Ecological Landscape Alliance

Featured Events

2020 Spotlight on Natives Photo Contest

Sun, May 31 @ 5:00 pm EDT

ELA's Spotlight on Natives Photo Contest. Enter your most inspiring photographs of individual native plants or of native plants in a garden setting to ELA's photo contest and you’ll be entered to win a one-year ELA membership.

Wed, April 8 @ 12:00 pm EDT - 1:00 pm EDT

A Walk in the Garden Free Series: From unique flavors to hilarious names to the oddest survival strategies, there are strange and noteworthy plants right outside our back doors if we simply know where to look.

Wed, April 15 @ 12:00 pm EDT - 1:00 pm EDT

A Walk in the Garden Free Series: Take a garden walk to learn the basics of pollination ecology as well as how to maximize food production by encouraging both native and exotic pollinators.

Event calendar

Featured Articles

Spring Tool Maintenance

by Steve Cushman

One of the most important chores for tool maintenance is keeping cutting edges sharp; however, sharpening can cover a huge realm of techniques and tools. Find out about techniques requiring only a small investment in tools, and you’ll have your garden tools in perfect shape as the season starts – and perhaps be inspired to keep them that way.

Environmental Benefits of Organic Lawns

by Mary Travaglini

Sometimes people ask, “Aren’t lawns bad for the environment?” Turns out that’s not true, especially if the lawns are organic and have healthy soils.

The Case for Sustainable Landscape Materials – An Interview with Meg Calkins

by Jared Green

Meg Calkins, professor of landscape architecture at North Carolina State University and founding member of the Sustainable SITES Initiative®, reports on the progress of SITES, including areas such as materials reuse in which progress still needs to be made.

Inspired by Spring

Compiled by Penny Lewis

Within the articles and illustrations of the ELA Newsletter, you will typically learn about design, installation, and maintenance as they relate to resilient landscapes. As we process quarantines, social distancing, shutdowns, and shortages, we offer these inspirational words as personal sustenance while we await return to normalcy.

Book Review: No-till Intensive Vegetable Culture

Written by Bryan O’Hara; Published by Chelsea Green Publishing, 2020
Reviewed by ML Altobelli

You may think a book by this title is not for the ecological landscape professional, but the author’s understanding of the world of soils and plants is every bit as useful whether you are growing tomatoes or lady slipper orchids.

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Our Members Include

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Conferences

ELA’s one- and two-day regional conferences offer cutting-edge knowledge, useful information, CEU’s, and invaluable opportunities for engagement with fellow professionals. Conference sponsors present their ecologically-focused products and services while supporting ecological education.

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Webinars

“A Focus on Sustainability” is an interactive webinar series geared to the needs of landscape professionals and gardeners. Experts from across the country present a wide range of topics relevant to sustainability. Webinars are developed in collaboration with several like-minded, ecologically-focused organizations that also provide regional education programs.

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Classes, Eco-Tours & Workshops

ELA programming offers classes, tours, and hands-on workshops to expand your skills from design and soil management to incorporating edibles and managing rainwater.

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Introducing ELA

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Can I just say I have enjoyed all the lectures, conferences, classes and tours put on by ELA. You are doing a fabulous job. Thank you so much for all the work you put into this really incredible resource.

Georgia H

Thanks - another great webcast. For those of us living too far away to take advantage of other ELA offerings, your webinars are eagerly awaited. I teach classes at the NC Arboretum, and always tell my students about them.

Nina S, Hidden Road Landscape Design

Thank you for the great ELA newsletters - very informative!

Stephanie H

"I just returned from visiting the Celebrating Natives gardens in Concord and Lincoln. They were so interesting and the homeowners answered any questions we had. Please do this again. It is a wonderful way to spread the word on ecological gardening. Thanks."

C. Mandler ELA Newsletter Subscriber and Tour Attendee

I loved the Roy Diblik design workshop. Educational, hands on and inspirational. Great job!

Ruth R

I thoroughly enjoy being a member of ELA. In fact, I get the most out of my membership from your organization than from any other professional organization I belong to. Your educational opportunities are fantastic, I have enjoyed every webinar I've ever attended, and your newsletter is always informative and helps me do my work. Thank you!

Nancy H. Little Eden Gardens

I am an avid consumer of your web information and webinars. Keep up the excellent work!

Judy P. Connecticut Sea Grant

THANKS FOR THIS WEBINAR EVENT -- and to the author for the links to the Rodale Institute. To-the-point, compact (but not compacted!), memorable and motivating!

Joeth B.

I just wanted to let you know I thought the conference was fantastic. It was so informative and the speakers where great! Thanks so much.

Kim H. Kim Hoyt Architect & Landscape Architect P.C.

I learned so much from David Seiter’s webinar. I love the scientific approach and thinking differently about some plant species in terms of services, design, interaction with people, etc. Thank you!

Missy F

Thank you everyone for the energy you put into ELA. These programs shine from your involvement, expertise, and love of nature. I’m excited for what the next year will bring.

Mark H.

Thanks so much for organizing a great informative Mid-Atlantic conference. The speakers were all excellent and very enlightening, I came away with lots of new knowledge. I also enjoyed meeting and networking with lots of like minded professionals.

Mark E. MSE Landscape Associates, LLC

Laura and I were just talking about how much we get from all of the ELA events and webinars…. The good "vibes" abound at ELA events.

John K, Land Design Inc.

You do a wonderful job with your newsletters. Everything might as well be a MUST Do with the way you present the programs. We appreciate your dedication to doing a good job, and are most impressed with ELA.

Ginny S. Talbot Ecological Land Care

I really love ELA. Can't believe I only discovered y'all last year!

Laura B

Thank you for a full day’s worth of insightful material! Thank you for organizing this great event every year.

Karen C.

Speakers were very good, but meeting landscapers at the talks & in the lobby was best.

Cathy B.

I met and made new friends with great topics to discuss.

Timothy M.

The whole day on soils was particularly educational. I really liked the on-topic, varied discussions.

Erica B.

Fantastic! So many delicious offerings so well organized, so much energy, so many smiles! And just think of the abundance of skills, knowledge, deepened friendships, new connections, and inspired energy now out there, put to service, and passed on to still others! An astounding event! Hooray for everyone on the Conference Committee!

Cindy G, Landscape Designer

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