water, mulch, energy, chemicals and most importantly labor – but give back so much more. Jeff Epping, Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Ga...

Diversity of plant material not only enriches our gardens, it also creates great habitat for wildlife. And it actually makes gardening easier and more beautiful. This indisputable case will be made. Settled. All will be in agreement. And an inspirational palette of plant material will also be pre...

Smithsonian Gardens is a public garden and museum located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In this highly visited area, they are able to share the joy and importance of gardens to millions of people every year. But gardening in an urban setting presents its own unique set of opportunities...

This seminar would outline the problems that common horticultural practices have created in ecological systems during the past 60 years in a non-confrontational, good humored and engaging way. It will describe the new native plant initiatives that are now disrupting the design and commercial land...

Learn how to remove trees in difficult spots from a 3-time world champion tree climber as he shares tips to make life easier. Mark will cover scientifically sound rigging techniques, the latest gear and tools used by arborists and how to be efficient while following the most current safety standa...

Seasonal plantings in the landscape can offer a significant amount of color from both flower and foliage. Utilizing annuals in our landscape borders, compositions and containers offers lengthy interest and perhaps includes additional features such as scent, pollinator value and food! We'll exami...

60 acres, 200,000 plants, 22 employees, 3 managers, 6 greenhouses and miles of hoses and irrigation! Walk through what it takes to create the Gardens at Ball. Along the way they will highlight some of the history, stories that helped to make the gardens you see each summer and preview the annuals...

Most ponds are collection points for sediment and nutrients leading to conditions that increasingly support nuisance aquatic plant and/or algae growth. Decomposing yard waste, fertilizers, erosion, and animal waste accelerate the degradation of water bodies. There are hundreds of species of algae...

This inspiring presentation offers design ideas and showcases beautiful flower varieties that will have you seeing the potential for colorful flowers in all kinds of outdoor spaces, large or small. Garden designer and flower lover, Jan Johnsen, shares her experience and contagious passion for flo...

It’s a long and complex journey from seed to city tree. Today’s weather extremes call for the development of a new generation of urban trees that are climiate resilient, and comprised of a diverse blend of species and cultivars - native and introduced. In this session, attendees will understand t...

With so many amazing annuals coming out every year, it's always nice to see not only some new selections but focus on some of the best of the best that continue to perform and be popular. This presentation would focus on annuals for all lighting conditions with some focus on fragrance, wildlife v...

No matter how healthy the stock, all of us have experienced plant loss - along with associated costs and potential impact on customer satisfaction. In fact, sometimes it seems as though plants just don’t thrive in certain areas. We are quick to blame too much or too little water or exposure to li...

Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85 acre, organic park in the middle of New York City, was created with ecology in mind. The park’s award winning piers include top notch recreation, from opera to outdoor films, all of it beautifully designed. But the piers also contain native woodlands, freshwater wetlan...

How do you know which plants are truly the best field performers? What plants get the most promotional hype and are often overused in our landscape? High demand, limited supply for the tried and true - these are the challenges we currently face. Join our expert panel and discover their recommenda...

Shade gardening is my passion. The combination of captivating foliage and radiant flowers is mesmerizing, plus much less maintenance than full sun gardens. The lecture includes design tips as well as plants for dry shade and deer-prone gardens.

Sarah believes in plant-driven design. She is developing a visual vocabulary using plants; their shapes, textures, colors and patterns to compose her designs. She will discuss her own sources of design inspiration; providing insights into how we can look more closely at plants and the environment...

We put trees in some pretty difficult places, and then we ask a lot of them. This session will list some of the toughest trees for tough urban conditions. It will also discuss the importance of developing a broader list for the purpose of diversity and why we shouldn’t always rely on the toughest...

The Morton Arboretum is focused on improving the health and longevity of urban trees. Healthy, undisturbed soil is a key component to achieve future tree canopy goals. Unfortunately, soils with ideal characteristics at supporting long-lived trees are becoming increasingly rare in the built enviro...

Stephanie Adams is the Plant Health Leader at The Morton Arboretum. In this presentation she will cover the current status of important plant diseases and insects like bur oak blight, Ralstonia on geraniums, oak decline, and root rots. The presentation will also include information on pests "on t...

Groundcovers are low-growing plants that serve many different purposes in the landscape from limiting weed growth to stabilizing slopes to adding texture to your garden. Kathy Jentz, author of the forthcoming book, “Groundcover Revolution,” will cover several of these beautiful, hard-working plan...

Landscape design has shifted to designing based on plant communities and how plants interact with each other. This session will focus on species that work well as the filler/groundcover species, with a heavy emphasis on our native sedges well adapted for a designed plant community. Attendees will...

This session takes you on a fascinating horticultural journey. Scott connects evolution, art, genetics, natural history, food, wine and more with landscapes that make us feel more comfortable, happy and secure. He will make the case that green spaces and the plants that create them fulfill basic ...

This session explores the phenomenon of cultivated native plants, their benefits, and the ecological impact on the surrounding habitat. By reviewing a combination of scientific research and anecdotal narrative, Ryan will provide a look at how nativars fit into a modern landscape and what data sho...

Plant blooms offer more than being pretty focal points in our landscapes. They can give us information about changing weather and climate patterns. Observations of plants and when they bloom can tell us a lot about how our environment is changing. In this session, we will cover some of the observ...