Growing Greener

It’s not an either/or choice, native vs. introduced, for Claudia West of Phyto Studio when this leader of the ecological gardening movement develops a plant palette for one of her innovative landscapes.  What she seeks, besides selections that serve the customers’ needs and delight the eye, are “high performing” species and cultivars that provide maximum benefits to the local ecosystem, regardless of place of origin.

“Your Natural Garden,” Kelly D. Norris’ new book, is sure to be one of the most essential gardening tools of 2025.  In this beautifully illustrated guide, Norris, who split his childhood between working in his grandmother’s garden and exploring the 40-acre prairie a quarter mile up the road, shares insights he has gathered from his hands in the dirt-experience, studies of plant science, and his work as a nationally renowned ecological garden designer.

Sports fields and swimming beaches are essential, but public parks can also play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity.  As Curator of Natural Resources for the Westchester County New York Park system, Leah Cass designs management regimes for thousands of acres of habitat, coordinating the needs of residents, wildlife, and more than a thousand species of native plants.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?  Or a snowy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa?  Or just a personal celebration of the winter solstice?  EcoBeneficial designer and educator Kim Eierman will share you the many gifts that a blanket of snow gives to the garden.