Boston Flora

Tag: ELA

  • Wednesday & Thursday, August 26 & 27 – Ecological Landscape Alliance’s 32nd Annual Conference & Ecomarketplace: Navigating Uncertainty

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA) is excited to announce the 2026 Annual Conference & Eco-Marketplace to be held in Providence, Rhode Island. The Annual Conference brings together leaders in ecological landscape practices with a diverse range of professionals involved in landcare, including landscape architects, designers, growers, horticulturists, land stewards, arborists, and installation/maintenance technicians. We also welcome students, educators, native plant enthusiasts, community activists, and home gardeners. The event will feature a two-day, multi-track program with opportunities to network, learn, and share new insights and strategies that contribute to sustainable and regenerative landscape management.

    Explore innovative ways to use native plants, mitigate climate change, and design spaces that encourage biodiversity, including habitats for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Join us for some interactive workshops and discussions that will equip participants with practical tools and ideas for integrating ecological principles into landscape design.

    One keynote presentation will be led by Dr. Evelyn Beaury of the New York Botanical Garden on Seeding Ecosystems of the Future. The decisions we make in our gardens will have a large effect on what species will persist under climate change, which is already impacting the distribution of biodiversity across time and space. In this talk, Dr. Beaury will discuss the latest research on these impacts and give you some ideas for how your garden can help ecosystems for the future, such as reducing the spread of invasive species and supporting climate-resilient native plants. 

    Another talk will be by Christopher Roddick , head arborist of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Working with trees is hard. The work can be demanding and sometimes dangerous: long hours in all kinds of weather, cutting wood with a chainsaw while hanging from a rope, or chipping brush into a man-eating machine.

    As hard as all of that is, it was actually far more difficult and stressful for me to acquire the level of knowledge I needed to do the job well. Thousands of plant names to memorize, insects and diseases to identify, soil science, biology, ecology, and the list goes on. It’s daunting, especially for people like myself who aren’t traditional learners. But not knowing a plant, a pollinator partner, or a mushroom growing on a tree seemed far more unsettling.

    This is the story of one tree guy’s 40-year journey, seeking knowledge from plants, trees, eccentric plant people, while fighting distraction, trying not to get killed or joining too many plant societies.

    To register for this two day event at the Omni in Providence, Rhode Island, visit https://ecolandscaping.org/events/

  • Thursday, July 16, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm Eastern – Plants that Pay the Rent, Online

    Many young and new gardeners approach gardening enthusiastically, but often without sufficient knowledge to make the best choices. They count on the word of a less-than-trained employee or standardized marketing labels to select plants for their garden. The aim of this Ecological Landscape Alliance online talk on July 16 at noon is to provide pithy information and plant suggestions that will end the cycle of buying or killing non-performing plants. They can then remove them (or not buy them) and replace with ones with traits ascribed to the selections vetted by Dan and horticulturists across the US. As one horticulturist could not know every great plant for every region, the author has reached out to others across the US to compile lists and pictures of plants that do not disappoint.   Plants are graded on everything from pest and disease resistance to flowering period, fall color and controlled nature.  Each chapter will cover a subclass of horticulture and the best plants within this group to plant. This talk has been adapted to accommodate various hardiness zones (Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Southeast and Southwest) and listed for cold tolerance to humidity to sun tolerance. Individual plant listings will be assigned a score based on the points accumulated by a criteria poll.

    Instructor Dan Heims has been deeply involved in all facets of horticulture since 1973. He has taught horticulture courses, wholesaled exotic plants, and run his own design-and-install landscape business. Terra Nova’s breeding programs have produced numerous international gold- and silver-medal winners, not to mention an impressive 1400 plant introductions! Dan’s articles and photography have been featured in a number of magazines. He has hosted a weekly radio gardening show on KKSN and has appeared on The Martha Stewart TV Show, Martha Stewart Omnimedia Radio, HGTV, and the BBC. His work and his garden have been featured in USA Today, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens, Sunset Magazine, and Organic Gardening. Dan is a published author, having written 2 books. Dan travels the world in search of the newest plants. Along the way, he uses his unique blend of knowledge, wit, and humor to captivate audiences around the globe. He is a frequent speaker in every corner of the United States, as well as in Japan, England, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Australia, and Canada. Winner: Reginald Cory Memorial Cup | Royal Horticultural Society 2003 Winner: Award of Merit |Perennial Plant Association 2019 Winner: Luther Burbank Award | American Horticultural Society 2020.

    Free for ELA members, $35 for nonmembers. Register at https://ecolandscaping.org/events/

  • Wednesday, June 24, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Landscapes as Essential Groundwork for Our Future

    As we move into a new age of ecological landscaping, how do we rethink our residential and civic landscapes so that they actively support biodiversity, climate resilience, and community wellbeing? As horticulture professionals, we have an essential role in the future of our world. Drawing from real-world projects and community-based design work, this workshop will explore practical approaches to creating beautiful, functional gardens that wildly expand biodiversity while connecting the human spirit back to the natural world.

    Participants in this Ecological Landscape Alliance design workshop on June 24 at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York, will gain inspiration and actionable strategies for transforming landscapes from resource consumers to ecosystem contributors, strengthening connections between people and the natural realm while centering a changing world, biodiversity, and community action. We will explore real-life challenges and strategies for maintaining these ecological gardens and how to better connect design and care professionals for long-term success. We will learn how to build healthy ecosystems while at the same time connecting people back to the rhythms of the seasons, healing spirit, and building community and equity along the way.

    Walking the property at Stone Barns mid workshop, participants will enjoy a guided landscape tour of the property with real-life success and challenges on plant choices and 10+ years of garden trails from in-house staff.

    Instructor Shanti Nagel is the founder of Design Wild, a landscape design firm working at the intersection of climate, humans, and community well-being.  She believes that the relationship between humans and the natural world is essential for individual health, the strength of communities, our ecosystems, and a future on Earth. She grew up gardening as a child in upstate NY, founded an organic vegetable farm at age 20, and later managed one of New York City’s largest urban farms. Shanti is a graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, a trained horticulturist, and a skilled landscape designer.  For the last decade, she and Design Wild have been designing naturally ferocious, beautiful, ecologically rich and incredibly durable landscapes in New York City and the greater Hudson Valley.

    $405 for ELA members (lunch included) and $480 for nonmembers (lunch included) Registration closed June 15. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

  • Thursday, December 4, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Eastern – 2025 ELA Season’s End Summit, Live and Online

    From the sky to the soil—learn cutting-edge strategies at the ELA Season’s End Summit! Innovative Stormwater Solutions: Jay Archer will share best management practices for residential watersheds. Green Roof Bus Shelters: Trevor Smith details the design and impact of North America’s largest green roof bus shelter installation.

    Don’t miss this opportunity to advance your sustainable design knowledge on December 4th.

    ELA Member $ 129
    Non-Member $ 169
    ELA Member Virtual Registration $ 74
    Non-Member Virtual Registration $ 89

    Register now: https://ela.member365.org/public/event/details/d83044f615cd71cb12a76ad12bb74e0421ec139f/1

  • Saturday, October 11, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Eco-Tour of Native Shrubs & Shrublands

    Join Dan Wilder for a tour of one of his favorite sites with fantastic shrub diversity in Brimfield, Massachusetts, on October 11. Free for Ecological Landscape members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/

  • Thursday, July 10, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Maintenance and Management in Natural Landscapes, Online

    Most tasks associated with land care maintenance are mowing, pruning, and weeding. Landscapes that encourage natural systems such as the growth of a plant community, are more complex and require management that understands ecological principles and natural processes. For example, the use of low growing native plants is terrific for reducing areas of lawn. To allow them to establish, raising the level of the mower blade still cuts the grass and leaves the plants to proliferate. Marie Chieppo will discuss case studies that provide a new meaning to the role of maintenance and how together with management we can steer our properties into a more naturally-based trajectory of growth. This Ecological Landscape Alliance Webinar will take place July 10 at 6 pm Eastern. You may register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/.

    Marie Chieppo is a passionate advocate for the environment. Now in her 28th year of practice as an organic gardener and ecological landscape designer, her passion is working with clients and the public to discover the value of partnering with nature. She encourages sustainability in every aspect of her work, including the use of alternative materials to plastic containers. Marie is a member of ELA’s Education Committee and an avid instructor for many organizations.

    FREE for ELA members
    $10 for non-members

  • Friday, June 27, 1:00 pm – An Introduction to Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Ecological Landscape Alliance

    Mark Richardson, Executive Director, US branch of Botanic Gardens Conservation International and Ecological Landscape Alliance, in addition to Director of Strategic Horticulture Partnerships for New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, will present
    An Introduction to Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Ecological Landscape Alliance on June 27 at 1 pm at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, Massachusetts.

    This meeting will also include the option to tour New England Botanic Garden following the presentation, attend a field trip, and/or meet for dinner in the evening. Please visit www.nebg.org for a detailed schedule.

  • Tuesday, June 10, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm Eastern – Science in Action: 10 Years of Restoring Native Plant-Pollinator Functional Diversity at Breakneck Hill, Online

    Plant-pollinator diversity is declining at an alarming rate worldwide. The continued loss of native plant-pollinator diversity poses a significant threat to health and integrity of terrestrial ecosystems due to the fundamental functional role that ‘pollination products’ play in supporting wildlife diversity across trophic levels. Habitat loss and degradation are widely thought to be significant drivers of pollination system decline; however, surprisingly few current habitat management plans focused on pollinator restoration are based on empirical data, making them ineffective at attracting and sustaining imperiled species. In this talk, Dr. Rob Gegear will discuss how he has used a data-driven, species-level ecological approach to successfully restore native plant-pollinator functional diversity at Breakneck Hill, a 40 acres of conservation land located in Southborough MA. He will also highlight how ‘eco-technology’ and crowdsourced data collection was used to dramatically reduce the amount of time required to develop and implement effective management strategies for imperiled systems. This Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar will be held Tuesday, June 10 at noon. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at www.ecolandscaping.com

  • Friday, May 2, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm Eastern – Native Shrubs: The Unsung Heroes of Ecological Landscapes, Online

    Native shrubs don’t get nearly enough attention. They offer immense ecological value, amazing fall colors, tasty berries and nuts, hosts for rare caterpillars, fantastic flowers, and make great additions to ecologically minded landscapes. Join Dan Wilder, Ecological Landscape Alliance board member and Director of Applied Ecology at Norcross Wildlife Foundation for this May 2 online lecture that aims to encourage you to pay more attention to the ecological value of shrubs.

    FREE for members $10 for non-members

    Register on Eventbrite

    Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over fifteen years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges specializing in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat construction, and native edible landscapes. Dan is currently the Director of Applied Ecology for the Norcross Wildlife Foundation whose mission is to protect, enhance, and expand wildlife through conservation, education, and support. A prolific photographer and author Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018.

  • Thursday, April 3, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – A Small Backyard Natural Swimming Pool, Online

    Natural swimming pools are great for cooling off, diversifying habitat, and creating beauty in the garden, but they can seem out of reach for some because of the cost to install and maintain. Learn about Ecological Landscape Alliance’s Education Committee member Jennifer H. Campbell’s experience building and nurturing a small, informal natural pool at her home in northwestern New Hampshire, powered by a bubble pump system and native plants, for a fraction of the cost of traditional natural pools.

    The April 3 webinar is FREE for ELA members $10 for non-members

    Register on Eventbrite

    Jennifer H Campbell made a mid-life change of career 20 years ago to ecological landscape design based in Northwest NH and Southeast Vermont. She is a graduate of the Conway School of Landscape Design 2007 and holds a Certificate in Native Plant Studies from the Native Plant Trust.