Boston Flora

Tag: Ian Caton

  • Tuesday, March 26, 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm Eastern – Sourcing Native Plants and Seeds: A Homeowner’s Guide, Online

    Once you’ve decided what to plant, in what form and where do you obtain those plants? This can be a challenge, as the nursery and seed industry has not kept up with the altered requirements of  the burgeoning native plant movement. In this NDAL online presentation on March 26 at 3 pm Eastern, Ian Caton will draw on his extensive experience as both a garden designer and plant grower to provide guidance on sourcing often hard to find native plants and seeds, determining the best plant size for your application, the use of horticultural cultivars, when and how to obtain plants grown from local seed sources, and how to determine the likely survivability of the plants you are purchasing. He will also show how seeds, both purchased and collected, can help to overcome nursery industry shortfalls, and provide an inexpensive supplement to live plant installation.    $42. Register at www.ndal.org

  • Wednesday, June 17, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Spring to Summer: Native Plants that Bridge the Divide Webinar

    It is often said that there is a lull between the big spring wildflower bloom of April and May, and the later summer and autumn flowers that fill the meadows of July through September.

    What of June? This Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation on June 17 from 12 – 1 will highlight flowering native plants that bridge that seasonal gap. Particular emphasis will be placed on those plants that fit into shade-loving gardens as this is the area where the lull is most pronounced.

    The reasons for the lull, the nature and characteristics of those plants that overcome it, and some other options for color and interest will all be explored.

    Ian Caton is the owner/operator of Wood Thrush Native Plant Nursery (Formerly Enchanters Garden). He has operated Wood Thrush  Native Plants since 2013 when he took over the nursery from the previous owner (Peter Heus) who had operated the nursery since the 1990s.

    Wood Thrush Native Plants is a nursery specializing in native plants of the Appalachian region including West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and North Carolina. A focus of the nursery is the introduction of new and rare native plants which are little known or under-appreciated in the nursery trade.

    Previously Ian Caton worked at Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, a landscape firm specializing in the use and promotion of native plants in landscaping. Ian graduated from Delaware Valley College with a BS in Ornamental Horticulture and Environmental Design. He has an extensive knowledge of native plants, natural communities, and their incorporation into the human environment. In addition to many years of experience designing and installing native landscapes, this knowledge was gained primarily through his long running relationship with Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve. He has also had the opportunity to work with local governments on the development of landscape plans for public spaces.

    Registration is free at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-spring-to-summer-native-plants-that-bridge-the-seasonal-divide/

  • Wednesday, February 16 – Friday, February 18 – Natural Landscape Design: Meadows & Woods

    New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) will hold a three day course at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston, Massachusetts beginning Wednesday, February 16 through Friday, February 18, entitled Natural Landscape Design: Meadows & Woods, featuring instructors Henry Art, Ian Caton, Jean Marie Hartman, Sylvia Kaufman, Larry Weaner, and Tom Wessels.  Demand for high-performing, ecologically beneficial landscapes is increasing, and  yet many design and management professionals remain unsure how to incorporate ecological patterns and processes into their work.  This three day course explores how meadow and woodland ecosystems can be replicated in diverse design situations.  Presenters skilled in ecology and design guide participants through the relevant concepts and practical steps necessary for creating beautiful, self-sustaining landscapes.  For complete biographies of the speakers, log on to www.ndal.org, where you may also download the registration form.  Registration and refreshments will begin each day at 8:30 am, and a detailed schedule will be sent in the registration packet.  Fees are $210 per day or $585 for the entire course, with a discount for Tower Hill members and students with a current ID.  You may also telephone 203-834-0174, or email jwebster@lweanerdesign.com, for more information.