Outdoor Mindfulness: Presence with Place How many seeds can one plant before the mind starts wondering? Can you walk the same trail and see it anew each time, with each step? What will you notice about the relationships in nature? In this session we cultivate present awareness through mindfulness practices aimed at deepening our connection…

Native Plants for Birds, Insects and Biodiversity Birds, insects and native plants are inextricably linked in nature. Whatever happens to one will have an effect on the others. This talk explains those relationships then shows you ways to enhance your personal landscape for birds, insects, or just for the beauty of native plants. Lots of…

Light pollution was a term coined by astronomers, but today it’s used by ecologists, physiologists, neurologists, and others who study the effects of the disappearing night. Loss of the night is no longer just about losing our view of the heavens, it’s about all living things, including humans. Of all the types of pollution humans…

Native Woody Plants You Should Know This talk will cover native plants that perform well in the landscape that are under-utilized or under appreciated. Speaker Bio: Paul Snyder is Operations Manager at Secrest Arboretum, where he oversees garden maintenance, plant production, education, plant records, and the volunteer program which includes the Secrest Master Gardeners. He’s…

Selecting Native Plants for Our Landscapes Understanding the natural condition of our landscape is the most important consideration for success as we reintroduce native plants into our garden designs. Selecting the right plant for the existing conditions makes establishment easier and will have a better outcome. We will discuss plant selection based on soil disturbance…