Connecticut Horticultural Society is thrilled to announce its lineup of speakers for the 2026-2027 season.
Our hybrid model includes broadcasting Winter events on Zoom only (January, February and March meetings). Six are held in person as well as on Zoom at Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, CT. Presentations start at 7pm and are followed with a Q&A.
The full list of speakers includes:
Thurs., Sept. 17: Editing the Garden: Advice from the High Line with Yuki Kaneko. Kaneko is the Senior Horticulture Manager at the High Line where she manages the landscape of the internationally celebrated urban public park in New York City. She will share the art of “editing”—an essential practice to refine ever-evolving naturalistic gardens.
Thurs., Oct. 15: Digging Deeper into Ecological Horticulture with Uli Lorimer. 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. Brought to you through the generosity of the Lois and Herb Isaacson Endowed Lecture fund and the Wild Ones Mountain Laurel Chapter.
Thurs., Nov. 19: Gardening Like the Forest: Designing Edible Ecosystems for Homes and Communities with David Jacke. Jacke, an award-winning author, designer and educator, will explore the vision of ecosystem agriculture, a synthesis of ecology, design, and agriculture aiming to design abundant food-producing ecosystems that mimic healthy natural communities.
Thurs., Jan. 21: When the Wild Things Are: The Science and Experience of Phenology with Theresa Crimmins. Phenology is about timing, and Crimmins will share how we are all phenologists in our own way. She will also share how you can participate in documenting the timing of seasonal life cycle events—for the benefits to mental health and for the good of the environment.
Thurs., Feb. 18: All Things Cut Flowers: Growing, Designing & Industry Insight with Jillian Shea. Shea, owner of PlantHer, and manager of the Connecticut Flower Collective, will take us through the essentials of basic cut flower growing, from ideal varieties to growing specifics, and more.
Thurs., March 18: Geeking Out with Dahlias with Merrie Avallone. Avallone, owner of Dreamland Flower Farm in Cromwell, will share more than 20 years of experience growing dahlias organically and dives into the details behind these remarkable plants.
Thurs., April 15: Ecotypes, Ecoregions, and Restoration Agriculture with Dina Brewster. Dina Brewster, co-founder of the Ecotype Project, will discuss her work with native plants, specifically the development of a native seed supply chain in the Northeast. She is currently running a small seed company, The Northeast Seed Collective, off her farm in Ridgefield.
Thurs., May 20: How to Kill a Houseplant with Jeff Eleveld. Jeff The Plant Guy will share his unique perspective on keeping house plants alive. He is the owner of The Li’l Plant Shop in Newington, as well as The Li’l Plant Bus that travels to various events around the state. He’ll be bringing the bus to the talk.
Thurs., June 17: Breaking the Rules: Ecological Landscape Design and Traditional Landscape Methodology with Larry Weaner. Weaner, founder of Larry Weaner Landscape Associates and New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) will discuss alternative approaches on everything from selecting, arranging, and spacing plants to the simple act of weeding.
Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For more information, visit www.cthort.org or email news@cthort.org.