Speakers Bureau

Master Gardeners are able to present virtual and in-person horticultural lectures for your club or organization. We are also willing to present in nursing home facilities and will format the presentation to abilities. The topics are listed below.

Presentations are 45 minutes in length and conclude with an additional 15 minute question and answer period. Please note – some presentations have limited availability throughout the year. All presentations have a speaking charge of $50, payable to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County.

Please contact us if you are interested in scheduling a presentation, or would like to explore another topic.

Fall/Winter 2023 Topics:

Perennial Gardening

This seminar covers the key considerations in planning and constructing a perennial garden. It also covers a historical perspective on perennial gardening.

Putting Your Garden to Bed

A great garden starts with great soil! One way to maintain good health and high nutrient content of your soil is by adding garden compost. Composting is more than recycling garden waste or kitchen scraps – it’s a way of creating a healthy environment for all organisms. Participants will learn good composting practices to help drive sustainability and production in their garden.

Basic Garden Designs

Learn how to plan your garden from the ground up. You will learn how to recognize your own garden style and incorporate the elements to make it come to life.

Creating a Bird Habitat in Your Backyard

Would you like to encourage birds to make a home in your backyard? With just a little knowledge, time and effort, you can transform your yard into a beautiful bird sanctuary no matter the size of your property. Come learn how easy it is to add some colorful songbirds to your backyard.

Small Space Gardening

You can maximize your current space, no matter the size. Learn how to use every inch of space whether growing herbs, vegetables or flowers. Get suggestions for container plantings and DIY projects too.

House Plant Care

Houseplants are all the craze. Learn how to choose the best plants for your home and how to keep them happy and healthy while creating a stress-free environment for you.

All About Dahlias

Dahlias are a beautiful addition to any garden, learn how to plant and select the right varieties for you.

Succulents

Succulents are fun, easy to grow and care for, and can be enjoyed indoors and out. Find out how to use succulents throughout your property

Landscaping Mistakes

A survey of common mistakes made by homeowners in designing, decorating, and maintaining their landscapes.

Olmstead and Rochester Parks

An introduction to the life and accomplishments of Frederick Law Olmsted, the pioneer of the modern urban park. Includes the history of urban parks, some of the early life of FL Olmsted, leading to the creation of Central Park. The major projects of Olmsted and the Olmsted firm after Central Park. And finally, the Rochester (now Monroe County) Park System, partially designed by Olmsted.

Basic Tree Identification

Some simple techniques to help you identify trees by observation, using your senses. While this is not a substitute for a tree identification class, it should give you enough information to identify many common trees in our landscape.

Selecting and Maintaining Trees and Shrubs

The steps you should take when planning new additions to your landscape. And some recommendations on trees and shrubs to consider.

Pruning

How to selectively remove unwanted branches, improve the tree's structure, and direct new, healthy growth.

Composting

A presentation on what composting is, how to get started and maintain a compost pile at home, and the usefulness of amending your soil with compost.

Seed Sowing

Did you love a particular vegetable or flower from your garden this summer?? Learn how to save seeds for next year!!

Spring/Summer 2024 Topics:

Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden

Pollinators play an important role in native ecosystems, home gardens, and global food production. This presentation will discuss the wide range of pollinators active in our gardens and what gardeners can do to make their yard more attractive to pollinators. We will discuss a variety of native plants and provide a plant list.

Basics of Organic Composting

A great garden starts with great soil! One way to maintain good health and high nutrient content in your soil is by adding compost. Composting is more than recycling yard waste or kitchen scraps – it’s a way of creating a healthy environment for all organisms. Participants will learn good composting practices to help increase sustainability and production in their garden.

Gardening with Native Plants

Gardening with native plants helps pollinators and other native species. The speaker will describe some of the other benefits of gardening with native plants. Native plants suggestions for sun, shade, wet and dry locations will be provided.

House Plant Care

Houseplants are all the craze. Learn how to choose the best plants for your environment and how to keep them happy and healthy.

Invasive Plants in New York Gardens

This presentation will cover what an invasive plant is, which invasives you are likely to find in your garden as weeds, how you can control them, NYS’s regulations for invasives, and which common garden landscape pests are now considered invasive. It will also provide suggestions for replacing them with native plants.

Monarch Butterflies

The population of Monarch butterflies has plummeted and there are concerns that they could become extinct. This presentation will discuss the fascinating life cycle of these insects, the multiple threats to their survival, and what upstate New York gardeners can do to help their survival.

Gardener’s Favorite

We will discuss some of the most popular vegetables from planting to harvest and how to grow them, their strength and weaknesses as well as ways of incorporating them into your seeding plan to maximize your harvest and your hard work.

Poisonous Plants in the Ornamental Garden

You may be surprised to learn that many of our favorite ornamental garden plants are poisonous and some have fascinating histories. The speaker will provide common sense precautions to safely grow these plants in your garden.

Raised Bed Gardening

This lecture will focus on the key steps to ensure a successful vegetable garden. We will also cover planting and harvesting techniques, the advantages of raised bed gardening and the top 10 vegetables for home gardening.

Rochester’s Olmsted Parks

This talk will present an introduction to the life and accomplishments of Frederick Law Olmsted, the pioneer of the modern urban park. We will first explore the history of urban parks, then move to the early life of Olmsted, leading to the creation of Central Park. Also covered is the major projects of Olmsted and the Olmsted firm, and the Rochester (now Monroe County) Park System, partially designed by Olmsted.

Succulents

Succulents are fun, easy to grow and care for, and can be enjoyed indoors and out. Find out how to use succulents throughout your home.

Herbs

Freshly harvested herbs have better scents and flavors than those which can be purchased in the stores and can be grown in practically any space. This presentation will cover growing conditions and ongoing care needed to produce home grown herbs. Tips for gathering and preserving herbs will also be included.

Seed Starting

Starting seeds is a rewarding late winter/early Spring activity for gardeners. We will cover ways to start your own vegetables, flowers, and herb seeds.

Chickens in the Garden!

Chicken don't belong in the garden! Or do they?? Learn how to process chicken manure, control pests without chemicals, utilize shells ad even what plants to use in an enrichment garden for your chickens.