And please be sure to join us for future programs!!
Interested in hearing more about a particular topic? Have a speaker to recommend? Send us a note any time!
This lively session will be led by Casey Johnson, a research associate in the University of Rhode Island Bee Lab (https://web.uri.edu/beelab/), led by Dr. Steven Alm. When Casey describes her job she will often say that she chases bees for a living, and she is determined to help people better understand the value of these amazing insects who need our compassion and help.
Casey was recently appointed project coordinator for the Rhode Island Plant Insect Community Network (https://picn.rinhs.org/). a newly launched initiative creating a community of mutual support through bringing together diverse projects across the state that focus on our plants and insects. She began pollinator research in the highly respected Bee Lab in 2019 and received her Master's degree from URI in 2021. Currently, she researches plant and wild bee response to pollinator meadows installed through USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) initiatives in Rhode Island and Connecticut, and is working on a collaborative effort to create a Rhode Island bee checklist which documents the bee species currently and historically present in the state. Casey is passionate about pollinators and will leave you inspired to learn more about these amazing creatures and eager to help them survive and thrive. Her workshops receive rave reviews, don't miss the fun!
In order to want to "save the bees" we first need to understand them. Come explore our native pollinators and delve into the incredible diversity of native bees you can find in your own Rhode Island backyard. You'll learn more about the importance of preserving wild bee populations and explore the harsh realities of common threats to native bees and other insects. Attendees will leave empowered to take action as they learn more about ways they can help native bee populations to survive and thrive right in their own yards and gardens. Spoiler alert, Casey will also enlighten participants on why getting a honey bee hive may not be the best way to actually "save the bees"!
Explore more on this issue in a recent PBS Segment "Are Bees Leaving Rhode Island?" https://www.ripbs.org/news-and-culture/climate-environment/declining-bees
It's time to talk about the amazing beauty that can awaken in a space rooted in nature and created through artful design. Meet three local garden reformers working to meld life and art to transform not only area yards but the area garden aesthetic one space at a time. You'll hear about their own favorite projects and get top tips for creating spaces that dazzle the eye and buzz with life. The program will be moderated and editorialized by Cindy Larson Moura, co-owner of Prickly Ed's Cactus Patch and will feature:
Beth Brandon owner of Outer Spaces, an ecological landscaping company based in Providence, RI. Modeling gardens after natural communities, they understand that lasting design solutions are, like healthy ecosystems, dynamic. As a resident farmer at Osamequin Farm in Seekonk, Beth propagates native plants from seed, and has been slowly establishing native plant gardens at the entrance to the farm over the past few years. They are a Rhode Island Certified Horticulturist and Certified Invasive Plant Manager, with a BA in Visual Art from Brown University and a certificate in Home Horticulture from URI.
Brooke Merriam owner of Sunflower Designs, an ecological landscaping company that strives to create landscapes that are meant to be lived in and that reflect who we are and how we live. Brooke is a Rhode Island Certified Horticulturist (RICH), a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association (RINLA) and the Ecological Landscape Alliance (ELA). Passionate about connecting kids to nature she serves on the Advisory Board for Thrive Outside (www.thriveoutside.info) and is a member of the Education Committee at Save the Bay (www.Savebay.org)
Tysh McGrail owner of Woodscapes. a land improvement firm specializing in developing biodiverse native plant communities in urban and country settings. Woodscapes focuses on creating landscape designs and renovations utilizing New England native plants, repurposed local materials and organic practices. Her firm focuses on transforming yards to spaces you will never want to leave. With multiple degrees in the arts, Tysh has a unique eye for unusual and surprising design solutions for any site.
It would not be an overstatement to say that many, maybe even most Rhode Island front yard landscapes are dominated by turf grass lawns with the same dozen plants tucked closely against the house in "foundation beds". In this session we explore the question, do our landscapes all have to look the same? Can they be reimagined to better represent our own individual styles while also becoming more resilient, sustainable and useful?
Come explore front yard plantings that offer year-round curb appeal, habitat enhancement and restoration. Participants will explore how to consider the aesthetics of plants but then look beyond when developing criteria for effective plant selection. When properly evaluated, plants become design elements that serve as integral devices to create meaning, form and space. Explore what it means to design gardens that evoke a natural landscape rooted in resiliency by employing a matrix-style planting design using natives alone, or a mixture of native and non-invasive exotic plants (perennials and woody plants), that change through succession and growth throughout the year and over time. This session will be led by Michael Veracka, https://www.michaelveracka.com/ whose design practice focuses on sustainable design.
Michael is adept at creating site-specific designs for spaces of all sorts and contexts. Trained as a landscape architect, with a master's from RISD, he has an array of eclectic experiences including project manager, organic landcare professional, invasive plant manager, plant procurement buyer, horticultural consultant, organic grower, stone artisan, certified arborist and professor. He has also worked as a landscape designer and planner for city and state agencies.
At the root of his work is a reverence for nature and a respect for the natural environment. Michael is a frequent consultant, lecturer and writer on a wide variety of design and horticultural topics and has won numerous design awards. His work has been featured in numerous publications including Garden Design magazine, Rhode Island Monthly magazine, the Boston Globe magazine and the Boston Herald. Don't miss out on this opportunity to let Michael inspire you to create a new vision for your front - and back - yards!
Join us for a lively, interactive, classroom style session focused on the science of plants and what that means for your garden. Where your plants originate from matters - learn more about what exactly this means and how to use that knowledge to make good plant choices for your landscape. This knowledge will also help you diagnose what may be happening with plants already in your yard.
By learning more about plant categories, nomenclature, plant origins, plant growing techniques and the science behind all of it, you can make more informed choices for your own garden. What does right plant - right place really mean? Why does it matter? What are cultivars? What are hybrids? Why care about these terms at all? Why does the way a plant is grown impact the way it will behave in your landscape? Becoming a successful ecological gardener means understanding and considering much more about plants than just things like flower color or size. This session will empower you to make better choices. Whatever your level of gardening expertise you will walk away with knowledge that you can put to use to make you a better informed gardener and garden shopper.
The session will also explore the important and timely question of what it means to garden in a rapidly changing climate. How do we select plants that will thrive in our area today and long into the changing future? How can plants help buffer us from some of the impacts of our changing region? Join us in a dynamic exploration of this tricky subject.
The session will be facilitated by Joel Swan, Science Department Chair at East Providence High School. Joel has been a science teacher for more than 25 years and has been an instructor of horticulture and aquaculture for the past 10 years. He is a URI Master Gardener and Permaculture enthusiast.
Imagine a space that is a full-fledged garden oasis for wildlife that also supports healthy waterways, reduces flooding, and filters pollutants. Now imagine that space is right outside your very own door! Join a team from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island to explore information on native plantings, rain gardens, managing stormwater on your property and planting for pollinators and other wildlife. The presentation will include a live demonstration on supporting healthy waterways, helping to emphasize the ways that all of our own properties connect to our beloved Bay. The session will include practical guidance on rain garden installation. Participants will also learn about ways they can get involved locally to help seed change.
Katie Schortmann is the Pollinator Outreach Coordinator at Audubon. In that role, she educates community members on native plants and pollinators, oversees the Audubon Pollinator Alliance and manages the Palmieri Pollinator Garden in Bristol with the help of the URI Master Gardener program and community volunteers. Schortmann believes in the collaborative efforts of communities to advocate for protection of pollinators and is always willing to be a resource of information on native plants, pollinators, and backyard habitat creation. Feel free to email her at kschortmann@asri.org.
Rebecca Reeves is the Education and Outreach Manager with the Stormwater Innovation Center (SIC)/Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Working in collaboration with the SIC’s many partner organizations, she is responsible for professional training and event coordination, school programming, and community outreach. Rebecca is a URI Master Gardener with a passion for promoting nature based solutions to stormwater challenges.
“Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young: it travels along grass stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment itself, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.” This quote by international bestselling author Richard Louv will set the tone for this interactive session that blends an introspective look into why we have to work with urgency and intention to reconnect children to their natural roots with practical ideas for creating child centered - nature rich spaces right outside our doors.
The science on this subject is clear. Time in nature is absolutely vital for child development, health, and wellbeing. Yet the data tells us that children spend on average 4-7 minutes per day in unstructured outdoor play but up to 7 hours per day in front of screens. It’s time to change that! Come explore more of what the research tells us children need in the great outdoors then enjoy a spirited and interactive presentation on how to build it! Participants will dig in on the art & science of gardening with kids - and gardening for kids, and will find fascinating ideas for ways that everyday items can be transformed and repurposed into open ended wonderlands for kiddos of all ages.
This session will be led by Cindy Larson Moura, co-owner of Prickly Ed's. Cindy is a nationally recognized expert in the field of early childhood education & development with particular expertise around the creation of thoughtfully designed indoor and outdoor spaces that nurture children's needs. She is determined to bring nature and all it’s benefits back into the lives of children and believes we all have a unique role to play in making that happen. Her passion for and knowledge about this subject led to her being invited to serve as Rhode Island's local expert voice at the screening of the emmy award winning documentary "Where do the Children Play?" - a question we all need to be asking ourselves!
Join Cindy and Ed Moura, your wildscaping neighbors and the proprietors of Pricky Ed’s Cactus Patch, as they dig in on the nitty gritty behind infusing life and vitality into area landscapes. This session will blend presentation and Information with lots of discussion, for a lively evening that sends you off into the 2025 garden season feeling confident and inspired. We’ll touch on lots of tricks of the trade, tools of the trade, myths to be mindful of and pitfalls to watch out for.
Grounding participants in the how and why of resilient landscaping practice, the session is designed to leave attendees feeling empowered. We’ll take a hard and honest look at gardening practices that need to be unlearned and we’ll dig in on things like:
— Site preparation strategies
— How to pick the right plants for your place and your goals
— Planning and building cohesive plant communities
— The mechanics of planting for success
— Caring for ecological landscapes
— Putting all the pieces together
Learn more about the dynamic duo who will be leading this wild and engaging session on the “About Us” page of the website. Don’t miss this lively launch to the 2025 garden season where we will even engage ina raucous game of “Two truths and a lie” - garden edition.