AHS Lifelong Learning


The American Horticultural Society conducts 50 educational programs each year to build gardeners’ knowledge, skills, and community.

We believe that learning is a collaborative experience that creates peer and mentor relationships and celebrates collective interests and values. Our programs unite gardeners across the nation, both virtually and in-person.

We select speakers, topics, and formats to feature perspectives from regions and lenses as diverse as America’s gardeners. Lifelong Learning programs address five plant-driven learning areas: science, design, culture, health, and industry. All areas integrate objectives for learning about plant materials and selection, approaches and techniques, and cultivation and maintenance. Program formats include workshops, classes, conversations, talks, tours, and gatherings.

While programs are designed with our members in mind, many of whom are confident gardeners, we encourage plant lovers of all learning levels to participate in these public programs. AHS members receive discounts on registration. Not a member and would like to join? You can sign-up here.

See below for the current semester’s offerings!

Please note: To ensure you receive program registration confirmation and details, mark “programs@ahsgardening.org” as a safe sender and monitor your spam folder. While we book speakers in advance, emergencies may occur and the schedule is subject to change.

Our Lifelong Learning programs are open to program proposals and sponsorships! For speakers and instructors, please submit your program proposals here. For those interested in sponsoring programs, please email programs@ahsgardening.org.

FALL


Date Location Title Presenter Content Area
September 27 Virtual Rose Discoveries and Innovations Tom Carruth  Science, Industry
October 4 Virtual Conversations with Great American Gardeners Claire Sawyers Science, Design, Industry
October 11 River Farm A Life of Learning in the Garden Holly Shimizu Design, Health
October 12 Virtual Land Development and Landscape Stewardship Scott Plein Health, Industry
October 18 Virtual Designing with Nature Marie Chieppo Design, Health
November 8 Virtual Plant Humanities Initiative Yota Batsaki Culture
November 9 Virtual Horticultural Approaches in the Southwestern U.S. Andrea DeLong-Amaya Design, Health
November 15 Virtual Enhanced Sustainability Marie Chieppo Design, Health

WINTER


Date Location Title Presenter Content Area
December 1 Virtual Around the World in 80 Plants Jonathan Drori Science, Culture, Industry
December 6 Virtual Holidays at the White House Laura Dowling Design
December 7 Virtual Site Preparation for Landscape Transformation Kathy Connolly Science, Design
January 10 Virtual Three Ways to Fight Invasive Plants Kathy Connolly Science, Health
January 12 Virtual North American Regional Gardening Approaches Uli Lorimer Design, Health
January 19 Virtual New Nature for a Climate Change Future Noel Kingsbury Design, Health
January 24 Virtual Gardening for Well-Being Perla Sofia Curbelo Health
February 1 Virtual Food Forests for the Home Garden Jessi Bloom Design, Health
February 2 Virtual Black Garden History: A Great American Garden Road Trip Abra Lee Culture
February 9 Virtual Schools of Ikebana Ikebana International Design, Culture
February 21 Virtual Tropical Collections and Care Michael DeMotta Science
March 6 River Farm Ikebana Workshop Ikebana International Design, Culture
March 11 Virtual The Personal, Ecological, and Cultural Significance of Seeds Jennifer Jewell Culture