A World of Discovery

Nancy Lawson - A World of Discovery: How Science and Heart Can Make You a More Ecological Gardener

Our outdoor surroundings are vibrant realms, places where many languages are spoken, sometimes in sensory alphabets we’ve only just begun to decipher. Much has been written about gardening for human senses, but how do plants and animals perceive the world around them? What do we miss when we landscape for our own visual appeal but neglect the perceptive experiences of our wild neighbors? Along with conventional landscaping practices, noise, light and odor pollution have many unintended consequences. Through science, heart, and our powers of observation, we can learn to mitigate these disruptions and create sensory refuges for the increasingly displaced flora and fauna who share our world.

Keynote Speaker

Mushrooms, Molds and Mycorrhizae

Tradd Cotter - Mushrooms, Molds and Mycorrhizae: The Amazing World of Plants and Fungi

The web of life is constantly evolving to adapt to the consequences and rewards of its surroundings. Tradd Cotter shares his 30 years of experience and research following the amazing trail of mushrooms, molds, and mycorrhizal fungi and their role in our plant communities as synergistic and pathogenic organisms. The web broadens when we weave in bacteria and animals in this incredible story of how fungi interact within the realm of biology and that they may just be chemically intelligent organisms trying to keep ecosystems from their tipping point.

forecasting the future

Kim Shearer - Forecasting the Future: Developing Resilience in our Developed Landscapes

While the future may hold many uncertainties, one thing we know for certain is that we will need trees and shrubs! Particularly, we will need them in our developed landscapes, or human habitats. Research has shown that there are many benefits to having green spaces in our lived in environments. While we also know that the environments we have built can be challenging for many plants, especially with the inevitable effects of climate change. How do we build a more resilient future for us and for the trees? In this talk, Kim Shearer will share what the is being done at The Morton Arboretum for the conservation of plant genetics and for the future of trees in our landscapes. 

Your garden is a source of personal joy – now make it a contributor to the health of the planet as well.  Tom Christopher shares the latest breakthroughs in eliminating pesticides, fostering wildlife, reducing your need for fertilizers and irrigation, meeting the challenges of climate change, and all while reducing maintenance and expense.

If he’s not planting, weeding, or pruning, Tom Christopher is probably in the WESU FM radio studio, working on his weekly program and podcast, “Growing Greener.” Each week, Tom brings listeners an interview with one of the leading voices of gardening with nature – the goal is to make your landscape healthier, more beautiful, more sustainable, and more fun. Growing Greener currently broadcasts on 18 radio stations and downloads as a podcast to 10,000 listeners a month.