Speaker Series
Our Speakers Series Educational Programs are for beginners, seasoned gardeners,
and both large and small groups alike.
Contact us to find out more, or to book one of our formally trained experts.
The Horticultural Society of St. Louis
provides quality horticultural information as a public service.
All speakers are formally trained volunteers.
Each year our formally trained volunteers make over 100 presentations to garden clubs, schools,
businesses, churches, neighborhood and civic organizations. Presentations are typically 50-60 minutes in length.
Speaker Presentation Fees:
$50.00 – garden, church, retirement groups
$100.00 – for-profit groups
$100.00 – for groups of more than 50 attendees
A Dark Side to Your Garden
Plants that Prickle or Poison. There are villains lurking in the garden. Find out if you are
harboring one. Over millions of years, plants have developed adaptive means to protect
themselves. Learn about these defensive methods and some of the plants now growing in your
garden that need to be labeled with a danger symbol. Speaker is Betsy Alexander
Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net
A Perfect Perennial – Daylily Magic for Your Garden
Go beyond Stella D’Oro! The modern daylily gives a spectacular display of color when other
garden plants are wilting in the heat and humidity. Take a quick look at the history of daylilies,
the modern hybridizers who changed species daylilies into 60,000 plants of every size, shape
and color except blue. and the Jenkins AHS Display Garden at MBG. The program includes
information on plant selection, cultivation, as well as information on local plant sales, including
the annual sale of plants from MBG. Speaker is Betsy Alexander
Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net
A Primer on Tree Care or How Not to Kill a Tree
Based on the poster, How to Kill a Tree, the talk goes through in detail how to care for your
home’s trees, addressing topping trees, lawn equipment damage, water needs, pest damage,
pruning and hiring tree care workers. The talk is based on a poster from the Virginia Tech
University developed by Dr. Bonnie Appleton titled “How to Kill a Tree”.
Speaker is Betsy Alexander. Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net or text314-283-0974
Alien Invasions
There is a group of local, non-native plants that have become invasive problems. Keeping them
in your landscape is a threat to the local ecology. Learn about these plants. Some of them may
be surprises for you!
Speaker is Betsy Alexander. Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net or text 314-283-0974.
All About Butterflies
Everyone loves butterflies! You will find information in this talk about the butterfly families
prevalent in Missouri including their reproduction and overwintering habits as well as the
native plants that will attract them to your garden. Speaker is Carol Gravens.
Contact her at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
All About Orchids
Orchids, the largest of all plant families, are the most diverse, fascinating and exotic plants on
earth. This visual program includes the cultural requirements of growing orchids, as well as
their structure, growth habits and reproduction. We will explore the great diversity in the
Family Orchidaceae. Speaker is Carol Gravens. Her email is
Autumn Spectacular
Travel in a photo journey to witness the spectacular changes of autumn. This program
documents the dramatic spectacle that plants undergo in their transition from summer green
to the brilliant yellows, oranges, purples and reds of fall. How and why these changes occur will
be discussed. The photo journey will travel to natural areas, as well as local neighborhoods,
parks and gardens. Speaker is Carol Gravens. Her email is ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Best Gardening Practices for a Sustainable Garden
This program offers an outline of sustainable/organic practices for use in your home garden.
Learn gardening practices that will help you maintain your garden in an environmentally
friendly way. Among the points covered are plant selection, composting, mulching, water
conservation, recycling, Integrated Pest Management, and improving the soil. Speaker is
Betsy Alexander.
Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net
Botanic Garden Arm Chair Tours
Seventeen botanic gardens are available for your arm chair tour. Choose 3 or 4 for your
personalized adventure. They are all sites that have been visited by Master Gardener, John
Hensley. Contact John for the list of gardens to tour. His email is bluemoon53@aol.com
Bring Natives Home
Learn how to include Missouri native plants in your home garden. This talk features photos of
native wildflowers. The program gives ideas for incorporating native plants into the home
garden with suggestions for shade, sun, and boggy areas. It covers the various habitats for
wildflowers and features photos of plants growing in the wild. It will guide you to plant
selection to make your landscape part of a natural world. Speaker is Betty Struckhoff.
Contact her at etstruckhoff@att.net
Chocolate
Chocoholic? Better, yet, a chocoholic gardener? Learn the earliest history of chocolate, learn
how it is cultivated and, and then consider ways to take your chocolate addiction into your
garden with ‘chocolate’ plants. For literally thousands of years, people have been fascinated
with strange and wonderful fruit, chocolate. Learn the alluring history of this gift from the rain
forest, taste samples and then explore the “chocolate” perennials, bulbs, shrubs and annuals
that you can incorporate into your garden. This interesting talk will give “recipes” to help you
enjoy these special “chocolate” plants in your garden. Speaker is Betsy Alexander
Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net or text 314-283-0974
Designing with Nature in Mind
Attract more birds, butterflies, and pollinators to your yard by creating an appealing design to
welcome the natural world. This presentation will show how to design with native plants,
creating a habitat appealing to nature’s critters as well as to you and your neighbors. It
demonstrates how a native landscape can reflect your tastes while still supporting our
ecosystem. Speaker is Betty Struckhoff. Her email address is etstruckhoff@att.net
Elephant Ears and Other Aroids
This program covers the culture and garden use of Elephant Ears and other Ariods like
Caladiums. The huge, exotic leaves of elephant ears provide drama to our summer gardens.
They are easy to cultivate and maintain. Most of them can be grown in the perennial border or
in ponds and water gardens. Their relatives in the Aroid family, such as Caladiums, offer bright
colors for mid and late summer gardens. There are hardy Aroids that do not have to be lift
before winter. Speaker is Carol Gravens
Contact Carol at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Fall Wildflowers of Missouri
Autumn is a time of beautiful weather when nature puts forth with a display of colorful
wildflowers. If you venture into the forests, prairies, and glades of Missouri, you will be treated
to this showy spectacle. This presentation is a hiker’s compilation of photographs and
interesting facts about fall wildflowers. Speaker is Carol Gravens ckgravensQ@sbcglobal.net
Fascinating Victorian Gardens
Gardening during the Victorian Period included a fern craze, orchid mania, lavish tropicals,
intricate outdoor gardens. The overall Victorian look is described as opulent. It included unique
elements, several of which continue in use today as well as one that changed the course of
history. The Victorians loved geometric and symmetric features in their outdoor gardens. They
used extensive lawns, bedding gardens, vines/shrubs, and lavish lawn flower beds to fill their
home landscapes. They were fascinated with tropical plants. Their quest for more lead to the
wanton destruction of tropical forests. During this period, the development of the “Wardian”
case changed the collecting process and literally changed the course of history.
Speaker is Betsy Alexander Her email is betsyace@earthlink.net
For the Birds
Beautiful, backyard birds can be easily attracted to home gardens.by providing a few simple
things such as planting beautiful, bird-friendly plants, and providing supplemental food, water,
and shelter. Those that are frequent visitors can be readily identified. Learn all of this plus a bit
of avian anatomy and physiology by watching this program.
Contact Carol Gravens at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Gardens and Plants of Colonial America
American colonists planted kitchen gardens out of necessity. Their very survival depended on
the food that their simple gardens could provide. Later farms and large plantations were
established, and crops exported. Flower gardens arose after necessities were met. Several
elaborate gardens from the colonial period still exist or have been recreated. This presentation
includes the period from 1600 to 1775 and explores plants the colonists grew as well as the
grand gardens of that period.
Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her: ckgravens@sbcglobal.net or 314-606-4391
Glades of Missouri
A picture program on the unique environment of Missouri’s glades, their magnificent plants and
unique animals. Missouri is home to more glades than any other state. These dry, rocky, thin
soil natural areas occur on south-facing hillsides. They support a rich diversity of plant and
animal life that occurs nowhere else. Through pictures, this talk explores the nature and history
of Missouri glades, focusing on the magnificent plants and unique animals that exist in this
environment. Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her: email ckgravens@sbcglobal.net or
314-606-4391
Growing Garden Soil
A comprehensive program on garden soil. Learn the soil type that makes up your garden
including soil testing, amending that soil and working with clay soil.
Speaker is Betsy Alexander. Contact her at betsyace@earthlink.net or text her at 314-283-0974
Landscaping with Native Trees and Shrubs
Ready for a low maintenance garden, plus more birds and butterflies in your garden?
Incorporating native shrubs and trees into your landscaping will achieve both. Betty’s
presentation will help you create a lively landscape, reduce maintenance, and increase 4 season
interest all while drawing birds and butterflies to your garden. Betty has extensive knowledge
of Missouri native plants/trees. She has put her expertise to work in this colorful program.
Speaker is Betty Struckhoff. Contact her: etstruckhoff@att.net
Lawns
Lawns in the St. Louis area require specific care and maintenance. They often develop barren
patches, problem areas. Renovate or start new? Speaker is John Hensley: contact
Making the Connection: How Indigenous American People Use Native Plants
Making the Connection covers 40 plants that the Osage Peoples used for food and wellbeing.
The program focuses on 40 plants that were used by the Indigenous Americans, particularly the
Osage People. The Speaker is Ginny Johnson. Contact het: ginnyjohnson759@gmail.com
Medium to Large Trees for St. Louis
Making the long-term investment of purchasing the right tree and placing it in the proper
location can pose uncertainty and hesitation. This presentation suggests and evaluates a wide
selection of medium and large Missouri native and nativar (cultivars of native species) trees,
along with excellent, non-invasive exotics recommended for the St. Louis area.
Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her: email ckgravens@sbcglobal.net or 314-606-4391
Missouri’s Amazing Natural Communities
Missouri’s amazing natural communities are the result of the convergence of the nations’ great
grasslands, glaciated plains, rugged Ozarks, and broad river flood plains. This convergence
provides the state with a rich multitude of diverse natural communities. Anong these are
prairie, forest, glade, wetland and cliff. This program explores the physical makeup of these
communities, as well as the plants and animals that inhabit them.
The speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her: ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Missouri’s Native Orchids
Missouri has 35 species of native orchids. Finding one is a rare and exciting event. Many of
them are endangered and elusive. Some of the blooms are tiny, delicate flowers while others
are quite showy, such as the Lady slipper. This talk will explore the great variety of species as
well as their anatomy, pollination, seed germination and other unique characteristics. This talk
explores the great variety of Missouri’s native orchids as well as their anatomy, pollination,
seed germination, and other unique characteristics.
The speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net or 314-606-4391
Orchid Mania The Victorian Obsession
In 19th century England, passionate plant enthusiasts searched the remote regions of the world
to collect and cultivate exotic, new species, no matter the trial, tribulation or cost. Orchids
possess a magic apart from all other plants, and their magnetism captivated wealthy Victorian
Englishmen and other Europeans. No risk or cost was too great to possess a single orchid.
The speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her at: email ckgravgens@sbcglobal.net or 314-606-4391
Orchids: Lure and Legend
This program explores the history, magic, and beauty of orchids. Orchids have fascinated
people since the time of Confucius more than 2500 years ago. Orchid lore permeates Greek and
Roman mythology. Wealthy Europeans of the 17th through the 19th century paid fortunes for
exotic, tropical specimens. Plant explorers risked their lives finding new specimens. Found from
the equator to the poles, orchids are one of the largest plant families, comprising 30,000
species. Possessing a unique flower structure, they depend on insects and fungi to reproduce.
They are magnificent and mysterious, yet not difficult to grow.
Speaker’s contact information: email ckgravens@sbcglobal.net or 314-606-4391
Organic Gardening – speaker is Cheryl Rafert. For booking and talk details, contact her.
crafert@sbcglobal.net or 314-963-9697
Heirloom Plants – Speaker is Cheryl Rafert. For booking and talk details, contact her.
crafert@sbcglobal.net or 314-963-9697
Photosynthesis – It’s not just about plants
Learn how nature figured out solar energy eons before man did. Plants make their own food via
a process called photosynthesis. Powered by the sun and using carbon dioxide out of the air
and water, plants synthesize everything they need. But far beyond that, photosynthesis
underlies nearly all life on earth. Learn in layman’s language, how this amazing process works
and see unusual examples of photosynthesis in the world around us today and from eons ago.
Speaker is Chris Kirmaier at kirmac@gmail.com
Plants of the Bible
From Genesis to Revelations, there are numerous references to plants in the Bible. This is a
presentation on plants that were important to the people of the Bible and are referenced in
their stories. Have you ever wondered if there was a real burning bush, or manna. What is gall?
This talk will give you some answers and some interesting insights.
The speaker is John Hensley. Contact him: bluemoon53@aol.com
Plants that Changed the Course of History
This talk is on a subset of plants taken from Bill Laws’ book, Fifty Plants that Changed the
Course of the History. It includes plants that the speaker has identified as of special interest.
The interconnection of plants and human existence is monumental. Food, shelter, fuel,
medicines, clothing, oxygen, carbon dioxide certainly, but have you considered the impact of
plants on our daily lives? Carol focuses her talk on a subset of the 50 plants that are detailed in
Bill Laws’ book, Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History.
Speaker’s contact information: ckgravens@sbcglobal.net or 314-606-4391
Plants that Changed the Course of History – vol. 2
The talk is based on a 2nd subset of plants from Bill Laws’ book, Plants that Changed the Course
of History. John Hensley in collaboration with Carol Gravens, the original speaker, has identified
additional plants to explore for their important role in our history.
The speaker is John Hensley. Contact him: bluemoon53@aol.com
Plants, Pollen, and Allergies
Have you ever suffered from pollen allergies? This talk will take you through the plant
physiology involved and how to select plants that minimize allergen occurrence and your
exposure to them. Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her: ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Problems Common to Perennials and Annuals
Trying to perfect your home garden to the Better Homes and Gardens ideal? It is frustrating to
do all of the right things and then find insects and plant diseases challenging your best
attempts. Learn about common garden pests and diseases and how to manage them using safe,
sustainable tactics. Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her: ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Seed to Harvest
Master Gardner, Andy, has created a productive garden from scratch in his south city backyard.
He will take you on his gardening journey.
Contact him: andy.schiefelbein@gmail.com
Spring Wildflowers of Missouri
Go on a photo spring hike looking for Missouri wildflowers with advanced Master Gardener,
Master Naturalist Carol Gravens. Contact her at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Ten Ways to Add Biodiversity to Your Garden
Learn specific ways to increase the biodiversity of your garden.
Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
The Art of Container Gardening
A step-by-step guide for creating a gorgeous container garden for your home.
Speaker is Kim Gamel. Contact is kgamel@yahoo.com
The Blooming Prairie
Using the speaker’s own photography, the program follows the succession of prairie plants
from spring, summer, fall to winter. Your photographer and guide is Carol Gravens advanced
Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Contact her at ckgravens@scbglobal.net
Top 10 Orchids for the Home
This talk discusses one orchid hobbyist’s favorites and how to grow them in the home, without
a greenhouse or special equipment. Speaker is Carol Gravens. Contact her at
Wildflowers of the High Sierra
This program is a naturalist hiker’s photo collection from exploring the High Sierras.
Wildflowers of the Swiss Alps
Take an arm chair trek thru Switzerland to view Alpine wildflowers.
Your guide for either talk is Master Gardener/Master Naturalist Carol Gravens.
She can be contacted at email ckgravens@sbcglobal.net
Winter Damage
While you are snug in your home on a winter evening, there are several types of damage that
can be happening outside in your garden. Learn the details for frost damage, winter burn and
more.
Speaker is Betsy Alexander. She can be reached at betsyace@earthlink.net or text at 314-283-
0974
Winter’s Natural Beauty
Take an alternate look at Missouri winter scenery. Things we take for granted as a gray, bleak
season find an attractive, creative look thru the lens of Carol’s camera.
Contact her at ckgravens@sbcglobal.net