World of Discovery: How science and heart can make you a more ecological gardener
with Nancy Lawson ; nature writer, habitat consultant, frequent speaker, and founder of The Humane Gardener, LLC
Our outdoor surroundings are vibrant realms, places where many languages are spoken, sometimes in sensory alphabets we’ve only just begun to decipher. Much has been written about gardening for human senses, but how do plants and animals perceive the world around them? What do we miss when we landscape for human visual appeal but neglect the sensory experiences of our wild neighbors? Along with conventional landscaping practices, noise, light and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Through science, heart, and our powers of observation, we can learn to mitigate these disruptions and create sensory refuges for the increasingly displaced flora and fauna who share our world.
Cost: Free for members or with paid admission
Nancy Lawson is the author of The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife and Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies, and other Sensory Wonders of Nature. A nature writer, habitat consultant, frequent speaker, and founder of The Humane Gardener, LLC, she pioneers creative wildlife-friendly landscaping methods. Certified as a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and master naturalist, Nancy co-chairs Howard County Bee City in Maryland and co-launched a community science project, Monarch Rx, after discovering a little-known butterfly behavior in her own garden. Her work has been featured in Science Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah magazine, Entomology Today, and Ecological Entomology. Her most recent book, Wildscape, received an honorable mention in the American Horticultural Society's national book awards and was a finalist for the 2024 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books.
Book Signing to follow: Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies, and other Sensory Wonders of Nature