Who’s In Your Garden? The Life And Times Of Insects And Others All Around Us

Ever wonder what’s crawling, flying, and eating their way through your garden? Many of us use native plants to attract butterflies and bees, but what else might you find and what does that mean?

Join Randi Eckel, PhD Entomology, President of the NPSNJ, and owner of Toadshade Farm as she identifies the insects found in your garden and offers a glimpse into their lives and ecological value.

Native Plants for Your Garden: Creating a Wildlife Habitat in Your Own Backyard

Wednesday 15, 2023

Uli Lorimer

Uli Lorimer is the author of The Northeast Native Plant Primer: 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden, published by Native Plant Trust and Timber Press in May 2022. This essential handbook provides a guide to selecting native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and groundcovers that will increase the ecological value of your garden by creating habitat for wildlife and supporting at-risk pollinators and other beneficial insects.

As the Director of Horticulture for Native Plant Trust, Uli Lorimer oversees the facilities and operations at Garden in the Woods and at Nasami Farm. Uli brings 20 years of experience working with native plants in public gardens with previous positions at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Wave Hill Garden, and the US National Arboretum. He is a tireless advocate for the use of native plants in designed spaces through his public speaking, writing, lectures, and media appearances. Uli feels most grounded with his hands in the soil.

Partners for Life: Fungi & Plants

Fungi and plants have coexisted for millions of years. Without both organisms, our world would look very different. Here I will discuss the wonderful world of fungi and their close relationship with plants. About our Speaker: Dr. Steve Kutos is a research ecologist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo – Conservation Biology Institute. Overall, his research explores the relationship between plants and the microorganisms that live on and around them. His current research examines the links between microbes and the conservation and flavor quality of coffee.

Naturescaping: Landscaping Based on Nature with Elaine Silverstein

Many gardeners today understand the importance of planting native plants in restoring our environment. This workshop builds on this idea by explaining how homeowners can help restore natural habitats by planting groups of species that grow together in nature.

Beginning with the observation of nature, the workshop covers common but important Northeastern ecosystems such as prairies, red maple swamps, and oak-hickory forests, describing each one in detail and explaining what to plant to recreate it.

About the Speaker: Elaine Silverstein is certified in Sustainable Landscape Management by the New York Botanical Garden, where she has also earned the Urban Naturalist certificate and continues to study botany, ecology, and landscape design. She is co-leader of the Bergen-Passaic chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey and co-chair of the Glen Rock Shade Tree Advisory Committee.

Sam Hoadley: Knock Out Natives

Sam Hoadley

Join Sam as he highlights knockout native species and cultivars from Mt. Cuba’s Trial Gardens. Top performers and favorites of Coreopsis, Baptisia, Monarda, Phlox, Helenium, Echinacea and wild hydrangea represent some of the best native plants for the mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Sam will discuss their horticultural and ecological performance and will share important information on standouts that make beautiful additions to your garden.

Sam Hoadley Bio:

Sam Hoadley is the Manager of Horticultural Research at Mt. Cuba Center where he evaluates plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. Sam earned his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont.

Sue Barton: Strategies for Sustainable Landscaping

Originally presented on November 5, 2022 at the NPSNJ Fall Conference

Make your landscape more ecologically sound by implementing a variety of sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques. Learn how to manage and conserve water using rain gardens, bio-swales, and rain barrels; reduce the demands of lawn care by adding meadow areas; and increase your energy savings with strategically placed layered plantings. Develop your garden as an ecosystem that supports a diverse population of beneficial wildlife and creates healthy, natural habitats

Sue Barton, Professor and Extension Specialist Ornamental Horticulture, University of Delaware
Susan Barton, PhD is an extension specialist and professor in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department at the University of Delaware. She has worked for the past 20+ years with DelDOT to research and implement new roadside vegetation management strategies. She has also worked with partners to develop the Plants for a Livable Delaware Program, designed to provide alternatives to known invasive plants species and to promote sustainable landscaping. 

Sue teaches Plants and Human Culture, Landscape Drawing, Landscape Architecture Symposium, Landscape Management and coordinates the Landscape Architecture/Plant Science Internship. She also works closely with the nursery and landscape industry, writing newsletters, organizing short courses, and conducting horticulture industry expos with the Delaware Nursery and Landscape Association. Sue received the Nursery Extension Award in 1995 from the American Nursery and Landscape Association and the Ratledge Award for service from the University of Delaware in 2007. Sue received her SITES AP certification in summer 2017. In 2021, Sue received the George M. Worrilow award from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, given to a college alumnus with exemplary service to agriculture in the state.

Teri Speight: Dependable Beauty for the Urban Gardener

Originally presented on November 5, 2022 at the NPSNJ Fall Conference

We will identify native plants that are multitaskers in the garden. Whether in the ground or a container, using native plants for beauty and food for wildlife is easy. Using natives, nativars and non-native plants offer a diverse palette for today’s gardener.

Teresa Speight is a Native Washingtonian, Author, Former Head Gardener for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Garden Writer, Podcaster, Visionary, and Garden Coach. A former Region II Director for GardenComm, Teri is a true Steward of the land and shares her passion on her website Cottage In the Court.

Pandora Young : Home Landscapes for Our Changing Future

Originally presented on September 21, 2022

Pandora will discuss strategies for thinking about and responding to the complexities of environmental change in our home gardens. Pandora presents a proactive approach toward making our home landscapes part of a larger solution that improves outcomes for the plant, animal, and fungal life that are all impacted by environmental change. The talk will cover specific methods of designing a landscape, selecting plant species, and building ecological resilience, including simple methods of improving soils, reducing erosion, and increasing biodiversity, all with a goal of maximizing ecological function.

Pandora Young

Pandora Young Bio:

Pandora Young is a Senior Land Stewardship and Ecology Technician who has worked at Longwood Gardens since 2005, including 18 years as the horticulturalist for Peirce’s Woods, a 7-acre display garden area showcasing plants native to Eastern North America. They received a B.A. in Japanese studies, with a minor in Biology from Earlham College, IN. Over the years, Pandora has taught many classes and led tours with a focus on native and edible plants. Pandora is passionate about connecting people with plants and fostering healthy more resilient ecosystems.

Deer Resistant Native Plants for Your Garden

by Mike Van Clef, Program Director, FoHVOS Invasive Species Strike Team

Originally presented September 16, 2020.

This talk goes over various landscape uses for native plants ranging from meadow patches to formal gardens. It focuses on selection of native plants based on their functions (e.g., screening, foundation plantings, plants for shade, etc.), emphasizing the value these plants provide to birds, bees and butterflies — contributing to increasing the health of our natural world. The talk also covers how to select deer resistant plants and develop creative ways to protect any native plant from marauding deer.  

This recording and the slides and images contained therein are a copyrighted work of Mike Van Clef. It is available to you only for your personal viewing and is not to be copied, distributed, or sold in any manner. Please be respectful that the webinar recording is the property of the owner.

It starts off with an introduction to the NPSNJ and then proceeds to the presentation.

Plants of the Pine Barrens

by Marilyn Sobel, Research Scientist, NJ Pinelands Commission

Originally presented by the Southeast Chapter, March 15 2021 

Marilyn will discuss the ecology of some rare and endangered plants of the Pine Barrens, including orchids, carnivorous plants, and locally-limited plants such as Knieskern’s beaked rush. The talk will include potential threats to local populations and general habitat characteristics that are important elements of plant conservation. She will be adding some special touches of interest for gardeners as well.