Flower House Detroit webinar with Lisa Waud

In October 2015, 37 floral designers and over 100 volunteers from across North America came together to fill an abandoned Detroit house with American-grown fresh flowers and living plants. An estimated 3,400 curious visitors explored the house over the 3-day exhibition, and the installation hosted 3 weddings and dinner for 180 people. The project received international media attention-with an estimated 287,000,000+ media impressions.

Why did this project touch so many people? In this presentation, botanical installation artist and recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s 2021 Frances Jones Poetker Award Lisa Waud describes her extraordinary project from idea to exhibition. Touching on sustainability, creative fundraising, and the power of community, Lisa will discuss what about the installation was so magnetic to so many people across the world-exploring her thoughts on beauty, blight, and nostalgia, and the themes of risk-taking, logistics, and collaboration through the lens of the large-scale installation.

Botanical Dyeing Using Native Plants with Sasha Duerr

You probably know that native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. In addition to supporting pollinators and other wildlife, native plants are inherently sustainable because they require less watering and fertilization than most non-natives. But did you also know that native plants can produce a stunning array of color in naturally dyed clothing, textiles and fibers? Inspired by the abundance of early summer color in nature, natural dye artist and textile designer, Sasha Duerr will reveal the process for making gorgeous plant-dyed palettes harvested from native plants in backyard gardens, foraged from local trees and shrubs, and even derived from nuisance plants. You’ll learn to make vibrant, natural dye recipes from scratch so that you can create your own full range of gorgeous, locally grown, plant-based hues with your very own seasonal color story.

AHS Virtual Garden Market

The American Horticultural Society’s first-ever Virtual Garden Market opens today! Celebrate the arrival of spring and the joy of gardening by shopping at our marketplace of curated goods and services, ranging from tools, professional landscape design, plants, repellents, seeds, books, and botanical products for gardeners across the country. You’re sure to find something for yourself or a special gift just in time for Moms, Dads and Grads!

Attracting Bees and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants with Heather Holm

Most insects have a positive impact in our landscapes. Native plants can be selected to attract specific bees and beneficial insects including predatory and parasitic wasps, beetles, flies, true bugs, and lacewings. Learn about the predator-prey relationships of these flower-visiting beneficial insects and how they help keep problem insect populations in balance. The life cycles, diversity, and nesting habitat of native bees will also be covered along with examples of native plants for different site conditions. Presenter Heather Holm is a biologist, pollinator conservationist, and AHS award-winning author. In addition to assisting with native bee research projects, she informs and educates audiences nationwide, through her writing and many presentations, about the fascinating world of native pollinators and beneficial insects, and the native plant communities that support them. This is a joint venture with the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia.

AHS Virtual Art Show & Sale

The American Horticultural Society’s Virtual Art Show and Sale is now open! Browse a wide selection of garden and nature-themed art from our featured artists Nina Tisara, Nathan Leibowitz and Otari Shiuk. A portion of all sales benefits the American Horticultural Society’s national programs and mission.

Navigating Race & Inclusivity in Community Gardens | Sama Mirghavami

Event Sponsor

Well-meaning people have been organizing since the dawn of the local food movement to create vibrant, urban garden spaces in an effort to build and support their communities. However these efforts, which are often oriented towards the goal of ameliorating social issues such as lack of access to food and green space for marginalized people, sometimes undermine themselves in terms of equity and inclusivity. How can we ensure that our work as community organizers and gardeners is doing more help than harm? Sama will describe some actions (often unconscious) that can potentially turn an inclusive space into an unwelcoming one, and explore what we can do to create a beautifully diverse garden community.

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021 | 12 – 1:30 PM EST

Schoolyard Habitats: Restoring Native Habitat One Schoolyard at a Time | Jillian Bell

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In this presentation we’ll learn about Audubon Connecticut’s Schoolyard Habitat Program and how Audubon CT, along with a suite of partners, are inspiring the next generation of conservation leaders. They achieve this by connecting students with nature and restoring much needed native habitat for pollinators and our migrating and year-round birdy friends in Connecticut. Jillian will share resources so no matter where you’re located, you’ll be able to start working on your very own schoolyard habitat moving forward!

Tuesday, January 19th, 2021 | 7 – 8:15 PM EST

Close Encounters with Nature: Native Design in the Residential Landscape | Larry Weaner

Event Sponsor

Few home landscapes can provide the stunning vistas of a Yosemite National Park, a vast midwestern prairie, or an ancient Appalachian mountain range. They can however, provide a far more intimate and interactive natural experience than visits to those landscapes ever could. In this session Larry will interweave a series of practical, ecologically-interactive landscape techniques, with the rich experiential rewards that applying those techniques can engender.

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 | 1 – 2:30 PM EST

Native Meadows: Let’s Get Real | Larry Weaner

Event Sponsor

Wildflower meadows were introduced to the American gardening public in the 1960’s along with tie dye tee shirts and kaleidoscopic acid trips. But just like those 60’s acid trips, the colors never lasted. Alternatively, by planting site-adapted native perennials, managed according to the ecological processes that govern open field vegetation in the wild, long-lived vibrant meadows can be consistently achieved. In this presentation plant selection criteria, planting procedures, and management techniques will be illustrated through a series of residential case studies, including some over two decades old.

Friday, March 19th, 2021 | 1 – 2:30 PM EST