Monday, October 13th, 2025:
Hennepin County Master Gardeners present:
Monday, November 10th, 2025:
The Future of Gardenscaping – Environmental Trends Near and Far with Heidi Heiland
With 46 years in the original green industry under her tool belt, Heidi has witnessed that Water, Food and Healing are central themes in gardenscaping. From her travels locally and abroad, Heidi will show you over the top opportunities as well as feasible methods to adopt sustainable practices in your own environments.
Monday, March 10, 2025: Russ Henry on Soil Health
Russ Henry is the president of Minnehaha Falls Landscape, a business rooted in healthy soil. For the last 20 years he’s been protecting and growing ecosystems, cleaning local waterways, and educating communities about the potential to grow health starting right beneath our feet. From bee lawns to food forests, from organic lawns to native prairies, Russ guides his company to install, manage, and restore habitat on hundreds of properties throughout the Twin Cities without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. As lead designer for Minnehaha Falls Landscaping, Russ designs patios, walkways, retaining walls, decks, and fences to frame his abundant, pollinator filled landscapes. Learn more about Russ’ work at: https://www.minnehahafallslandscape.com/
Monday, April 14: Jeannine Thiele – Creating Bird Habitat with Native Plants
Monday, February 10: Laura Irish Hanson – Getting those Seeds Started
Laura Irish-Hanson is the statewide Extension Educator for Resilient Managed Horticultural Landscapes. She is a leader for promoting managed horticultural landscape systems through multiple perspectives in collaboration with property owners, community organizations, urban stakeholders, and others at the University of Minnesota. Focus areas are climate adaptation and gardening, lowering expenses through efficient inputs and maintenance, underutilized native and resilient plants, and ecosystem support. Laura regularly appears on the WCCO Radio Smart Gardens show from 8-9AM on Saturday, dial in to AM 830 or listen on your favorite podcast app. She offices at the Farm at the Arb in Chaska.
Monday December 9, 2024: Annual Holiday Party! Bring your dish and guest by 615 – dinner starts at 630pm.
Monday, January 13, 2024: Julie Weisenhorn – Houseplant Patrol: Basic care, problem solving and resources
October 14 – 630pm – Plant Selection for a Changing Planet with Julie Weisenhorn
As an Extension educator in horticulture (2014-present), I have statewide responsibility for horticulture teaching, research, and outreach with special focus on plant selection, sustainable residential landscaping and best practices in home horticulture. Recent research included my Flowers for Pollinators study on annual flowers and Pollinators for Food studying annual flowers and pollination of bell peppers. I coordinate and regularly appear on
the popular WCCO Radio Smart Gardens show (Saturdays, 8-9 am, AM 830), and released the second version of the Plant Elements of Design plant selection database. I also serve on the MN Department of Agriculture Noxious Weed Advisory Committee and the MN Nursery and Landscape Association Education and Certification Committee. I earned master’s degrees in visual communication and horticulture from the University of Minnesota after which I
taught landscape design (2002-2007) and served as state director of the Extension Master Gardener Program (2007 – 2014)
November 11- 630pm – The Art of Espalier with Philippe Gallandt
I am Philippe Gallandt, a Consultant in Landscape Architecture and Design, born and schooled in Switzerland and now live in Como Park in St Paul.
Monday, March 11, 2024: Tim Pratt- Recycling
Patricia Ohmans MPH, (Master of Public Health) is founder and director of Frogtown Green, a resident-driven initiative advocating for environmental equity and sustainability in St Paul’s most diverse low-income neighborhood. A 43-year resident of Frogtown, Patricia is a journalist, master gardener and public health professional.
Since Frogtown Green’s inception in 2009, the group’s members have developed a new city park with an organic farm; built two large community gardens; planted more than 800 trees in residents’ homes; created a 10,000 square foot pollinator garden; hosted nature-based weekly workshops at recreation centers and schools; and sponsored a wide variety of annual events.
Patricia’s talk will include:
- the value and benefits of urban trees
- climate change and trees
- the impact of climate change on low resourced neighborhoods like Frogtown
- how Frogtown Green works to increase tree canopy
- how other neighborhoods can do the same work, inexpensively and effectively.
Monday, November 13, 2023: Derek Carwood: Growing Hardy Cactii in your Minnesota Garden
Based in the Twin Cities, Derek Carwood has been involved in horticulture and creating sustainable landscapes for over 30 years. He has experience working in both the United States and abroad, including North, Central, and South America, Europe, and Asia. He has a Master’s Degree in Sustainability Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Ecology.
Derek’s inspiration comes from his life-long interest in better-integrating humans into the natural world. By re-thinking our gardens and landscapes as not only places of beauty and leisure, but also as smaller pieces of the greater ecosystem puzzle around us, we can create richly diverse and sustainable habitats for all flora and fauna.
Explore the world of cold-hardy cacti with Derek Carwood as he shares information on how to successfully grow these amazingly hardy plants in your own garden. Derek will cover the various species and their cultural requirements, including planting locations, watering, propagating, fertilizers, and pests.
FEBRUARY 13, 2023 “ANYTHING BUT GREEN”- Michelle Mero Riedel
Many years ago, Master Gardener, Michelle Mero Riedel was bored with sections
of her garden. Her love of gardening took on a new direction when she discovered the
problem was too much green foliage. “Focusing on foliage color and not always shopping
for plants with flowers is the key to a visually stunning garden, “ Michelle advises.
Michelle is a professional photographer and regular contributor to ‘Northern
Gardener’ magazine writing articles and providing plant photography. She has a long
lists of gardening subjects she teaches for garden clubs and has appeared on KARE-11’s
Grow with KARE
March 9, 2023 “Floral Design” – Richard Milteer (Pre-Registration for Materials Required)
Surrounded by carnations, roses, greenery, and other stems, a small group of Parkinson’s
patients near Minneapolis, Minnesota are learning the art of floral arranging from a retired
master designer eager to give back to his community. Richard Milteer, AIFD, PFCI, TMF,
traveled the world teaching floral design Now he’s using his industry connections and his own
talent to give back to his local community. He’s found the experience incredibly rewarding. He
also provides education, explaining when each flower is in season or describing how the flowers
were grown, flown and processed before they are ready to be arranged.
April 10, 2023 – “Creating and Protecting Pollinator Habitat in Lawns” – Sam Bauer
“I’m tired of mowing – Alternatives to High Maintenance Lawns”
January 9, 2023 – Jennifer Louise presents on House Plants 1:00PM
If there’s one thing I want you to know about me, it’s that working with plants and flowers makes my heart sing. I love what I do, and I love sharing my passion with others.
I am a florist and horticulturist living in Stillwater where I garden, create floral designs, consult, teach, and write about floriculture and horticulture. I also enjoy traveling and seeking out local gardens, nurseries, and florist shops to gain insight and inspiration that I bring to my designs, as well as sourcing unique flowers, plants, and garden kit to share with you in your home and garden.
As the founder and creative designer of Studio Louise, I bring over 25 years of floral design and gardening experience. I have designed at the Philadelphia Flower Show, Art In Bloom, and Minneapolis Home and Garden Show and teach for Koehler & Dramm Institute of Floristry and the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. With a passion for lifelong education, I continually work alongside and train with national and international-caliber floral designers to make sure I’m at the top of my game and can bring my best to you.
Studio Louise is inspired by the shared name of my grandmother, Louise, my mother Harriet Louise, and myself, Jennifer Louise. For at least these three generations, we have all had a love of flowers and of growing things.
November 14, 2022 – Roseanne Malevich – Vertical Gardening
April 11, 2022: – Jane Horn, Master Gardener – “Container Design for Sun/Shade Incorporating Houseplants”
This presentation will help you select pots, soil and plants for designs beyond the usual. You will learn to incorporate colorful foliage and houseplants as well as flowering plants in your designs. You will also gain inspiration and techniques for placing your containers for the most pleasing effects in your landscape.
Jane Horn is a Carver-Scott Master Gardener specializing in shade gardening and container design. Her garden was showcased as one of the StarTribune’s Beautiful Gardens and has been featured on the Better Homes and Gardens web site. Two of her container designs have been pictured in Fine Gardening magazine.
March 14, 2022: – Stan Tekiela, Naturalist – “Migrating Birds and Animals That Visit our Gardens”
January 10, 2022: – Mary Shire Editor of Northern Gardener Magazine
“Gardening Trends and What goes into the Northern Gardener”
October 11, 2021: Matt Brooks – Tangletown Gardens Designer
November 8, 2021: Duane Otto – Designing with Containers
April 12, 2021: Pete Widin – “Perennial, Medicinal, and Herbs for the Home Landscape”
Perennials aren’t just for showy flowers and foliage, or even pollinators! There is a wide diversity of culinary and medicinal herbs that we can grow as perennials here in Minnesota. This translates to beauty in the garden that we can eat, drink as iced or hot tea, and create healing salves and remedies with. Join local landscape designer Pete Widin for an exploration of these exciting plants and how to best use them in your own yard to create lasting health for your family!
Pete Widin, MLA is a local edible and native landscape designer at Artisan Environments LLC. He believes that a core answer to climate change and confusion in the world today is through deeper connection with nature,and where our daily food and preventative medicine come from. Pete is an ecological landscape designer (B.S. Mich. Tech. School of Forestry, M.S. Landscape Architecture, Univ. of Mich. Ann Arbor). http://www.artisanenvironments.com/
May 10, 2021: Plant Sale/Silent Auction
530-600pm: Plant drop off and silent auction starts. “Shoppers” arrive at 6:50pm for sale to begin.
Tables will be set up outside FLW church.
Compost available at sale, and also available for $25 per loader bucket.
December 14, 2020
Bachman’s Home Winter Wonderland & Holiday Plants – Karen Bachman Thull (Virtual – Members Only)
Get in the holiday spirits and enjoy a feature video tour of Bachman’s Holiday Ideas & Inspiration for the Home Winter Wonderland, which is being held in the Lyndale Avenue store this year. Karen will also talk about Bachman’s-grown poinsettias and holiday plants. This online event will be an opportunity for our members to ask Karen any questions about Bachman’s wonderful annual offering.
March 8, 2021: Tami Gallagher – “Garden Redesign”
Tami is a certified Landscape professional, MNLA-CP, Master Gardener, Business Leader, Gardener Extraordinaire, Owner/Operator of Home Sown Gardens since 2007. Her business, services a 20-mile radius around Eagan, MN. She grew up on a hobby farm and remembers ‘picking’ her dinner on summer nights. Friends and family influenced her initial interest both in vegetable and flower gardening, and that lead into a formal Horticulture education.
Tami loves all aspects of gardening and has a wide variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs, grasses, herbs, and vegetables growing in and out of her home. She loves to experiment and often refers to her gardens as labs. She is willing to try anything. While she tries not to get too attached to any one plant, she does tend to fall head-over-heels over certain ones.
Her recent love? Ornamental evergreens! She loves to mix herbs, veggies, annuals, and perennials in containers. She loves to move things all around during the season. She loves to push the hardiness zone. She likes to teach and share her love of gardens; to her 4 kids, her nieces & nephews, her employees, her clients…anyone who will listen. She loves taking photos of gardens. She loves bugs and rocks and critters. She loves “picking” her dinner. She loves sharing the bounty. She loves the sounds, the textures, the smells, the spirituality, the healing power, the magical-ness of gardens! She believes there is nothing better than being dirty and sweaty at the end of the day!
January 11, 2021
Native Garden Basics – Andy Scott (Virtual – Members Only)
Andy Scott – proprietor of ReWild Native Gardens, a native garden and landscaping consulting business and a member of Wild Ones.
Andy started his small native garden landscape and design business in 2017. Located in Bloomington, he has helped residents and commercial properties convert lawn and wasted space to wildlife-friendly gardens that support beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife. Education driven, Andy likes to not only involve his clients in the design and planning phases, but encourages them to help with planting as well so they can demystify the plant/pollinator relationships that they will be fostering. Andy will cover native garden basics and also highlight how more unique and rare native species can be utilized in the residential garden setting.
February 8, 2021
Kathy Widin – ‘Gardening with Natives’
Kathy Widin will discuss techniques and benefits of adding local native plants to your garden and landscape. Native plants are essential host plants and nectar sources for pollinators. Even a modest increase in native plants in your yard can increase the number of species of birds in your neighborhood. Their deep roots absorb rainfall, preventing runoff.
Kathy Widin holds MS and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Pathology from the University of Minnesota. Kathy started her business, Plant Health Associates, in 1983, and worked as a consulting Plant Pathologist and Municipal Forester until her retirement in 2015. She is an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified Arborist and received the Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture in 2003. Kathy wrote the “Plant Health” column in Northern Gardener magazine of the MN State Horticultural Society for over 30 years
October 12, 2020
Erin Buchholz, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum – “Integrated Pest Management for Plants and Animals” (Virtual – Members only)
November 9, 2020
Alan Branhagen, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum – “The Winter Garden” (Virtual – Members Only)
March 9, 2020
Stan Tekiela– ‘Gardening for Backyard Birding’
Stan Tekiela is a naturalist, author and wildlife photographer with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota. He has been an active professional naturalist for more than 25 years and is a member of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union, North American Nature Photography Association and Canon Professional Services. Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs. A columnist and radio personality, his syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers and he can be heard on a number of Midwest radio stations.He has made various books from birds, mammals, trees, wildflowers, amphibians and reptiles of some many different states from Minnesota to Texas to Florida.
February 10, 2020
Theresa Rooney– ‘Humane Critter Control’+ book sales
Keep critters and pests out of your yard and garden with heart! Author; U of M Extension Master Gardener and frequent guest on WCCO
Radio “Smart Gardens”, Theresa Rooney, will share how to keep unwanted guests away safely and organically.
It takes a lot of work and a fair amount of money to grow a garden. Theresa will share clever ways to be proactive and stop pests from
feasting on the bounty you’ve been working on all season.
Theresa will share ideas for protective barriers without ruining your sightlines, how to outsmart the invaders using insect behavior, how
to use scent to your advantage, and more. With methods and products that are not only kind to wildlife and insects but also healthier for
children and pets, this is the blueprint for creating a safe backyard for play, beauty, and healthy fresh-grown foods.
Her book, “The Guide to Humane Critter Control”, will also be for sale for $15 (cash or check), retail price of $19.99.
January 13, 2020
Andrew Gawboy – ‘History of Lyndale Park Rose Garden’ + ‘Growing Roses Doesn’t Have to be Complicated!’
November 11, 2019
Mary Meyer – ‘Top 10 Plants that Changed Minnesota’
Mary Meyer, U of M Horticultural Professor and Extension Educator, presenter.
Learn the significance of the top 10 Plants that changed and transformed the way we live today in Minnesota; and how essential they are to our everyday life, environment and every day well-being as humans! Yes, 10 plants had, both in positive and negative and forever shaped Minnesota economically, culturally and historically.
October 14, 2019
Martin Stern – Gardening Small Spaces: Martin is the owner of Squire House in Afton, MN. He has nurtured a life-long interest in nature and gardening, including living in Southern England in 1987 where he studied with world-renowned garden designer and writer John Brookes.
Since then Martin has designed gardens large and small throughout the upper Midwest and northeast. He seeks simplicity of intention, architectural interest and diverse multi-seasonal planting schemes in his work. Each garden has a separate and distinct personality. The gardens at Squire illustrate his design philosophy.
Martin enjoys garden writing and creating presentations on a variety of topics of horticulture, as well as gardens he has enjoyed in his travels. He conducts winter presentations for the public at Squire House Gardens. He is a speaker and available for group presentations. martin@squirehousegardens.com
May 13, 2019
Members’ Plant Sale
This is our only major fundraiser. It is a fun, inexpensive and reliable plant source for our gardens! Think about what plants you have to divide and share for the sale. Something new, to our sale is a Silent Auction which will replace our live auction and takes place between plant drop off and our meeting. We are looking for approximately 10 quality garden items for the auction. Please let us know if you have an item to donate. The item should warrant a $10 starting bid and could be a large or unusual plant, planter, garden decor, garden tools, retailer gift card or a service you can provide.
April 8, 2019
Laverne Dunsmore from Countryside Gardens – ‘All About Peonies’
March 11, 2019
Debbie Lonnee – What’s New For 2019
Debbie is a frequent columnist for the Northern Gardener magazine and is the Planning and Administration Manager for Bailey Nurseries. She gardens in South St. Paul, MN and has co-authored the books ‘Growing Perennials in Cold Climates’ and ‘Growing Shrubs and Trees in Cold Climates’.
February 2019
Barbara Ego talks about her experiences with “Weedless Gardening,” based on the book by Lee Reich.
January 2019
Jennifer Hedberg teaches the group how to make Ice Luminaries.
November 2018
Arla Carmichiel – “Mastering the Mix”
October 2018
Peter Olin gave a fascinating presentation and slide show on his visits to gardens around the world.
Hennepin County Horticultural Society 