Daily Archives: September 28, 2023


Thursday, October 19, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Garden: Exploring the Horticultural World, Online

Garden takes readers on a journey across continents and cultures to discover the endless ways artists and image-makers have found inspiration in gardens and horticulture throughout history. With more than 300 entries, this comprehensive and stunning visual survey showcases the diversity of the garden from all over the world—from the Garden of Eden and the grandeur of the English landscape garden to Japanese Zen gardens and the humble vegetable plot. Spanning a wide range of styles and media—from art, illustrations, and sculptures to photography, film stills, and textiles—Garden follows a visually arresting sequence, with works, regardless of period, thoughtfully paired to allow interesting and revealing juxtapositions between them.

The Garden Conservancy will present an online talk on October 19 at 2 pm Eastern with Matthew Biggs, Abra Lee, and Kristine Paulus. A recording of this webinar will be sent to all registrants a few days after the event. We encourage you to register, even if you cannot attend the live webinar.

Matthew Biggs, a graduate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a well-known British gardener, broadcaster, and author of fifteen gardening and plant-related books. He is a panel member on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time and author of the children’s book A Home for Every Plant, also published by Phaidon.

Abra Lee is a storyteller and author of the forthcoming book Conquer the Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farm­ers, and Growers. She has spent a “whole lotta time in the dirt” as a municipal arborist and airport landscape manager. Her work has been featured in publica­tions that include the New York Times, Fine Gardening, and Veranda magazine. Lee is a graduate of Auburn University College of Agriculture and an alumna of the Long­wood Gardens Society of Fellows, a global network of public horticulture profession­als. In January 2023 she joined Oakland Cemetery, a revered garden cemetery and vibrant park located downtown Atlanta, as Director of Horticulture.

Kristine Paulus is a writer, photogra­pher, gardener, and librarian based in the Bronx. When she isn’t writing, photograph­ing, growing, or reading about plants and gardens, she can frequently be found at The New York Botanical Garden, where she is the collection development librarian. Biking, birding, and botanizing are some of her favorite pastimes—she sometimes engages in all of them at the same time.

Register ($10 for public, $5 for Conservancy members) at www.gardenconservancy.org


Tuesday, October 3, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Full-Day Immersive Art Workshop: Creating Art in Dialogue with Nature

Immersing ourselves in the inner and outer process of creating can take us deeper into our own space of creative flow, reflection, and mindfulness. Finding inspiration through connecting with elements of the natural world that might also be in ourselves, connects us with our own belonging and interbeing.

Nadine Mazzola will guide participants in weaving these themes together, encouraging each person’s own unique expression using a simple variety of artistic media. Through time wandering alone, playful experimenting, and time reflecting together, we will explore and celebrate these qualities in the natural world and ourselves. Participants are asked to bring a sack lunch as we will take a break in the afternoon. 

What to Expect: A leisurely walk with stops along the way where we will gather and sit. Please check the weather forecast so you are prepared and see the suggestions below for different types of weather. Students will need weather-appropriate clothing and accessories (sunglasses, sunscreen, extra warm layers or rain jacket or umbrella, etc.) for outdoor experiential learning activities.

Instructed by Nadine Mazzola, Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Award-Winning Author. The class will be held on October 3 from 10 – 4 at The Gardens at Elm Bank. Register with the Massachusetts Horticultural Society ($135 – $185) at www.masshort.org


Thursday, October 12, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Eastern – Land Development and Landscape Stewardship, Online

Plant and landscape enthusiasts come from a wide range of backgrounds and variety of expertise. A land developer, a conservationist, and a gardener have a mutual goal: to steward healthy, beautiful landscapes for public enjoyment. Join American Horticultural Society board chair, land developer and preservationist, and native plant nursery founder Scott Plein for a conversation about the history and role of land development in landscape stewardship. We will discover some beloved plants along the way! The online talk will take place October 12 at 1 pm Eastern time, and is $10 for AHS members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at www.ahsgardening.org

Scott Plein is the founding principal of Equinox Investments, LLC, a real estate investment, development, and management firm specializing in community planning, entitlements, and project development in the Northern Virginia area. He established the White House Farm Foundation, a nonprofit environmental educational foundation, and is principal owner of White House Natives, a landscape-quality tree nursery that propagates only plants native to Virginia. Plein also founded KT Enterprises Inc., a leading landscape management company in the Washington Metropolitan area for over 45 years. He currently serves as Board Chair for AHS.