"Advocating for responsible stewardship of land and natural resources in landscaping and horticultural practices."

Brookside Gardens, an award-winning public parking garden, is a showcase for celebrating rainwater within a high-profile public space and to over a million visitors a year. The site design and green infrastructure were developed in tandem allowing for harmonious stormwater solutions within the overall site design. The design for the entry, parking garden, and associated plaza spaces solved numerous problems including pedestrian and vehicular access, flexible and beautiful gathering spaces, security, and expanded parking, while highlighting Brookside’s philosophy of sustainability…

Ecological landscaping with climate change to prevent future invasions and assist native migrations Bethany Bradley, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Species are adapted to tolerate a certain range of climate conditions. As a result, species around the world are shifting their ranges in response to climate change. But, many of these species – especially plants – won’t be able to keep up with the rapid pace of climate warming. Gardening with regionally native plants has the potential to expand…

There are several aspects of effective landscape designs that make them successful. Understanding the technology of specific plants and how they may integrate into any given landscape is the key to composing beautiful plantings. Designed space can bring us a dynamic life experience when we have an understanding of specific plants and their adaptive strategies. In this presentation, we’ll look at how to utilize cool and warm season plant characteristics to stabilize soils and create desirable compositions. We’ll discuss the…

Both in the designed landscape and in the wild, plants thrive or die within a wide variety of conditions, often surprising us with either outcome. Our observations and experiments can help us choose which plants have a greater chance of tolerating the conditions we want to place on them. In this class, we’ll talk about some of the plants that have shown themselves to be especially tough in a variety of conditions. Amy Nyman is landscape designer and owner of…

National Park Service Photo After slowly cooling throughout the past millennium, Earth has substantially warmed over the last 40 years, and effects on trees and insects are already apparent. There is a strong scientific consensus that this warming is caused by human emission of greenhouse gases. There also is a substantial discrepancy between this scientific consensus and perceptions of the public regarding climate change. Dr. Herms will examine the evidence for anthropogenic climate change, including changes in patterns of precipitation;…

Of the seven species of hydrangeas sold in New England nurseries and garden centers, two of these species are native to the US. This presentation showcases many gorgeous new cultivars bred from these natives, which can be more adaptable to our climate & soil variations. Andi Ross will share the “best methods” for choosing, siting, planting, pruning, watering, cutting, and preserving these hydrangeas. Prepare to be dazzled! Andi Ross is an artistic landscape designer, certified organic land-care professional, private garden…

Developing a native woodland garden, in suburban areas, comes with specific challenges such as soil degradations and erosion, abundance of invasive exotic plant species, and a need to manage stormwater runoff. In his presentation, Mr. Walczak will discuss soil restoration, evaluating the effectiveness of different methods for a variety of situations; invasive plant species removal eradication versus suppression; and Hugelculture both as a way of gardening and as a tool for restoring woodland soil by addressing surface runoff and creating…

Constructed stormwater wetlands utilize a complex system of physical, chemical, and biological processes to address stormwater pollutants from impervious surfaces. They are one of many green infrastructure tools to manage and protect the quality of stormwater into nearby water bodies and beyond. Furthermore, as a stormwater asset, these practices are adaptable and can often capture and treat large volumes of runoff, allowing for a cost-effective opportunity for communities to address regulatory requirements, water quality goals, and climate resiliency. Beyond treatment,…

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) can restore healthy waterways and revitalize urban communities but requires a multi-disciplinary design approach informed by ecology, community, engineering, and long-term maintenance. This presentation will explore several case studies of successful GSI projects in Philadelphia, focusing on examples of community engagement and ecological restoration to successfully improve water quality and healthy neighborhoods. Philadelphia’s long-term stormwater and combined sewer overflow plan, Green Cities Clean Waters, is a national model for GSI implementation in economically challenged urban areas.…

Many professionals in the green economy have environmentally noble goals but find it difficult to confirm that their work makes a measurable, positive impact on our global environmental crisis. In this presentation, Mr. Quinn will provide an overview of his company’s approach toward creating landscapes that positively influence the biosphere. He will discuss his company’s action-oriented, vertically-integrated approach by examining a series of projects which have been completed over the past five years. In addition to describing the science and…