Native Plant Trust


Saturday, September 24, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm – Identifying Invasive Plants in the Landscape

This September 24 Berkshire Botanical Garden class will focus on the identification features, ecological impacts and population trends of many of the invasive trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants that grow in forests, fields and wetlands in Berkshire County. The class will include a morning presentation and an afternoon in the field investigating invasives in a variety of habitats. We will look at both widespread and less common species of invasives.

Ted Elliman worked for many years for Native Plant Trust as a staff botanist, invasive species program manager and as an instructor of botany, ecology and conservation. His book, The Wildflowers of New England, an identification guide to much of the region’s native flora, was published in 2016 by Timber Press. In the 1980s, Ted started and directed an environmental education and wilderness adventure center in the Berkshires. Since the mid-1990s, he periodically has led natural history tours to southwest China, where he worked for two years as a teacher and forest ecologist.


Fridays, September 23 & 30, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Horticultural Techniques

Good horticultural practices form the backbone of any successful garden, and understanding how to apply these practices is the first step toward becoming a horticulturist. Learn how to select the right plant for the right place and how to plant and care for native plants. Together we study the proper techniques for transplanting, preparing soil, mulching, watering, and pruning as well as maintaining, winterizing, and preparing the garden for the next growing season. This Native Plant Trust course will take place on two successive Fridays, September 23 & 30, from 1 – 3 at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. $72 for NPT members, $88 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/horticultural-techniques/


Thursday, September 29, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm (live virtual) and Saturday, October 1, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm – Botanical Inventory Methods and Techniques

This Native Plant Trust course is an intensive training on botanical survey approaches and methods for cataloging the vascular plants in a natural landscape. We will cover the essential steps of planning the survey, including use of field guides, aerial photography, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) resources, sampling strategies, and field-data form design. Next, we will put the methods into practice by conducting a field survey on conserved land, identifying and recording the plant species and habitats we encounter, and compiling an inventory and accompanying report. Neela de Zoysa is the instructor, and the virtual session takes place September 29 from 6:30 – 8:30, and the live session at Garden in the Woods in Framingham takes place October 1 from 10:30 – 2:30. $108 for NPT members, $132 for nonmembers. Register HERE.


Tuesdays, September 10, September 27, and October 4, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Cultivating Your Plant Communities, Online

Your backyard has a unique plant community based on the ecology and geology of the area.

In this three-part Native Plant Trust workshop to be held online, learn to identify appropriate native plants and groupings for your site and create a personalized plant palette and design that is beautiful and enhances biodiversity. Leave the workshop inspired to integrate science and art in your garden. Tickets: $135 Members  –  $162 Non-Members. Sessions will be held from 6-9 on September 10, 27m and October 4. Staci Jasin, Landscape Designer, will instruct.

All ticketing done through Native Plant Trust.



Saturdays, September 17 & 24, 10:00 am -12:00 pm – Garden Design for Child Development, Online

Whether in a home setting or a schoolyard habitat, children’s gardens require not only an understanding of basic landscape design but also special consideration of the development of children for their safety, engagement, and socialization. In this two session class taught by Staci Jasin, you will learn how to design a children’s garden that appeals to all five senses, evokes playfulness and learning, and instills a love of nature that will grow into stewardship and environmental sensitivity. Classes will take place virtually on September 17 & 24 frin 10 – noon. $60 for members, $72 for nonmembers. You may register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/garden-design-child-development/


Saturday, September 17, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm – Botany of the New Hampshire Coastline

Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located along the eastern shore of New Hampshire’s Great Bay in the town of Newington. The refuge protects more than 1,000 acres along the seacoast for migratory birds and other wildlife. One of the longest stretches of undeveloped shoreline along the bay, it consists of mud flats, salt- and freshwater marshes, swamps, ponds, streams, woodlands, and fields. Join Native Plant Trust’s Director of Conservation Michael Piantedosi on September 17 from 10 – 12:30 pm as we explore this diverse refuge and learn about its dynamic flora. $38 for NPT members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/botany-new-hampshire-coastline/

A tidal creek flows through a salt marsh into Great Bay in Newmarket, New Hampshire. The Nature Conservancy’s Lubberland Creek Preserve. CopyrightJerry and Marcy Monkman EcoPhotography.com

Tuesday, September 13, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Gardening for the Birds, Online

Go beyond conventional bird feeders—use native plants to turn your backyard into a diverse, year-round avian habitat! Learn what the birds of New England actually need from us and become part of the new, natural approach, using planting aesthetics that embrace the ecological value of native species, variety, and untidiness. This Native Plant Trust virtual live program on September 13 at 1 pm addresses fruit-bearing shrubs, pollinators, and birds’ feeding and nesting preferences. Chris Leahy is the lecturer and the cost is $12 for members of NPT, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/gardening-birds/


Saturday, September 10, and Sunday, September 11, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm – Asters and Goldenrods

Asters (Asteraceae) and goldenrods (Solidago) are autumn showstoppers, but they can be a large and complex group to identify. Through a visual presentation, herbarium specimens, and field application, you will learn several species of asters and goldenrods, their habitats, and how to use identification keys to distinguish between visually similar species by subtle characteristics. The two day Native Plant Trust class on September 10 and September 11 (10:30 – 2:30 ) will take place at Garden in the Woods and at a field site. Taught by Ted Elliman, the fee is $120 for NPT members, $144 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/asters-and-goldenrods/


Thursday, September 8, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Lessons From Plants, Online

Join Dr. Beronda Montgomery and the Native Plant Trust on September 8 at 6 pm Eastern for an engaging virtual discussion about her recent, acclaimed book, Lesson from Plants. Lessons from Plants enters into the depth of botanic experience and shows how we might improve human society by better appreciating not just what plants give us but also how they achieve their own purposes. What would it mean to learn from these organisms, to become more aware of our environments and to adapt to our own worlds by calling on perception and awareness? Montgomery’s meditative study puts before us a question with the power to reframe the way we live: What would a plant do? $15 for Native Plant Trust members, $18 for nonmembers.


Tuesday, July 26, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – Native Plant Guides, Online

Picking out your plants should be fun and creative, not daunting or complicated. In this live virtual webinar, we will learn how to create a native plant palette with trees and groundcovers. Using sample plant lists for various conditions, you will receive step-by-step guidance to inspire you with ideas for Fall 2022 planting. $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/native-plant-guides/