I love sharing my passion for wildflowers with groups. If you are interested in my presenting to your garden club, Master Gardener group, Native Plant Society or just a group of nature lovers, please contact me for information about rates and scheduling. Generally I like to lecture for about 50 minutes and then save 10 minutes for questions, but I’m flexible. The following are my current favorite topics:
- A Naturalist’s look at the Wildflowers – Power Point presentation profiling many different native wildflowers, with slides of both original botanical paintings and photographs. This lecture also includes information about pollinators and other wildlife partners, growing native plants, and folklore, facts and trivia about the wildflowers. It’s a fun, fast-paced informative lecture suitable for anyone who loves wildflowers.
- Taming the Natives – Power Point focusing on how to grow native plants in your own landscape, emphasizing the environmental benefits derived from planting specimens native to your growing region. Information about site selection and choosing the right plants for your site and attracting pollinators is included as well. Though super-informative with lots of good, precise information, this is also a light hearted and sometimes funny look at how we garden.
- A History of Tea – Power Point based on my book of the same title, this is an in depth and fascinating look at the world’s most consumed beverage. From its mythical beginnings to the Japanese Tea Ceremony, tea has played a big part in many cultures throughout the world. I always love it when people plan to serve tea at the end of this lecture! It just makes it all more fun.
BOOKS
Most of my books are available multiple places. I’ve listed some links to make ordering a little easier. I always love it when people support their local independent bookstores as well. If you would like an autographed or inscribed book, contact me directly at Contact
Amazon. Bookshop.com. Apple Books. IndieBound Barnes and Noble.
Fully and lovingly illustrated on every page, this book is reminiscent of a naturalist’s field journal with lots of notes and drawings. Each of the 85 native flowers represented has information about its conservation status, gardening value, wildlife partner (i.e. who eats it, what pollinates it) range and habitat, time of bloom and medicinal value. It addition, there are a lot of folklore tidbits, superstitions and stories for each one. Chapters on gardening, foraging and crafting with the wildflowers make the book even more useful.
Nature’s Art Box
First published in 2003, this won the coveted Parent’s Choice Award. The book is a treasure trove of ideas of crafts and activities to do with things that you can find in your own backyard (or park or whatever green space you have available.)
It includes projects using everything from twigs and cones to dirt and sand. There are 65 all-natural one-of-a-kind projects for you to choose from. Have fun!
“…if you want to use nature to nurture your child’s creativity, then “Art Box” provides hours of activities.” – New York Daily News
A History of Tea: The Life and Times of the World’s Favorite Beverage
First published in 2011 with the title: Tea, The Drink that Changed the World, this book was reissued in 2018 with a new name: A History of Tea.
This book delves into the fascinating history of tea, from its mythical origins in China thousands of years ago to its current popularity. All true tea is made from only one species of plant – the shrub Camellia sinensis. Read how this plant really did change the world.
The Green Market Baking Book
Baking recipes based on using fresh, natural ingredients and natural sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup and brown rice syrup. These recipes were collected from chefs and bakers throughout the country.
Other books, almost all available in multiple places including Amazon:
Garden Flower Folklore
Folklore of Trees and Shrubs
Georgia Gardeners
Precious Moments Last Forever
A Life Without Fear