Boston Flora

Tag: New York Botanical Garden

  • 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/

  • Friday, July 17 – 2026 Woody Plant Conference

    Join fellow gardeners, designers, horticulturists, and plant enthusiasts for the 2026 Woody Plant Conference at Scott Arboretum & Gardens on Friday, July 17.

    This full-day conference brings together leading voices in horticulture, ecology, arboriculture, and landscape design to explore woody plants that thrive in the Mid-Atlantic region and how we can use them more thoughtfully and effectively in our landscapes. Topics include climate-adapted tree selection, invasive species, edible landscapes, beech leaf disease, oak ecology, and international garden design perspectives.

    Featured speakers include:

    • Jenna Bachman, Gardens & Grounds Manager at Awbury Arboretum
    • Melissa Finley, Thain Senior Curator of Woody Plants and Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden Curator at the New York Botanical Garden
    • Eliza Greenman, Savanna Institute
    • Oliver López, bilingual environmental educator, naturalist, and visual storyteller
    • Patrick McGinty, Garden Manager at Stoneleigh: a natural garden
    • Kevin Parris, Instructor of Horticulture, and the Arboretum Director at Spartanburg Community College
    • Kevin Philip Williams, Manager of Horticulture at Denver Botanic Gardens

    For complete information and registration details visit https://www.woodyplantconference.org/

  • Tuesday, November 4, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Walter Hood: Cultural Storytelling Through Design, Online

    MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grant-winner Walter Hood creates green spaces that resonate with and enrich the lives of residents while also honoring communal histories. As founder and creative director of Oakland-based firm, Hood Design Studio, he has transformed a variety of areas—from the redesign of traffic islands, vacant lots, and freeway underpasses that challenge the legacy of neglect of urban neighborhoods to large-scale commemorative landscapes that reflect his firm’s interest in the role of sculpture in public space.

    As the third lecture in the New York Botanical Garden’s 27th Annual Landscape Design Portfolios Lecture Series, Hood will share projects that approach design through the lens of cultural storytelling and community engagement, including the highly-praised International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina—an impactful landscape that addresses memory, tragedy, and culture while paying homage to the local community and the African diaspora at large. Hood will also share insights into his firm’s upcoming redesign of the landscape surrounding Lincoln Center and Damrosch Park in NYC. This project aims to address the urban barrier created by the center’s construction in the 1960s—a project that displaced much of the San Juan Hill neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side. Register for all three talks at www.nybg.org.

  • Tuesday, October 28, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Mikyoung Kim: Designing for Higher Ground, Online

    Mikyoung Kim, FASLA, is the founding principal of MYK, a globally recognized landscape and urban design studio that integrates the latest research in neurodivergent science into the design of our shared experiences. Her work bridges public health policy with environmental stewardship, creating places that foster resilience, connection, and well-being. From large scale urban parks to healing gardens and educational campuses, her projects reflect a deeply human centered and innovative design ethos.

    Join Kim and the New York Botanical Garden online on October 28 at 5:30 pm as she shares how landscapes are an important catalyst for public health and urban resilience. Her talk will feature celebrated large-scale projects such as the Regenstein Learning Campus at the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Cheonggye River Restoration Project in Seoul, and the TMC Helix Park in Houston. This talk is the second lecture of the 27th Annual Landscape Design Portfolio Lecture Series. Register for all three at www.nybg.org

  • Tuesday, October 14, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Todd Forrest: Creating an Urban Oasis, Online

    The New York Botanical Garden has been a connective hub among people, plants, and the planet since 1891. Since inception, millions of visitors have made the Garden a part of their lives, exploring the joy, beauty, and respite of nature here in the heart of the Bronx. One of the Garden’s remarkable leaders, Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections, has dedicated himself to the development and reimagination of many well-loved areas within these 250-acres for over 20 years, including the Benenson Ornamental Conifers, the Native Plant Garden, the Azalea Garden, and the Thain Family Forest, as well as the annual Orchid Show and many interdisciplinary exhibitions.

    On October 14, at 6:30 pm, hear from Forrest as he reveals the role landscape architecture plays in enticing visitors to return every season. He will share how his collaborations with distinguished landscape architects and designers—such as Laurie Olin, Signe Nielsen, Lynden Miller, Madison Cox, Susan Cohen, Piet Oudolf, Sarah Price, Shavaun Towers, just to name a few—have brought varied artistic visions to NYBG. This is the first lecture of the 27th Annual Landscape Design Portfolios Lecture Series. Register for the complete series HERE.

  • Friday, August 29 – Global Survey Deadline: Nurturing Nature Through Plant-Based Solutions for Long Term Climate Resilience

    In the face of climate change and biodiversity loss, the New York Botanical Garden is strengthening its commitment to plant-based climate solutions. Through its Nurturing Nature Initiative, NYBG is harnessing the unique power of botanical gardens to restore ecosystems, support communities, and protect biodiversity.

    Global Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JS6GNMN

    Nurturing Nature Initiative: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JS6GNMN

    With support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and in partnership with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), NYBG’s Nurturing Nature Initiative is creating a science-based roadmap to advance climate resilience through plants. The initiative strengthens the role of botanical gardens as vital hubs for biodiversity, education, and community action. Working with BGCI and the Ecological Restoration Alliance of Botanic Gardens, the team will share knowledge, expand impact, and elevate the role of gardens in global restoration efforts.

    Botanical gardens hold rare plant collections, seed banks, and taxonomic expertise critical for restoration and climate adaptation. Yet they are often overlooked in climate strategies. Nurturing Nature aims to change that. With guidance from a global advisory group, NYBG and partners are developing an action plan to help gardens lead nature-based climate solutions—locally and globally.

  • Sunday, August 3, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Eastern – All-Star Plants for Home Gardening, Online

    Whether you are just beginning your gardening journey or looking for expert advice on how to make your garden more robust, this New York Botanical Garden online class will provide a detailed overview of a variety of shrubs, perennials, and annuals that have been identified as winners in horticultural competitions. We’ll cover growth and maintenance tips so that you can make most of these plants in your home garden. The live session on August 3 at 10 – 12 Eastern is taught by Lorraine Ballato, and is $59 for NYBG members, $65 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org.

  • Thursday, June 26, 2:00 pm Eastern – Photographing for Gardening with Nature at the New York Botanical Garden, Online

    Larry Lederman and Todd Forest will present a webinar on June 26 at 2 pm Eastern with The Garden Conservancy, In Larry’s words: “When I walk into a garden, I am looking for a sense of place. My photography has to capture this sense and reveal the intentionality of the maker of that garden. Setting the composition through framing the view, sometimes as the designer intended, and sometimes as I see it in a particular light and time of day. All gardens present differently through their seasonal life cycles. A portrait may need many visits to discover the inherent beauty of a living landscape.

    In Gardening with Nature at the New York Botanical Garden I had a partner in Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections at the Garden. This book, my third at the NYBG, was to display the multigenerational achievement that is the NYBG. These photographs celebrate the horticultural gift that Todd Forrest, the team of gardeners, and the original founders intended. The gardens are my portal to the natural world. The lyricism of my photographs is in the capture of the vitality of the native plants bathed in the light of the magnificent trees. I will discuss all of this and my approach, the equipment I choose, and the editing software which helps me keep track of the thousands of images that result in a book like Gardening with Nature.”

    The event is live on Zoom, $5 members, $15 nonmembers, and there is a special offer for purchasing the book through the registration page here. To register for the webinar only click here.

  • Sunday, June 8, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon Eastern – Cottagecore: Peony Flower Arranging

    Cottagecore is an aesthetic that celebrates simple living, inspired by the countryside-comes to life in this fun floral workshop. Using a soft defused color palette, you’ll practice the simple styling of peonies in a mason jar or other repurposed container. Learn how to successfully tape a grid, position the flowers, and select complementary floral materials. Learn the tips and tricks of the trade for keeping peonies looking fresh and long-lasting without chemicals or oasis foam. This online New York Botanical Garden class on June 8 is taught by Trish O’Sullivan, and is $140 for members, $155 for nonmembers. When registering, click on the materials list button. Registration closes today – last chance.

  • Saturday, February 8, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Eastern – All About Terrariums and Vivariums, Online

    Discover how to design your own terrarium or vivarium with Christopher Satch, plant scientist and award-winning exhibitor at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Through lecture and demonstration, he’ll discuss how to set up a simple, easy care terrarium, how to create an automated climate-controlled vivarium, and everything in between. This New York Botanical Garden online class on February 8 from 11 – 1 is $50 for NYBG members, $55 for nonmembers. Register at www.nybg.org