Recommended Presenters
Find experts in a wide range of gardening and environmental topics for your next garden club meeting or special event. See our list of suggested presenters below.
Interested in being featured on this list? Please complete an online application and we will follow up with you.
Speakers are listed alphabetically by last name with areas of expertise highlighted below. Click on any name to learn more.
Matthew Alfs
Edible and medicinal weeds and wild plants
Faith Applequist
Pruning, fruit trees, trees for MN, climate change and steps to sustainability
Julia Brokaw
Pollinators, native bees, nesting habitat for bees, tallgrass prairie seed mixes and management, prescribed burns, science and conservation policy
Paul Buck
Tree pruning and maintenance, community gardens, greening projects, landscaping for wildlife and energy conservation, prairie gardens
Meg Cowden
Pushing the growing season; Season-extending strategies for spring and fall; Succession planting; Creating beautiful and functional food gardens with interplanting; Growing unique, novel, and unusual foods in cold climates; Adapting our gardening to climate change
Bob Dahm
Organic lawncare, alternative turf, biological buckthorn remediation, soil health, season extension for northern gardens
Cheryl Culbreth
Restoration of native plant habitats to benefit pollinators and other wildlife, and effective strategies to control buckthorn, garlic mustard and other non-native invasive plants
William Dougherty
Water iris, low-maintenance landscapes, tubers and corms, lilies, rock gardens
Soni Forsman
Water gardening in containers, pondless waterfalls, growing lotus and waterlilies
Kiley Friedrich
Habitat, monarch conservation, pollinator research and habitat
Philippe Gallandat
Fearless pruning, garden art, plant propagation, container gardening, backyard berry growing, herbs, rock gardens, repairing shrub and tree injuries
Chad Giblin
Tree and shrub identification, developmental pruning of young trees, tree preservation techniques, advanced tree risk assessment technology and techniques, recreational tree climbing
Heidi Heiland
Container gardening, edible landscapes, perennials, horticultural therapy, future of gardenscaping, environmental trends
Russ Henry
Soil health, planting for pollinators, ecosystem heroes, avoiding pesticides, food forests
Heather Holm
Pollinators, native bee biology and natural history, beneficial insects, native plants, ecological landscape restoration, pollination ecology
Jane HornÂ
Shade gardening, ornamental plant selection and design tips, containers for shade and sun
Mimi Hottinger
Urban forestry, invasive plant issues, pruning, choosing trees and shrubs
Jenn Hovland
Gardening, houseplants and floral design
Gail Hudson
Any topic concerning the home gardener! Spring bulbs, bulb-sprinkling technique & how to mix spring bulbs with perennials; how to choose the best perennials for your yard, best perennial combinations, beautiful entry gardens, shrubs with pizazz, shrubs for containers, the right small tree for your garden, ornamental grasses, native plants for sun & shade, pollinator gardens for sun and shade, landscape design for bee-friendly, earth friendly landscapes, designing an Asian-inspired garden, vegetable gardening.
Rick Juliusson
MSHS strategic plan, expanding the society's reach over next five years and impact in the Minnesota (and beyond) horticultural movement
Joel Karsten
Straw bale gardening, landscape lighting, composting, building an outdoor room, year-round container gardening
Jennifer Knutson
Cutting garden, peonies, clematis, miniature gardens, shade gardens, moon gardens, houseplants, lilies, hostas, flowering shrubs, spring-blooming bulbds, attracting birds and butterflies, vines, outdoor entertaining
Vera Krischik
Pest management, Japanese beetles, pollinator conservation, native bees and pesticides, rose pests, climate change and insects, exotic insects
Debbie Lonnee
New perennials and woody plants, evolution of Bailey Nurseries brands
Jim Lovestar
Food dehydration, growing microgreens and sprouts, composting
Peter MacDonagh
Urban trees, greenroofs, trees and stormwater, green infrastructure, soil analysis, wetland and shore restoration, landscaping for wildlife
Diane McGann
Garden design rules, creating curb appeal, front entry gardening, therapeutic horticulture, art in the garden
Peggy Nerdahl
Lilies: jewels in the garden, examples of lily divisions in the genus lilium, planting, care and propagation of lilies, MN Hybridizers and their lilies, Lilies in New Zealand
Gail Nozal
Pruning trees and shrubs, landscaping for energy conservation, urban trees, evergreens, pests and diseases of urban trees, bur oak blight, oak wilt and Dutch elm disease
Forrest Peiper
Lilies—general overview, trumpets and aurelians, and Adventures of a Backyard Hybridizer
Lisa Philander
Ethnobotanical talks, healing, South African medicinal plants
Vickie Pondell
Trees, shrubs, roses, perennials, nursery production practices
Ramsey County Master Gardeners
Climate Change in MN, Growing from Seeds, Home Composting, Houseplant Success, Pest Identification & Control, Pruning Trees & Shrubs, Physical Benefits of Being in Nature, Pollinator Support, Vegetable Gardening, Herb Gardening, Growing Microgreens, Food Preservation
Michelle Mero Riedel
Winter sowing, garden photography, cool-weather containers, best annuals and perennials, mixing veggies and herbs and flowers, container garden trends, adding adventurous color to the garden
Barbara Ronningen
Lilies 101, martagon lilies, plants for shade (not hosta), groundcovers, overwintering tender perennials
Theresa Rooney
Vegetable garden, sustainable/lazy permaculture, fall yard and garden care, hardy bulbs, critter control, garden in the shade
Kait Ryan
Public Horticulture Management, Integrated Pest Management Strategies and Challenges, Gardening with Sculpture/Art, Front Yard Gardening, Beyond the Tulip! Gardening with bulbs, Bare Branch Blooms! Adding early spring interest to the landscape, Minneapolis Park Gardens, Gardens of Seattle/Washington, Garden Travel Destinations
Stephen Saupe
Trees or shrubs of central MN, natural history of spring wildflowers, woodland flowers, edible wild plants
Susannah Shmurak
Eco-friendly yard practices, permaculture, growing natural remedies, foraging edible and medicinal plants, edible landscaping
Courtney Tchida
Planning your garden, starting seeds, growing vegetables and fruits, seed saving, organic and sustainable growing practices
Benjamin Vogt
Garden ethics, landscaping for climate change, using natural plant layers for low maintenance design, gardening for winter interest, converting lawn to meadow, working with weed ordinances, seeding the garden
Amanda Yadav
Microgreens, growing microgreens at home