Plant explorers, once the rock stars of the horticultural world, have suffered a loss of status as gardeners turn to native plants. Listen to plant explorer extraordinaire Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Gardens discuss why his quest is still important to making our gardens more sustainable, as well as beautiful.
Become a Plant Explorer
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Gratify your Indiana Jones fantasies by joining the Plant Conservation Volunteers. Your work will have you hiking into overlooked corners of the wild to monitor surviving populations of rare and endangered native plants, and work with landowners to combat threats.
Fighting Back Against Weed Ordinances
Are your beloved native plants actually “noxious weeds”? Too often town or homeowner association officers say yes and invoke anti-weed ordinances to force gardeners back to old-fashioned lawns and foundation plantings. Listen to attorney and native plants advocate Rosanne Plante tell you how you can fight back, and win.
The Easy Way to Start Your Plants from Seed
What to Look For in the Garden this Year
Save the Snakes
Michael Starkey understands that not everyone shares his enthusiasm for snakes, but as founder and Executive Director of Save the Snakes he believes that humans and snakes, even venomous snakes, can coexist. As a wildlife biologist, Michael shares techniques for making your landscape less – or more – attractive to snakes and how education can protect against snake bites and enhance your enjoyment of these amazing creatures
Return of an American Giant
In the early years of the 20th century an introduced fungal blight killed an estimated 4 billion American chestnut trees, effectively eliminating what had been a foundational species of eastern North American woodlands. Scientist Andrew Newhouse of the State University of New York explains how his university is preparing to release a race of American chestnuts genetically engineered to withstand the blight, so that this essential tree may flourish in the forest once again
Gardening Without Pesticides in Toronto, Canada
Looking to the European Garden Masters
Synergy on the Brandywine
Combining native plants gardening with land preservation and a museum of extraordinary regionally focused art has made the Brandywine Conservancy a unique celebration of the local landscape. Join Horticultural Coordinator Mark Gormel as he explains how this all begins with locally collected seeds, and how home gardeners can duplicate this in their own back yards
A Mid Winter Don't Miss Event
One of the most important events of my gardening year is the extraordinary collection of gardeners, designers, and ecologists who assemble to exchange ideas every January at the New Directions in the American Landscape’s two-day annual symposium. Join executive director of NDAL, Sara Weaner, to learn about this year’s line-up of extraordinary speakers and topics. It’s a don’t miss opportunity
Coexisting With Black Bears
One of the great success stories of American wildlife, black bears are returning throughout their historic range and even moving into the suburbs. Confrontations with human inhabitants have fed calls for hunting seasons to curb their numbers. Wildlife ecologist Laura Simon explains why this is unlikely to resolve the problem, and shares proven strategies for reducing black bear problems
An Ancient Farming Practice Benefits the Contemporary Garden
Join Collin Thompson, the Farm Manager at Johnny’s Selected Seeds, as he discusses how planting “cover crops” in your garden can benefit not only the health of the soil and the plants you grow on it but also enhance pollinator populations and curb weeds, all while reducing your carbon footprint and fighting the spread of plant pests and diseases
Transplanting Hedgerows to the American Garden
Hedgerows, informal borders of intermingled shrubs and trees, are a familiar feature of the British countryside, serving not only to enclose farmers’ fields but also providing a refuge for wildlife and a source of foods for humans, birds, and pollinators alike. Dr. Annabel Renwick, the curator of native plants at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, North Carolina, describes how she’s using southeastern shrubs and trees to translate this environmentally beneficial, beautiful, and useful feature to American Gardens
A Convincing Case for Rooftop Farms
Developing Meadow and Sustainable Lawn Solutions Coast to Coast
The Mind of a Bee
In his fascinating new book, “The Mind of a Bee,” Dr. Lars Chittka explores not only bees’ ability to learn and process information, but also the evidence that individual bees possess distinctive personal psychologies. His research transformed my understanding of pollinators and enriched my garden experience.
Garden Help From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
One of my favorite gardening tools is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the #1 resource for gardeners who want to know more about the birds in their landscapes. Join Dr. Emma Greig to explore the apps and online courses the Lab offers to help you identify and foster feathered visitors, and citizen science programs you can support to promote bird conservation
Toni Gattone and Lifelong Gardening
Senior and physically challenged gardeners have a special interest in sustainable landscapes, according to Toni Gattone, author of The Lifelong Gardener: Garden With Ease and Joy At Any Age. Join her for guidance on everything from saving your back by reducing resource inputs to ergonomically adapting favorite tools.
