Lessons from the Garden: Secrets of Success for Using Native Plants
- Home
- /
- News & Events
- /
- Events
- /
- Lessons from the Garden:...
Association to Preserve Cape Cod: Native Plant-Ecology Workshops
Lessons from the Garden: Secrets of Success for Using Native Plants
Creating beautiful and vibrant landscapes that emphasize native species requires so much more than simply substituting indigenous plants for our old favorite horticultural exotics. This program takes an in-depth look at the practices that are important to establishing native plants in our landscapes and that take advantage of ecological processes. We start with the importance of understanding your particular site, soil, and hydrologic conditions. Then, we explore methods for plant selection and the value of plant communities as inspiration for our designs. We also share tips for sourcing native plants and resources for continued learning— all to help you create a garden that honors our Earth and that you will love more than ever!
Ms. Thompson founded Grow Native Massachusetts in 2010, and her work leading the growth of this nonprofit throughout its first decade led to her becoming recognized nationally as a leader in the native plant movement. She has taught hundreds of programs throughout New England informed by her work as a landscape ecologist, by her extensive career in the environmental sector, and illustrated with her beautiful photographs. Notable past roles include serving as the Director of Education for the Appalachian Mountain Club, Director of Drumlin Farm for Mass Audubon, as well as on the board of the New England Wild Flower Society. She is a strong advocate for the importance of land stewardship on all lands, by all people, and believes that conservation begins at home. Claudia’s happiest moments are spent in her own gardens, watching the more than 80 species of birds—from hawks to migrating songbirds, and even rare species such as woodcocks— all taking sustenance and utilizing the habitat she and her husband have created on a small parcel in urban Cambridge. Learn more about her work at www.claudiagthompson.com.