Seminar Schedule
Our show features a comprehensive lineup of seminars & demos! Use the buttons below to find what interests you! You can also see our exhibitor list here.
Seminar Schedules, Speakers & Topics
The CT Flower & Garden Show offers a robust schedule of flower & garden related seminars! Below you will find a seminar schedule for each day of our show that includes times, speakers, topics & room location for each presentation. Below all the daily schedules you will find bios, photos and more information about our line up speakers listed in alphabetical order.
Please note – the seminar speakers, presentations and schedules are subject to change. Please review just before attending the show for the most up-to-date info. Thanks for your interest in our seminar lineup and please enjoy the show!
Featured Speaker – Dr. Doug Tallamy
Join the renowned entomologist, author, and University of Delaware Professor Dr. Doug Tallamy, as he presents “How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard” on Thursday at 2pm. As the New York Times bestselling author of Nature’s Best Hope and co-founder of Homegrown National Park, Dr. Tallamy is the nation’s leading voice on turning ordinary yards into vital ecological habitats. In this highly anticipated session, he addresses the most pressing questions about biodiversity, keystone plants, native species, and restoration, providing clear, actionable answers to inspire you to make your own space a crucial part of nature’s recovery.
Schedules
Schedules
Speakers Bios
Thursday’s Presentation Schedule
Turn your device horizontal for optimum view.
| Time | Speaker | Topic | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11a | Lauren Kurtz | Invasive Plants In Your Garden | Room 11 |
| 11a | Jen Plasky | Winning Window Boxes & Perfect Planters | Room 12 |
| 11a | Merrie Avallone | Having Fun with Dahlias | Room 13 |
| 12:30p | Len Giddix | It's All Greek to Me | Room 11 |
| 12:30p | Kathy Connolly | Site Preparation for Landscape Transformation | Room 12 |
| 12:30p | Terry Walters | Fermentation for Your Good Health | Room 13 |
| 2p | Arthur Hamm | The Lawn Ranger; Your Lawn Needs Just as Much Love As Your Garden | Room 11 |
| 2p | Doug Tallamay | How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard | Room 12 |
| 2p | Doug Tallamay | How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard | Room 13 |
| 3:30p | Jeffrey Eleveld | How To Kill a Houseplant | Room 11 |
| 3:30p | Nancy DuBrule-Clemente & Diane St. John | A Happy Habitat Action Program | Room 12 |
| 3:30p | Nancy DuBrule-Clemente & Diane St. John | A Happy Habitat Action Program | Room 13 |
| 4:30p | Len Giddix | Growing Garlic | Room 11 |
| 4:30p | Kathy Connolly | Native Ground Covers With Oomph! | Room 12 |
| 4:30p | Kathy Connolly | Native Ground Covers With Oomph! | Room 13 |
Friday’s Presentation Schedule
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| Time | Speaker | Topic | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11a | Jim Sirch | Propagating Native Plants From Seed | Room 11 |
| 11a | Denise Ciastko | What the Seed is Saying Part 2 | Room 12 |
| 11a | Lorraine Walsh & Mary Lou Ashur | Art In Bloom | Room 13 |
| 12:30p | Pamm Cooper | Wild Mushrooms Just for Fun | Room 11 |
| 12:30p | Jeffrey Eleveld | How to Kill a Houseplant | Room 12 |
| 12:30p | Diane St. John | Small Meadows, Flowering Lawns & How to Plant Them at Home | Room 13 |
| 2p | Jim Sirch | Propagating Native Plants From Seed | Room 11 |
| 2p | Nancy DuBrule-Clemente | Up Your Annual Flowers Game | Room 12 |
| 2p | Lorraine Walsh & Mary Lou Ashur | Art In Bloom | Room 13 |
| 3:30p | Rob Townsend | Water Gardening Basics | Room 11 |
| 3:30p | Jen Plasky | Winning Window Boxes & Perfect Planters | Room 12 |
| 3:30p | Len Giddix | It's All Greek to Me | Room 13 |
| 4:30p | Arthur Hamm | The Lawn Ranger; Your Lawn Needs Just as Much Love as Your Garden | Room 11 |
| 4:30p | Diane St. John | Every Yard Matters; How to Create a Healthy Monarch Butterfly Habitat | Room 12 |
| 4:30p | Terry Walters | Fermentation for Your Good Heath | Room 13 |
Saturday’s Presentation Schedule
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| Time | Speaker | Topic | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11a | Arthur Hamm | The Lawn Ranger; Your Lawn Needs Just as Much Love as Your Garden | Room 11 |
| 11a | Teri Dunn Chace | Jousting with Japanese Knotweed | Room 12 |
| 11a | Terry Walters | Fermentation for Your Good Health | Room 13 |
| 12:30p | Heather Zidack | Goal Orientated Gardening | Room 11 |
| 12:30p | George Trecina | How I Ditched My Front Lawn | Room 12 |
| 12:30p | Len Giddix | It's All Greek to Me | Room 13 |
| 2p | Rob Townsend | Water Gardening Basics | Room 11 |
| 2p | Jen Plasky | Winning Window Boxes & Perfect Planters | Room 12 |
| 2p | Merrie Avallone | Having Fun with Dahlias | Room 13 |
| 3:30p | Nancy DuBrule-Clemente & Nancy Ballek-McKinnon | Nancy & Nancy Throwdown! | Room 11 |
| 3:30p | Teri Dunn Chace | Jousting with Japanese Knotweed | Room 12 |
| 3:30p | Len Giddix | It's All Greek to Me | Room 13 |
| 4:30p | Jeffrey Eleveld | How to Kill a Houseplant | Room 11 |
| 4:30p | George Trecina | Special Hardscape Projects | Room 12 |
| 4:30p | Diane St. John | Every Yard Matters; How to Create a Healthy Monarch Butterfly Habitat | Room 13 |
| 5:30p | Laurie Masciandaro | Connecticut's Historic Gardens | Room 11 |
Sunday’s Presentation Schedule
Turn your device horizontal for optimum view.
| Time | Speaker | Topic | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11a | Avishesh Neupane | Soil Test to Success: Simple Numbers, Better Gardens | Room 11 |
| 11a | Jen Plasky | Winning Window Boxes & Perfect Planters | Room 12 |
| 11a | Len Giddix | It's All Greek to Me | Room 13 |
| 12:30p | Arthur Hamm | The Lawn Ranger: Your Lawn Needs Just as Much Love as Your Garden | Room 11 |
| 12:30p | Dr. Nick Goltz | Flower Diseases 101 | Room 12 |
| 12:30p | Terry Walters | Fermentation for Your Good Health | Room 13 |
| 2p | Len Giddix | It's All Greek to Me | Room 11 |
| 2p | Jeffrey Eleveld | How to Kill a Houseplant | Room 12 |
| 2p | Diane St. John | Every Yard Matters ~ How to Create a Healthy Monarch Butterfly Habitat at Home | Room 13 |
Seminar Speakers & Topics
Click the name of each presenter for bios, pictures and presentation details!
Art Hamm Bio
Art was an educator for thirty-five years as a Middle School Math teacher. After he retired from teaching he worked for eight years at the Bristol Home Depot store in the Garden Department. Following this job he worked for two years at the Flower Power Farm nursery in East Windsor, specializing in perennial gardens and lawn services.
While skiing, golf, and officiating three high school sports have given me a great deal of enjoyment over the years, working on my lawn and gardens is my #1 passion and devotion, especially after I had a Modern Farmhouse built two years ago.
Presentation – 10 steps in planting a lawn and maintaining it!
My lawn brings me joy every day from early spring to late fall. Maintaining a well groomed lawn (similar to a golf course), gives me a sense of connection. I listen to what my lawn tells me each day as I “get my hands dirty”, so I decided to share my results with you by presenting my 10 steps in planting a lawn and maintaining it.
This journey of two years in soil preparation, seeding, watering, fertilizing, and mowing has become my obsession in the most beautiful way, and challenges throughout this process has taught me lessons about persistence and patience. My lawn project has brought me pride and joy, and I want to bring this dream to each of you. Each day that I step outside my home, something in the lawn is waiting for me, and I am most grateful to notice it. Remember that a lawn is constantly going to be a work in progress, but as in my case, it can become a lawn of your dreams like it has for me.
Avishesh Neupane Bio
Avishesh Neupane, Ph.D. is an Assistant Extension Professor of Soil Science at UConn and Director of the Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory. He holds an M.E.Sc. from Yale and a Ph.D. from UCLA. His Extension work aims to translate lab results into clear, science-based recommendations for Connecticut and New England growers and gardeners, with an emphasis on nutrient stewardship to protect local waterways. His research on how carbon and nitrogen move through working soils informs these recommendations and keeps them grounded in current science. His outreach programs cover soil fertility, compost, fertilizer management, and crop, pasture, and lawn amendments.
Presentation Description
At the Flower & Garden Show, Dr. Neupane focuses on the practical side of flower production: reading soil tests, dialing in pH and lime, choosing fertilizers that fit crops and season, and spotting nutrient-related issues in beds, greenhouses, and high tunnels.
Denise Ciastko Bio
Denise Ciastko has made significant contributions to native plant landscaping and restoration in New England. Starting with the first solely native plant nursery in Connecticut in 1994, Denise’s work has focused on preserving the natural heritage of the region through initiatives such as the restoration of two acres of upland beach grass at Lynde Point in Old Saybrook, CT, and creating native wildflower water features and rain gardens throughout Connecticut. She has received numerous awards, including Best Naturalistic Garden, Best Environmentally Sensitive Garden, and the “Exhibit of Special Merit and Educational Value” from The Connecticut Horticultural Society.
Today, Denise Ciastko continues her mission to promote native plants and support pollinators through her new company, NativearthSeed LLC. With the immense focus on native pollinator seeds, NativearthSeed LLC helps gardeners create beautiful, ecologically valuable gardens that support local wildlife. You can explore Denise’s seed offerings and learn more about her work at www.nativearthseed.com.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, her seed collections offer a wonderful way to contribute to the preservation of native plant species and provide vital habitats for pollinators.
Presentation – What Is The Seed Saying – Part Two
What Is the Seed Saying? returns to the Connecticut Flower & Garden Show with a refined and expanded lecture experience. Building on last year’s presentation, Denise Ciastko of NativearthSeed explores the hidden intelligence of true Northeast native seeds through stunning macro photography, time-lapse video, and storytelling that reveals how seeds move, wait, protect themselves, and respond to their environment — while also offering clear, practical guidance on how to properly sow native seeds at home.
Diane St. John Bio
Diane St. John is the manager of Natureworks Garden Center and has a BFA in Photography from Columbia College in Chicago and a Landscape Design Certificate from Naugatuck Valley Community College. After obtaining the Landscape Design Certificate from NVCC, the UConn Master Gardener certification, and an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional Certification through CT NOFA, she became increasingly aware of the overuse of synthetic chemicals on lawns and gardens. She became a passionate educator of organic land care practices and saw the decline of the monarch butterfly as a symbol of educating the public on why organic methods are so important. She hopes to inspire others to stop the use of chemicals at home and create a safe, beautiful, healthy environment for all.
Presentation Description
Every Yard Matters: How to Create a Healthy Monarch Butterfly Habitat
Diane is passionate about attracting many different butterflies and insects to the home garden. Join her and learn the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. Learn how you can attract butterflies to live in your own yard by using easy organic gardening techniques. You will learn about many plants that they need for survival and how by planting them you help not only the monarch butterfly, but all our other beloved pollinators too!
Small Meadows, Flowering Lawns, and How to Plant Them at Home
Years ago Diane decided an area of her organic lawn was a complete waste of space and she went on a long, magical journey to transform it into a beautiful flowering meadow. Watch in photographs as she explains her process and see the results. It is amazing how much LIFE is now in this area and how happy it makes her feel every single day. Changing a traditional lawn to a meadow is one of the best ways to encourage more pollinators, beauty and life to your yard.
Join Diane for her talk and learn the non-traditional way she transitioned an unused area of her own lawn in CT into a beautiful meadow. She will also explain other lawn alternatives you can plant to up the pollinator power right at home.
A Happy Habitat Action Plan
Doug Tallamy teaches us to grow native plants to support all of the living things we share our landscapes with. Join Nancy DuBrule-Clemente and Diane St. John for an exciting class teaching you HOW to make this happen! Transform your existing yard to a Happy Habitat. Learn how to rethink your entire yard- reduce your lawn and add flowers to it, where and how to establish bird-friendly shrub borders and pollinator patches, and how to attract and support hummingbirds and butterflies. Learn how to have succession of bloom from two CT gardeners with decades of hands-on experience.
Doug Tallamy Bio
Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 112 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 44 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His books include Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, Nature’s Best Hope, a New York Times Best Seller, The Nature of Oaks, winner of the American Horticultural Society’s 2022 book award. In 2021 he cofounded Homegrown National Park with Michelle Alfandari (HomegrownNationalPark.org). His awards include recognition from The Garden Writer’s Association, Audubon, The National Wildlife Federation, Allegheny College, Ecoforesters, The Garden Club of America, The Herb Society, and The American Horticultural Association.
Presentation Description
How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard
Nearly every day I get emails from people who have read my books and heard my talks and yet still have questions about ecological landscaping. These are good, thoughtful questions about ecology and evolution, biodiversity, invasive species, insect declines, native and non-native plants, conservation and restoration, residential and city landscapes, urban issues, oak biology, keystone plants, Homegrown National Park, monarchs, supporting wildlife at home, and more. In this talk I address as many of these queries as I can with hope that my answers will further motivate people to help restore ecosystem function where they live, work, play, worship, and farm.
George Trecina Bio
George has been planning and planting gardens since the 1970s with his own property serving as his “experimental laboratory”. A graduate of The University of Connecticut and Cornell University, his main focus is on the improvement of residential properties He established Land Design & Horticultural Sales LLC in 1992, a landscape design, installation and maintenance business. He has entertained clients, garden clubs and members of The Garden Conservancy and Mad Gardeners at his home in Meriden. Other activities include lecturing and writing on landscape design and horticultural subjects.
Presentation description
How I Ditched My Front Lawn
I finally got my lawn to look like the ones I admired in lawn service commercials and I treasured every blade of grass. Discover why my love affair disappeared and how I created a front yard devoid of lawn.
Special Hardscape Projects
I love the look of natural stone and how it contributes to the overall garden design. I’ve been fortunate to work with clients who share my enthusiasm. Let’s look at four of my favorite projects that combine various materials and techniques.
Heather Zidack Bio
Heather Zidack is a Horticultural Educator at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center. An alumna of the University of Connecticut, she holds a B.S. in Plant Science and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on agricultural education. Heather brings a unique blend of industry experience and teaching expertise to her work, drawing from her background in horticulture and high school agriscience education. She develops educational resources, engages with the public through various outreach platforms, and contributes regularly to the Hartford Courant. Heather has also been featured as an expert on CRIS Radio, NBC30 CT, and The Spruce.
Presentation description
Goal Oriented Gardening
With an endless supply of information, it can be difficult to sort the good gardening advice from the bad. Learn how to “weed out” popular recommendations from researched best-practices and use those tools to achieve your own personal goals in the garden.
Jeffrey Eleveld Bio
Jeffrey Eleveld, a Horticulture Therapist, started his career in 2009. He brings therapeutic horticulture programs to Garden Clubs, Libraries and adult communities in the four-state area. His programs offer social and therapeutic horticulture entertainment and education, or as he jokingly says, “the best hour’s nap you’ll ever have…and you get a free plant when you wake up.”
Jeff has also invented The Go 2 Garden, a raised bed garden planter that is comfortable to use while sitting or standing and is fully wheelchair accessible.
The Li’l Plant Shop Located at 8 East Main Street in “Downtown” Plainville, CT, botanical haven for plant enthusiasts of all kinds. Step inside and explore a lush assortment of tropical plants, orchids, herbs, plant jewelry, dish gardens, bonsai, holiday arrangements, Kokedama, and more. 8 East Main Street Plainville, CT 150 Broad Street Windsor, CT 06095
The Li’l Plant Bus, a rolling plant shop on six wheels, came online in August 2022 to augment The Li’l Plant Shop. Look for the bus at festivals, food truck events, farmers markets, and pop-ups all across Connecticut. You can also rent the bus for a party or special event. Check it out at thelilplantbus.com.
Imagine a living space where every plant is perfectly in sync with its environment. With Jeff’s Plant Compatibility Analysis, we expertly determine the optimal light conditions and layout for your plants, providing personalized suggestions to help them flourish. Experience the joy of vibrant, healthy plants that enhance your environment effortlessly!
His podcast, “True Plant Crimes,” about the mysterious ways people kill their house plants, is in the works and is expected to be released in mid-2025.
“Jeff, brings their unique therapeutic horticulture workshops to people each month in assisted living communities, senior centers, senior communities, skilled nursing homes, libraries, hospitals, garden clubs, and schools across Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, Southern Rhode Island, and Eastern New York.
Presentation Title & Description
How to Kill a Houseplant
Jeff “The Plant Guy” will share his unique perspective on on keeping your house plants alive. He will take you on a journey, providing simple ways to keep your plant alive and flourishing. Is it one of the best plants to invest in for your home? You will get the answer to this question as Jeff takes questions and shares his depth of knowledge and insight. The visual imagery will keep you engaged. He’s funny, historic, sometimes dramatic, and otherwise quite entertaining. You might learn a thing or two about keeping your indoor plants flourishing. Join us for some fun!
If you have a question about a specific plant, please bring a picture, leaf, cutting, or the whole plant for an assessment by Jeff The Plant Guy for identification and/or bug eradication.
Jen Plasky Bio
Jen Plasky is a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), a Connecticut Certified Horticulturist (CCH), and a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a BS in Horticulture and MA in Education. Her 28 years of experience working in floral shops, garden centers, and landscape companies has instilled a passion for creating stunning horticultural displays. Over the past decade she has focused her work in seasonal color and is currently working as a container garden specialist in Boston.
Presentation Title & Description
Winning Window Boxes & Perfect Planters
Upgrade from “plants living in pots” to living works of art through selecting the strongest performing species and arranging plants for their best visual impact. Explore how container gardens can be utilized to highlight the best each season has to offer.
Jim Sirch Bio
Jim Sirch is a trained Naturalist and President of the Connecticut Horticultural Society. He recently retired from the Yale Peabody Museum. Jim is a UConn Master Gardener and board member of his local land trust and the Mountain Laurel chapter of Wild Ones. As a naturalist, he brings a deep understanding of geology, plants and wildlife and how they interact within a particular ecosystem. Jim is passionate about helping others decrease their lawn and re-wild their yard. He founded the Peabody-Beardsley-Maritime chapter of FrogWatch, a national community science program to identify and track frog populations and co-founded a native plant seed library at his local public library. Jim holds a B.S in Forestry from West Virginia University, a B.S. from Miami University in Science Education; and an M.S. in Environmental Studies Administration from Antioch University. He is honored to be a Sigmund Abeles Award recipient from the Connecticut Science Teachers and Supervisors Association for outstanding science teaching and professional development. Jim also authors a nature blog called Beyond Your Back Door at www.beyondyourbackdoor.com.
Presentation
Propagating Native Plants From Seed
Incorporating native plants into your garden is a powerful way to support biodiversity and provide essential food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. One of the most affordable and rewarding ways to expand your native plantings is by growing plants from seed. In this seminar, we’ll explore the germination requirements of a variety of native species and help you prepare for successful planting in the coming season. We’ll also cover proper aftercare to ensure your seedlings thrive long after they sprout. You will be provided with extensive resources and free seeds.
Kathy Connolly Bio
Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer who specializes in naturalized designs, low-impact landscape techniques, and native plants. She gives more than 30 talks and workshops annually for a variety of organizations. She has received several awards and citations for her designs and communications efforts on behalf of ecological land care since beginning her design practice in 2011. Kathy has a master’s degree in ecological landscape planning and design from the Conway School in Northampton, MA. Visit Kathy’s website: www.SpeakingofLandscapes.com
Presentation Descriptions
Native Ground Covers with ‘Oomph’
What can we learn from nature’s own strategies for covering ground? This session explores seven ways that all plants compete for space and survival. Learn to leverage native plants’ natural competitive strategies to our advantage, with a particular focus on plants that “cover ground” effectively.
Site Preparation for Landscape Transformation
Are you thinking about reducing a lawn, cleaning up a weedy patch, or turning a perennial bed into a flowering meadow? Good site preparation is critical. Unfortunately, this important step is often given short shrift in the rush to complete quickly. Let’s look at what it really takes to thoroughly prepare a site and the many benefits of good site preparation.
Lauren Kurtz – Bio
Lauren Kurtz is the newest member of the Home and Garden Education Center at the University of Connecticut. A proud UConn alum, she received both her Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, where her graduate research focused on the breeding and horticulture of hemp. Today, as a science communicator and educator, Lauren specializes in ecological horticulture and invasive plant management.
Presentation Description
Invasive Plants in Your Garden
They arrive uninvited and thrive without an ounce of hospitality, meet the invasive plants in your garden. Understanding what makes a plant invasive, how to identify common species, and how to effectively manage them is an important part of garden stewardship. Whether you care for a backyard garden or manage multiple acres, this presentation will help you recognize the invasive plants you’re most likely to encounter and provide practical, science-based strategies to control them.
Laurie Masciandaro – Bio
Laurie is from the state of Washington, and a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle. She holds a Master’s Degree in American History from the University of Connecticut. She is currently a board member of Connecticut’s Historic Gardens and serves on the American Association of State and Local History’s (AASLH) Awards of Excellence committee. In a past life, Laurie was a lyric soprano and remains a dedicated opera buff. She is currently Site Manager at Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage in Woodstock, Connecticut, where she regularly enjoys one of Connecticut’s loveliest historic gardens.
Presentation Details
Connecticut is home to many beautiful and unique gardens. Sixteen historic sites dotted throughout the state with historically significant gardens have joined to form Connecticut’s Historic Gardens. These delightful places offer visitors an opportunity to explore a variety of garden styles and time periods. Laurie Masciandaro introduces you to the history and beauty of these gardens that have charmed and inspired visitors for a century or more.
Len Giddix Bio
Len Giddix has spent his entire life involved with agricultural pursuits. He has experience in just about every aspect of the profession including production, retail and wholesale sales, as a magazine editor, as a garden talk show host and a home gardener. With a gift to gab and a life filled with gardening experiences, Len’s presentations are sure to please
Presentation Details
It’s All Greek to Me
Understanding and appreciating the meaning of botanical names and common names of plants, we use in our gardens and homes. And why it’s important to know them.
Growing Garlic
Lorraine Walsh & Mary Lou Ashur Bios
Lorraine Walsh and Mary Lou Ashur are the founders of Artistry Floral – a boutique floral design company known for composition and style. Their signature designs capture classic floral designs principles, while interpreting fine art. Before starting Artistry Floral, Lorraine’s work through the years has included teaching Fashion Design at the Quincy Public Schools, tailoring and design of wedding and haute’ couture in the fashion industry, and coordinating expos. Mary Lou Ashur continues her career as an internal medicine physician and teacher of medical and NP students.
They began their journey with flowers at The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston as MFA Associates, here they studied the art of floral design and worked on teams presenting weekly flowers for four years. As members of the MFA associate’s program, they also coordinated holiday décor for MFA visitors, and helped present the museum’s Annual event: Art in Bloom. Now they continue to serve the MFA in the Senior associate’s program, as special event designers, trainers, coordinators of large floral displays, and for Mary Lou as an Access Guide. They are active floral designers for AIB. Lorraine is a member of the AIB, Cohasset garden tours and the holiday house tours. Mary Lou is a member of the Hyannis Garden Club, where she is active in floral shows, and is engaged in the amazing room transformations of their Holiday Showcase. They team teach a monthly Floral Design Program at Mass Horticultural Society in Wellesley, where facilitate students to create fantastical floral designs – with confidence and joy. They are popular guests at garden clubs and civic groups, where they share the experience of interpreting fine art with traditional and creative floral designs.
Merrie Avallone Bio
Merrie Avallone is the farmer and creative heart behind Dreamland Flower Farm in Cromwell, CT, where she has been growing dahlias for over 25 years. What began as a love for these endlessly expressive blooms has grown into a specialty flower farm devoted to cultivating exceptional dahlias with intention and care.
Through Dreamland Flower Farm, Merrie grows and shares carefully curated dahlia varieties, offering tubers online to gardeners across the country. She is passionate about helping others experience the beauty, ease, and joy dahlias bring to the garden, and delights in sharing her long-earned knowledge with growers of all experience levels.
Presentation Description
Having Fun with Dahlias
Why grow dahlias? Because no two are ever the same. Join Merrie Avallone of Dreamland Flower Farm as she explores what makes dahlias so fun to grow, how simple they can be with the right approach, and why gardeners quickly fall in love with their incredible variety of colors, forms, and sizes. A perfect introduction for beginners—and inspiration for longtime dahlia lovers.
Nancy DuBrule-Clemente Bio
Nancy DuBrule-Clemente is FOUNDER of Natureworks. She started the business in 1983 with a goal of providing organic gardening services to the community and sold her business to a group of her employees in 2021. She continues to work with Natureworks writing the weekly email, working occasionally at the garden center, and doing a limited amount of garden design and supervising garden installations for existing clients. The retail store on RT 22 in Northford is a destination for gardeners in the state of CT with a focus on supporting pollinators, creating healthy habitats, encouraging native plants, and supplying unusual plants to serious gardeners. Nancy graduated from the Rackliffe Hicks School of Agriculture in the 70’s. She has written two books and give talks throughout the state on a wide range of subjects. Nancy is a total garden geek and a passionate organic gardener.
Presentation Descriptions
Up Your Annual Flowers Game
Nancy will share her love of unusual annuals and explain how to grow them. She will cover cool season annuals for spring (including winter sowing annual seeds), heat loving annuals for summer, as well as exciting and unique annuals for fall. Learn which annuals can be started in advance both indoors and outdoors. Learn which annuals can be easily sown directly into the garden.
A Happy Habitat Action Plan
Doug Tallamy teaches us to grow native plants to support all of the living things we share our landscapes with. Join Nancy DuBrule-Clemente and Diane St. John for an exciting class teaching you HOW to make this happen! Transform your existing yard to a Happy Habitat. Learn how to rethink your entire yard- reduce your lawn and add flowers to it, where and how to establish bird-friendly shrub borders and pollinator patches, and how to attract and support hummingbirds and butterflies. Learn how to have succession of bloom from two CT gardeners with decades of hands-on experience.
Nancy and Nancy Throwdown
Nancy Balleck-McKInnon (Ballecks Garden Center) and Nancy DuBrule-Clemente (Natureworks) are coming together to have a gardening throwdown! Join 2 of Ct’s favorite gardeners for a back and forth demonstration of what they do to make the winter months more bearable and a LOT more fun!
Dr. Nick Goltz Bio
Nick Goltz, DPM, is an Assistant Extension Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Connecticut and serves as director of both the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory and the UConn Home Garden Education Office. His Extension programming focuses on delivering holistic, actionable plant health guidance to the commercial green industry and home gardeners alike, emphasizing Integrated Pest Management and cultural practices that reduce disease pressure.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities on campus, Nick processes hundreds of plant disease samples and home horticulture inquiries each year, supporting gardeners throughout Connecticut.
Nick earned his Doctor of Plant Medicine degree from the University of Florida. Prior to joining UConn, he worked at the UF Plant Diagnostic Center and in state and federal regulatory laboratories beginning in 2016, conducting research on biological control solutions for invasive insect management.
He welcomes diagnostic samples at the UConn Plant Diagnostic Laboratory; submission instructions and additional information are available at https://plant.lab.uconn.edu. For free gardening or plant‑care advice, the UConn Home Garden Education Office can be reached by email at ladybug@uconn.edu or by phone at 860‑486‑6271.
Presentation Description
Flower Diseases 101
Flowers bring beauty to our gardens and bouquets, but they also battle a surprising number of diseases. This lively, practical session will explore how to identify, prevent, and manage some of the most common flower diseases found in New England gardens and cut-flower production. Participants will learn what symptoms to look for, how to keep plants healthy, and which management strategies actually work in the field. Participants are encouraged to bring photos of problem plants for complimentary diagnosis and group discussion.
Pamm Cooper Bio
Pamm Cooper works at the University of Connecticut Home and Garden Education Center office as a public service gardening specialist and horticultural consultant answering questions on gardening, lawns, native and non-native plants and insects and wildlife issues. She also teaches entomology and turf for the University of Connecticut Master Gardener Program. She has teamed with Jane Seymour from the Ct. DEEP doing programs on using native and non-native plants in the residential landscape to support native pollinators, butterflies and wildlife. She is also an avid nature photographer. She has also worked for Dr. David Wagner collecting and rearing caterpillars for property bio-surveys on DEEP properties.
Presentation details
Wild Mushrooms Just for Fun
Join Pamm Cooper of the UConn Home and Garden Education Center for a fascinating look at the fungal kingdom beneath our feet. This presentation is a beautiful photographic tour of the common and unusual mushrooms found across Connecticut’s forests and yards. Discover the stunning diversity of forms, colors, and textures that these often-overlooked organisms display. This session offers a unique appreciation for the ecology and artistry of wild fungi—a treat for the eyes that will change how you view your natural surroundings.
Robert Townsend Bio
Robert Townsend began his career began 25 years ago with his own landscaping business. Always on the lookout for new challenges and opportunities, in 1991 Rob built his first pond. So satisfying was the planning and execution of this project, his mind was made up to enter a new phase of landscaping design. He began his search for information on Pond Ecosystems.
Teri Dunn Chace Bio
Teri has written over 35 books, including Landscaping for Dummies, 2nd edition, The Anxious Gardener’s Book of Answers, and the 2016 AHS award-winner Seeing Seeds: A Journey into the World of Seedheads, Pods, and Fruit; due out this spring is Raised Bed Gardening for Dummies. She’s also written and edited for major consumer gardening/outdoor-living publications (Horticulture, North American Gardener, Backyard Living, Birds and Blooms) and is presently the garden-and-nature columnist for the award-winning “Bottom Line Personal” newsletter. She’s also written copy for Jackson & Perkins and Dutch Gardens. Raised in Santa Barbara, California and educated at Bard College in New York, she currently resides in a small village in central New York’s farm country (where she is the manager of the Northeast’s largest cheese festival). She and her husband also have a second home on a small island off the southwest coast of Nova Scotia. The most intriguing job she’s ever held? Monitoring rare turtles for the Nature Conservancy. Or…raising teenage boys.
Presentation description:
Jousting with Japanese Knotweed
The introduced, invasive, and indomitable Japanese knotweed is becoming an increasing concern. Methods that work to rein in or eliminate other unwanted plants tend to fail with this beast. We’ll begin with some useful and perhaps surprising information about it, review what doesn’t work and why not, and then describe what does. This presentation is tailored especially to homeowners, gardeners, property managers.
Terry Walters Bio
Terry Walters is the best-selling author of 4 award-winning plant-based cookbooks, including NOURISH: Plant-based Recipes to Feed Body Mind and Soul. She is a James Beard Foundation award finalist and recipient of the Nautilus Gold and Silver Book Awards. Her first cookbook, CLEAN FOOD, was recipient of the World Gourmand “Second Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the World” and “Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the United States” awards.
Terry is a highly sought-after educator, consultant, and speaker with 25 years of empowering and inspiring good health to audiences world-wide. She is a dedicated chef, coach and advocate for change to support our good health and the health of our environment. Terry is also a hiker, skier, gardener, runner, and mom.
Follower her at www.terrywalters.net and on Instagram at @TerryWaltersCooks
Presentation Details
Fermentation and Your Healthy Gut
Gut health is at the very core of our health – from the immune system, to digestive health, to weight loss, and even mental health. Learn why and how to maintain a healthy microbiome with home-fermented probiotic-rich foods. Cooking demo and tasting included!
