SAPS Speaker List for 2025
September 18: In person
Margery Winters, Assistant Director at Roaring Brook Nature Center, Canton, Connecticut
It’s Not Just Dirt. This presentation explores the amazing processes going on under our feet. Soil is the stomach of the earth, with more than half of all earth’s species living in the soil. It performs many vital functions and is not easily replaced, requiring a minimum of 500 years to form 1 inch of top soil. This talk will explore its many under-appreciated benefits and how to better protect it in our gardens. mwinters@thechildrensmuseumct.org
November 20: In person
Ian Caton, Owner of Woodthrush Native Nursery
Native Species Diversity; the Practical Implications of Genetic Variation for Nurseries, Landscapes and Gardens. We often hear that local ecotypes are best. We often hear that straight species are best. But what do these terms mean for design, especially when the nursery trade is not set up to account for these differences? Our opinions of a plant are often colored by our experience with what genetic type is available in the trade, but the truth is that many of our plants are so much more than that. This lecture will explore the practical implications of genetic variations, ecotypes, and cultivars, and the real impact this can have on our expectations for how a plant will look, how it will behave in the landscape, and in some cases how it has the potential to cause harm to the broader landscape. woodthrushnatives@gmail.com
SAPS Speaker List for 2026
January 15: By zoom
Nancy Lawson. A nature writer, habitat consultant, and founder of The Humane Gardener, LLC.
The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife and Wildscape. Learn about creative wildlife-friendly landscaping methods and the scientific discoveries Nancy has made in her own garden.
February 19: By zoom
Randi Eckel, Randi is a life-long naturalist, lover of nature, entomologist, and plant and ecology nerd. She is owner of the mail order native plant nursery Toadshade Wildflower Farm.
On Beyond Monarchs and Honeybees – the Case for Diversity! Monarch butterflies and honeybees have been getting a lot of press recently – and a lot of folks have stepped up to help them, which is good. But with more than 10,000 species of native butterflies, moths, bees and many other creatures that depend upon native plants, it is critical that we look beyond just two species.
March 19: In person
Lucas Holman, Wilson County Extension Agent at Lebanon, Tennessee
Vegetable Gardening – Cool Season Vegetables. Learn about the wide variety of tasty cool season vegetables and how to grow them.
April 16: In person
Kim Whiston, Garden coach and owner of Rock House Gardens in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
How to Successfully Grow Hydrangeas. Hydrangeas are one of the most popular and easy-to-grow ornamental gardens plants. Learn how to grow and care for them as well as how to select from the almost endless varieties on the market.
May 21: In person
Jay Sifford, Landscape designer and operator of Sifford Garden Design of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Rhodwood; Crafting a Dream in the North Carolina Mountains. Jay describes the process of experimenting with Nature’s plant palette to create a garden in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. He named his mountain garden after the hundreds of rhododendron native to the property. Learn about his seasonal journey in creating this oasis.
September 17: In person
Garry Menendez, Garry is a landscape architect with 25 years experience in residential and commercial design with a focus of sustainable design and an instructor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Landscaping with Tennessee Native Plants – Providing a Sense of Place. In East Tennessee we are extremely fortunate to have at our fingertips an abundant array of native species that do an amazing job at providing us with a true sense of place or Genius Loci. Learn how our designs can incorporate both the beauty of these plants as well as the health requirements for people and the planet. Explore how to develop a property which is both sensitive to our environment and a beautiful piece of our regional landscape.
November 19: In person
Jason Powell, Co-owner along with his wife Shelly Powell of the nursery, Petals from the Past located in Jemison, Alabama. They started their nursery in 1994 and specialize in applying contemporary techniques to growing the finest old garden plants along with new varieties.
Petals from the Past – Exploring our Rich Heritage of Antique Roses, Heirloom Shrubs, Hard-to-Find Perennials and More. Learn about the wide range of plants from the past that are available commercially and the use of contemporary growing techniques that help keep them a part of our gardens today.