Sat., Oct 1 - Aligning with Natural Forces

My Talk:
Aligning with Natural Forces:
Sustainable Garden Design using Native Plants

Saturday Oct. 1, 2011

at the Westchester Community College, Valhalla, NY

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces,
or at least not try to defy them.

~ Paul Hawken

Sustainable Landscape Design encourages a healthy biosphere and stresses both beauty and function.

My upcoming Powerpoint talk is a blend of inspiration and practical ideas you can use to transform challenging sites into beautiful outdoor spaces using native plants.

In my 2 hour class I will share captivating ideas and photos that illustrate

what combinations of native plants to use
which drainage measures you can take
and what design techniques you can implement

to transform any site whether it is steep or level, wooded or open, suburban or urban.

For example, the Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) that I wrote about a post about (click here) is a lovely plant with deep roots that hold loose soil together.

It looks great with butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa).

The native Blue Flag Iris thrives in wet sites. They can be planted 'en masse' for a spectacular effect.

I will discuss:

buffers for providing habitats and absorb runoff.

Unique ways to combine native plants

Creative ideas to minimize surface water runoff

Rain gardens and plants

Alternatives to hard surface paving

Actual projects and layout ideas - before and after photos

Discussions of the best native plants for use in gardens our area

Landscape by Johnsen Landscapes & Pools

My talk is sponsored by the Native Plant Center on the campus of Westchester County Community College, Valhalla, NY

Call ahead and register here: call 914-606-6830 and press 1 or register online at sunywcc.edu/CE

CE-GRDN 2015 #85912

Sourwood (Oxydendron)

I hope you can join me.