Boston Flora

Tag: American Horticultural Society

  • Friday, May 8, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – The Modern Professional Planting Designer, Online

    There are many different approaches we can take to filling our gardens, landscapes and lives with plants. In this American Horticultural Society online talk on May 8 based on his new book, The Modern Professional Planting Designer, Andrew Fisher Tomlin will reveal some of the tools that will help you achieve professional-level solutions in planting. He will explore the difference between ornamental, naturalistic and nature-based planting design and discuss a guiding framework to support the development of your own planting design choices. With examples of real-life projects in Europe and the USA, he will finish with a preview of the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

    Andrew Fisher Tomlin is widely acknowledged as leading the development of a distinct professional career path in planting design through his own work and as a director of the internationally renowned London College of Garden Design in London and Melbourne where he has mentored some of the most exciting new designers coming out of the UK and Australia over the past 20 years. Andrew is a Chartered Horticulturist and a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers in the UK and has received design awards in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. He also teaches students of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has given papers at institutions worldwide such as the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. and at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

    $15 for AHS members, $20 for nonmembers. Register at www.ahsgardening.org

  • Thursday, April 16, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Future Nature: Cultivating Resilience Amid Ecological Change, Online

    Vegetation is shifting in response to intensifying environmental pressures—from invasive species and habitat fragmentation to rising nutrient loads and imbalanced herbivore populations. Drawing from his firm Phyto Studio’s experience with high-visibility public projects, landscape architect Thomas Rainer shares actionable strategies for designing resilient plantings. Learn how to work with competitive dynamics, select vigorous native species, introduce designed stress through soil manipulation, and embrace adaptive management models that favor abundance. This talk offers a grounded path forward for planting in a rapidly changing world.

    Thomas Rainer is a leading voice in ecological landscape design, pioneering a plant systems approach that anticipates a changing future. As a registered landscape architect based in Arlington, Virginia, Thomas reimagines ecological planting for gardens and public spaces, focusing on merging ecology with horticulture to shape resilient, adaptive landscapes that address today’s environmental challenges. His career features signature designs at landmark locations such as the Battery Park, Toronto Botanical Garden, and The New York Botanical Garden. He has designed over 125 residential gardens spanning from Maine to Florida. Thomas has taught planting design for the George Washington University Landscape Design program, as well as design workshops globally. He is the co-author of the bestselling Planting in a Post-Wild World with Claudia West.

    This American Horticultural Society online talk will take place April 16 at 7 pm Eastern, and is $15 for AHS members and $20 for nonmembers. Register at www.ahsgardening.org

  • Sunday, November 1 – Thursday, November 12 – Japan’s Autumn Majesty: Gardens, Colors & Cultural Treasures

    In Japan, autumn is a celebration of color. The centuries-old tradition of momiji-gari, or “red leaf hunting,” invites reflection and reverence as temple gardens, mountain landscapes, and ancient cities glow in luminous shades of scarlet, amber, and gold. Maples blaze against dark cedar forests, moss gardens deepen in color, and every carefully composed vista feels heightened by the season’s clarity. This thoughtfully designed American Horticultural Society journey blends Japan’s most revered gardens with rare cultural experiences that illuminate the philosophy behind them.

    Experience:

    Tokyo’s annual Chrysanthemum Exhibition, where intricate displays honor the flower long associated with the Imperial family and the spirit of autumn
    Shunkaen Bonsai Museum and Rikugien Garden, where classical landscape design frames brilliant seasonal color
    Kenrokuen in Kanazawa, admired for its harmonious balance of water, stone, trees, and open space
    Zen meditation at Tenryuji Temple in Kyoto, where maple trees arch over reflective ponds in one of Japan’s most iconic temple settings
    A hands-on ikebana workshop led by a master practitioner, exploring the disciplined artistry of Japanese flower arranging
    A traditional tea ceremony that reveals the profound aesthetics of simplicity, hospitality, and seasonal awareness
    A visit to an indigo-dyeing workshop preserving generations-old textile traditions
    A night in a traditional ryokan inn, complete with tatami mats, kaiseki cuisine, and restorative indoor and outdoor onsen hot spring baths
    Visits to a wasabi farm and tea plantation, where you’ll see firsthand how Japan’s agricultural traditions are shaped by water, terrain, and climate

    Throughout your trip, you’ll stay in exceptional accommodations and travel seamlessly between dynamic Tokyo, the mountainous beauty of Nagano, the preserved Edo-era districts of Kanazawa, and the temple-filled serenity of Kyoto. For complete information visit www.ahsgardening.org

  • Thursday, March 12, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – The African Ancestors Garden, Online

    Paul Peters, principal at Hood Design Studio, will share about the studio’s landscape design process for the African Ancestors Garden, part of the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. The garden draws inspiration from both the Lowcountry landscape and the broader African diaspora to create a tranquil environment for reflection, learning, and remembrance. Organized as a series of sub-gardens, the design celebrates the artistry, craftsmanship, and labor of African Americans through botanical and material narratives. The African Origins Garden highlights the botanical diaspora by featuring plants commonly found throughout Southern landscapes that trace their origins to regions across Africa, symbolizing how plant migration parallels the historical displacement and movement of people. Complementing this, the Lowcountry Garden is rooted in the ecology of local marshlands, incorporating native reeds, a circular arrangement of concrete benches inspired by the contours of coastal mudflats, and a gentle ground depression that gathers site runoff. Together, these spaces form a contemplative memorial landscape that honors ancestral memory and offers visitors a profound connection to the enduring heritage of the African diaspora.

    Hood Design Studio is a landscape architecture and social art practice based in Oakland, California and founded by visionary landscape architect, Walter Hood. Paul Peters, a Principal at Hood Design Studio, is renowned for spotlighting the intricate ties between nature and culture in his landscape designs. He transforms expansive sites into intimate spaces, designing with sensitivity to personal memories and experiences. He is deeply invested in the conceptual phase, seamlessly weaving broad perspectives, conceptual thinking, and research throughout his projects, ultimately influencing societal perspectives. Earning his master’s in landscape architecture from the University of British Columbia, Paul managed his own design-build firm in Vancouver for seven years. Since joining Hood Design Studio in 2016, he’s pioneered several groundbreaking projects. Notably, he’s contributed to the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC, the historic Oakland Museum of California’s renovation, and Nvidia’s state-of-the-art campus in Silicon Valley.

    This American Horticultural Society online program on March 12 is $15 for AHS members, $20 for nonmembers. Register HERE

  • Saturday, October 10 – Thursday, October 22, 2026 – An Epic Australian Adventure: Vibrant Gardens and Wild Beauty

    Embark on a richly curated horticultural and cultural journey through Australia, from the vibrant subtropical charm of Brisbane to the historic elegance of Adelaide and the creative pulse of Melbourne. This American Horticultural Society immersive program takes you through world-class botanic gardens, private estates, and lush rainforests, blending horticultural wonders with regional history, local cuisine, and architectural heritage. Highlights include the spectacular Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, the iconic Mt Coot-tha and Royal Botanic Gardens, and private tours of historic homes and gardens. With expert guides leading the way, this is a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in Australia’s vibrant natural beauty at its peak. Optional trip extensions to Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef offer even more unforgettable discoveries. For complete information on this trip, taking place October 10 – 22, 2026, visit www.ahsgardening.org

  • Thursday, November 13, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – Soil Health with Bacteria, Online

    There was a time when no one knew about the partnership between mycorrhizal fungi and plants. Now it is time to learn about the analog relationship between bacteria and plants known as rhizophagy. This American Horticultural Society online talk on November 13 at 7 pm Eastern will clarify the amazing process and show you how to harness it to increase plant productivity, health, and tolerance to stresses such as pathogens, climate change, and soil loss. You think you know why plants develop root hairs, but you don’t really know! Find out.

    Jeff Lowenfels is the longest running garden columnist in North America, approaching 5O years of weekly columns. His ability to successfully explain the science behind organics has resulted in four award-winning books that have been translated into well over half a dozen languages, including Teaming with Bacteria: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to Endophytic Bacteria and the Rhizophagy Cycle. His real contribution, however, is starting Plant A Row For The Hungry, a program to get all gardeners to grow one row and donate it to someone, place or organization that needs it.

    $15 for AHS members, $20 for non-members. Register at https://ahsgardening.org/ahs-live-soil-health-with-bacteria/

  • Thursday, October 23, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Refreshing Your Garden Design: New Challenges, New Visions, Online

    After a few seasons of beauty and ecological contribution, some landscapes can become overgrown and no longer serve their original intention. What is the next step? How do you create a revised vision for new circumstances in your existing green space? Join AHS on October 23 at 1 pm Eastern online to study examples of the garden revitalization process and to apply the steps to your own landscape, including how to identify your current garden challenges, set new objectives, re-assess your site, and determine which plant material and design concepts to maintain or change. We will also address key design principles and site preparation tips for installation.

    Cheryl Salatino is a New England based landscape designer, educator, and native plant enthusiast. She started Dancing Shadows Garden Design twenty years ago to offer clients a more thoughtful and purposeful design aesthetic. What continues to inspire this designer is how the beauty and value of nature endlessly challenge, surprise, and teach us. Salatino received her certificate in landscape design from the Radcliffe Seminars Landscape Design Program of Harvard University. She has earned the status of Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist by the MA Nursery & Landscape Association and completed the UMASS Green School program in Landscape Management. She has also earned an Advanced Certificate in Horticulture and Design as part of the Native Plant Trust educational certificate program.

    $30 for AHS members, $40 for nonmembers. Register at https://ahsgardening.org/ahs-live-refreshing-your-garden-design-new-challenges-new-visions/

  • Tuesday, May 20 – Friday, May 30, 2026 – Ireland in Bloom

    Embark on a breathtaking springtime voyage through Ireland and Northern Ireland with the American Horticultural Society and tour leader Keith Tomlinson on May 20 – 30, 2026. Cruise around the Emerald Isle aboard the intimate, 72-cabin Exploris One, and discover a rich tapestry of historic gardens, sweeping coastal landscapes, and native flora at their seasonal peak. Explore UNESCO World Heritage sites and charming seaside towns, while enjoying guided excursions that spotlight the region’s horticultural traditions and natural beauty. Throughout the journey, experience the warmth of Irish hospitality and the vibrant renewal that defines spring in this lush, storied land.

    Customize your journey with excursion options at select ports, including walking excursions exploring Ireland’s natural wonders.
    Delight in the natural beauty of Ireland’s celebrated gardens, from the wooded grounds of Glenveagh Castle and the grand Mount Stewart estate near Belfast to the charming Salthill Gardens in County Donegal. Conclude with a visit to Kylemore Abbey, where a stunning Victorian walled garden awaits amid the wild landscape of Connemara National Park.
    Experience the jewels of Ireland’s famed Atlantic Coast including the dramatic Cliffs of Moher and the bogs and grasslands of Connemara National Park.
    Dock overnight in Belfast and Galway for opportunities to dine ashore and to enjoy the cities’ lively atmospheres and famed music scenes.
    Discover Belfast’s intriguing history including a visit to Titanic Belfast, a state-of-the-art museum on the site of the yard where the ill-fated ship was built.
    Travel along the Northern Ireland’s Antrim coast to the world heritage-listed Giant’s Causeway, the site of some 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns.

    Visit www.ahsgardening.org for a complete program brochure and registration opportunity.

  • Friday, September 26 – Submission Deadline for American Horticultural Society Great American Gardener Award

    Recognize horticultural excellence by nominating someone for a Great American Gardener Award. Each year the American Horticultural Society honors exceptional contributions to gardening and horticulture through this awards program. All nominations must be submitted by September 26, 2025. Questions? Email programs@ahsgardening.org

  • Sunday, April 12 – Friday, April 17 – Texas Blooms in Spring: Gardens, Culture and Bluebonnet Fields

    Join American Horticultural Society President & CEO Suzanne Laporte April 12 – 17 on an extraordinary President’s Council journey to celebrate the vibrant spirit and colors of spring in Texas, where world-class gardens, private estates, and fields of wildflowers await. This thoughtfully designed itinerary blends horticultural beauty with rich cultural experiences, from the sophisticated cityscapes of Dallas and Fort Worth to the creative energy of Austin and the blooming backroads of the Hill Country. Along the way, enjoy exclusive access to exceptional public and private gardens, inspiring landscapes, historic landmarks, and the warm hospitality and bold flavors that define the Lone Star State.

    This custom trip is part of the AHS Sojourns travel program collection. Explore the Dallas Arboretum, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, and Native Texas Plant Center with expert-led tours. Savor regional cuisine at a curated selection of top restaurants, from Tex-Mex favorites to fine dining. Visit the George W. Bush Presidential Center and stroll its one-of-a-kind Texas Native Park.

    Enjoy exclusive access to private homes and gardens and meet with their passionate owners. Learn about the legacy of John F. Kennedy at Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum. Explore the acclaimed Kimbell Art Museum. Stay at the modern and elegant Hall Arts Hotel in Dallas and the classic Driskill Hotel in Austin, steeped in old-world charm. Travel scenic country roads through the Hill Country in search of wildflower displays. Tour the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and visit the largest wildflower seed farm in the U.S. Stop at the historic LBJ Ranch and enjoy a classic Texas-style steakhouse lunch. Click here for Program Brochure and Registration