Events

Join Joey Santore, creator of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, for a candid Wild Ones National Webinar examining how inherited garden aesthetics shape native plant landscapes. Drawing on field experience and real ecology, Joey challenges tidy design norms and explores why dense, irregular plant communities are often the most resilient and ecologically sound.

Foundation gardens became popular about a century ago, but times have changed. Let’s re-imagine this planting area, a place residents see every day. We'll examine the design challenges posed by the foundation areas around homes and other buildings and review native plants that fit into that highly visible setting. In addition, we'll consider the surprising, hidden benefits of updated foundation gardens.

Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer who specializes in naturalized designs, low-impact landscape techniques, and native plants. In addition to her design projects, she gives talks, tours, and workshops. She has received several awards for her communications efforts on landscapes, plants, and land care. Kathy has a master’s degree from the Conway Graduate Program in Sustainable Landscape Planning and Design.  Kathy has  completed the Advanced Master Gardener Program and is an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional.

This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  

You must REGISTER to receive the Zoom link.

Click READ MORE for Kathy's website.  

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

The mission of this event is to provide community members the education and resources to live more sustainably.  The Mountain Laurel Chapter will have an educational table to help connect people and native plants for a healthier planet and encourage landscaping with   native plants to support biodiversity.

This is a family-friendly event that gets a lot of traffic!   We will have an interactive activity at our table to promote interest and engagement,

VOLUNTEERS  ARE NEEDED.  Contact Lydia [email protected] if interested in helping.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

This CT Horticultural Society Speaker Event was made possible through the generosity of the Lois and Herb Isaacson Endowed Lecture fund and the Mountain Laurel Chapter of Wild Ones.

What is Ecological Horticulture? What distinguishes it from mainstream horticulture? Why is genetic diversity important?  Ecological Horticulture takes a different approach from traditional gardening by focusing on nature-friendly principles. This talk will dive into key ideas and challenge common gardening practices. For example: Why is genetic diversity essential? Can I use cultivated versions of native plants? How should climate change influence my gardening choices? These questions and more will guide a discussion on creating and caring for gardens in harmony with the environment.

Uli Lorimer serves as the Director of Horticulture for the Native Plant Trust, a leading non-profit dedicated to preserving the native flora of the Northeastern United States. In this role, he oversees the acclaimed Garden in the Woods in Framingham and Nasami Farm in Western Massachusetts, which focuses on native plant propagation and research. Uli’s impressive career includes positions at the National Arboretum, Wave Hill, and as the Curator of Native Plants at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A lifelong enthusiast of plants and biodiversity, Uli continues to study the region’s ecosystems, collect seeds from the wild, and introduce new plants to collections.

He is also a prolific author and speaker, well-known to audiences across the horticultural community. His publications include Tough Natives for Tough Places and A Native Plant Reader. His latest work, The Northeast Native Plant Primer, reflects his deep commitment to native plants and their ecological value. With a science-based approach and a passion for biodiversity, Uli offers invaluable insights into selecting plants that maximize the ecological impact of our gardens while celebrating the beauty of native flora.

This event is free for CT Horticultural Society and Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter members, $10 for non-members.  CT Hort members and the general public should register at  CT Hort Events:  Digging Deeper.  Mountain Laurel Chapter members SAVE THE DATE – you will receive the Zoom link for free on or around June 1.   DO NOT REGISTER at the CT Hort website or you will have to pay the non-member fee!

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

Details coming soon! 

SAVE THE DATE - DAY 1 of our annual plant sale pre-order pickup and walk-in sale.   (Dates are not yet confirmed and subject to change.)

SAVE THE DATE - DAY 2 of our annual plant sale pre-order pickup and walk-in sale.   (Dates not yet confirmed and  subject to change.)

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

Details coming soon! 

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.

Details coming soon! 

All members are welcome at chapter Board business meetings. Email chapter in advance to receive Zoom link if you wish to attend.