Shrinking the Lawn

Free and open to the public.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zh0iumwXQA2rLXQF2PBNaQ

I will be a panelist at this event discussing discussing the pros and cons

of naturalized gardens on boulevards and private lands, and how

related municipal policies and property bylaws can best support

local biodiversity and climate resilience.

For more information email: clearviewsustainabilitynetwork@gmail.com

Join fellow plant lovers for a day of discovery and meaning at the annual Plant Symposium. This hybrid event provides a platform for industry leaders, educators and students to share insights and innovations with the broader horticultural community. I will be speaking on what I consider to be a somewhat neglected aspect of the discussion.

How can we reframe notions of disturbance, damage and climate change threats as urgent opportunities to engage with ruderal native plant species, “the first responders;” in an emergency?

Ruderal native plant species have often been relegated to the category of “undesirable” or “weedy” yet these plants are tough survivors that create conditions amenable to habitat succession.

People can register for virtual attendance, too, along with in-person, and there’s more detail on

the event at the following

Links:

https://landscapeontario.com/plant-symposium-2025

https://www.oala.ca/events/landscape-ontario-plant-symposium-2025

The National Garden Bureau and Garden Comm are hosting an Author Book Party, where I’ll be speaking along with Jenny Rose Carey, Jeff Rugg and Noelle Johnson. https://bit.ly/Mar24BookParty 

Explore how native plant gardening can address climate change in this talk by Lorraine, hosted by Wild Ones.

https://wildones.org/webinar-cultivating-change-with-lorraine-johnson-on-january-25th-at-6-pm-cst/

Lorraine will be signing her new book, A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee (co-authored with Sheila Colla), at the Toronto Plant Market and Native Plant Supply. Come visit and pick up some native plants from the market along with a copy of the new book!

How can we make our gardens more resilient in an era of climate change, more frequent drought, habitat loss and species decline? What are some of the connections between climate justice action and land-based practices such as gardening? In this hopeful and positive action-oriented talk, I’ll be focusing on the many ways that our gardens can be places of ecological healing and beauty.

Link for registering: To Come

In this unconventional look at how and why we garden, I’ll be considering the role of gardens in an era of ecological and social change, and how municipal grass and weeds bylaws need to be reformed in order to support biodiversity. Highlighting examples of gardeners who push against neighbourhood norms—and who are often subject to bylaws and other forms of social sanction—this talk encourages us to celebrate landscape diversity and the gardeners who challenge deeply held notions of garden convention.

This talk explores the diverse and unusual ways to grow food in our urban environments. Covering everything from front yards and boulevards to rooftops and public spaces such as parks and community gardens, and the keeping of backyard hens, this talk presents urban agriculture as a productive adventure that helps cities and communities flourish.

How can we make our gardens more resilient in an era of climate change, more frequent drought, habitat loss and species decline? What are some of the connections between climate justice action and land-based practices such as gardening? In this hopeful and positive action-oriented talk, I’ll be focusing on the many ways that our gardens can be places of ecological healing and beauty.

I’ll be talking about the benefits and how-to’s of introducing native plants to the home landscape, and addressing some myths and common misconceptions about native plants. Focusing on easy-to-grow species for conditions from shade to sun, dry to moist, this talk will inspire you to include these beautiful and ecologically valuable species wherever you garden. and how to incorporate native plants into existing gardens, highlighting especially gorgeous plant combinations, along with some easy seed-starting tips for fall planting.

Link for registering: To Come

As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report emphasizes, "Reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians, from an Aboriginal perspective, also requires reconciliation with the natural world. If human beings resolve problems between themselves but continue to destroy the natural world, then reconciliation remains incomplete." This illustrated talk explores many of the ways that native plant gardening and related practices help to restore our relationship with nature and encourage kinship with plants and wildlife. Hosted on Zoom by OISE and open to the general public.

Link for registering: To Come

A presentation on gardening with native plants, hosted by the Chatham-Kent Public Library.

Link for registering: https://www.facebook.com/events/383093206865927

A presentation on growing native plants for beauty and biodiversity in the Grafton area.

In this talk, I’ll be exploring the benefits and how-to’s of introducing native plants to the home landscape (including yards, balconies, patios), with a focus on easy-to-grow species for conditions from shade to sun, dry to moist. I’ll also present native alternatives to the familiar flowers introduced from elsewhere that often fill our gardens, demonstrating how we can achieve the same beauty in our landscapes but with enhanced ecological value for birds, butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. 

A presentation for the David Suzuki Foundation’s "Butterfly Rangers,” this talk covers the basics of preparing the garden for winter.