30 presentations, walks, workshops and field trips + native plant sale

225 S. Swoope Ave., Suite 110, Maitland, FL 32751 • 407-622-1606 • www.flawildflowers.org

BRIGHTMAN & NAN LOGAN

J.C. Cahill, lead scientist of the PBS Nature series program “What Plants Talk About,” will deliver the

symposium’s keynote address at dinner on Sept. 25.

Scrub Jays of Seminole State ForestState Road 46, Sorrento (5.5 miles west of Interstate 4, Sanford)

Learn how Seminole State Forest is restoring habitat for endangered Scrub Jays. You’re almost assured to meet some of the scrub’s residents while learning about the wildflowers and plants that make up the ecosystem.

Ralph Risch has been the Florida Scrub Jay biologist for Seminole State Forest in Lake County since 2006. He has a degree in Environmental Science/Ecology from S.U.N.Y. Plattsburg, and was working toward his Masters in Zoology when he became involved with Florida scrub jay research at Archbold Biological Station near Lake Placid. Ralph has a life list of nearly 600 bird species, and has birded in 49 of the 50 United States, three Canadian provinces, and six European countries. His duties at Seminole State Forest include banding and tracking scrub jays, finding and monitoring their nests, mapping their territories, restoring their scrub habitat, and giving talks to and leading walks for the public.

Edible Natives Walk at Mead Garden1300 S. Denning Drive, Winter Park

Take a walk in beautiful Mead Garden and learn to identify the native edible and medicinal plants growing all around us. Learn how native plants and wildflowers were used by Native Americans and pioneers, and how they’re still used today. Come prepared for a sensory experience of tasting, smelling, and feeling each plant to learn more about its healing benefits.

Emily Ruff is the executive director of the Florida School of Holistic Living and a community herbalist who has practiced the art and science of plant healing for over 15 years. Her studies have taken her to three continents, apprenticing with local plant healers in Central and South America and with many admired Western herbalists in the U.S., including Rosemary Gladstar, Carolyn Whitford, and George D’Arcy. Emily’s academic studies include ethnobotany, philosophy, and women’s studies at the University of Central Florida and curanderismo at the University of New Mexico. She is a registered Flower Essence Practitioner with the Bach Foundation, a board member of United Plant Savers, and has served as president of the Herb Society of Central Florida. She is a lecturer and published author, and also teaches at Sage Mountain in Vermont. Emily lives in Central Florida where she stewards an herbal urban homestead and lives her joy immersed in the healing environment of her backyard garden.

Oakland Nature Preserve747 Machette Trail, Oakland

Get an up-close look at the 28-acre preserve located just west of Orlando, including a restoration effort funded by the Florida Wildflower Foundation.

Jackie Rolly is a resident of Seminole County and a fourth-generation Floridian. She retired from government service in 2006 and ever since has pursued her passion of conserving and restoring native plants of the Florida she once knew. She has been a member of the Tarflower Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) since 1997 and has served in various positions at state and local levels. In addition, she has been salvaging plants from construction sites for over 15 years and has learned many techniques and tips for transplanting and propagating. Her work over the past five years in ecosystem restoration at the Oakland Nature Preserve continues to provide knowledge in the native plant communities and the wildlife that depends on those communities. Jackie is also a certified FloridaMaster Naturalist.

Orlando Wetlands Park25155 Wheeler Road, Orlando

Orlando Wetlands Park is a 1200-acre manmade wetland designed to remove nutrients from up to 35 million gallons of reclaimed water per day. Over 2 million aquatic plants and 200,000 trees were planted to create the facility. The property also happens to be a great place for birds and other wildlife. Birders have reported 212 species for the park. The berms have a variety of wildflowers, with more on the way thanks to a Viva Florida grant from the Florida Wildflower Foundation.

Mary Keim taught biology at Seminole State College for 35 years. She is active in Orange Audubon Society and Friends of the Orlando Wetlands, and is a longtime member of the Florida Native Plant Society. She and her husband, Randy Snyder, enjoy birding, butterflying, native plant gardening and nature photography.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 — FIELD TRIPS9 a.m. Various locations

(meet on location)

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8 a.m. FridayRegistration desk opens

9 a.m. Friday — Garden Walk (meets at registration table) Native Plant WalkSee and learn about Leu Gardens’ array of native wildflowers, plants and trees.

With Eric Schmidt, Leu Gardens horticulturist.

9 a.m. Friday — Camellia Room (meets outside of Camellia room) Photography workshop Wildflowers, native plants, butterflies, bees and other critters of the garden will be the focus of this workshop, which will help hone your photography skills by helping you to consider subject matter, lighting and more.

Vince Lamb is a Florida native, a nature photographer and a certified Florida Master Naturalist. He currently chairs the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s board of directors. After a career in computer software engineering, he now spends much of his time as a volunteer for environmental organizations. Vince frequently leads field trips and organizes environmental education events. Vince also serves on an advisory committee for the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program and as treasurer of the Friends of the Carr Refuge, a support organization for the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.

11 a.m. Friday — Palm Room Wildflowers, Naturally! The Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Wildflowers, Naturally! program was designed to recognize home gardeners and businesses who use Florida’s native wildflowers in landscapes. Learn about the program, including its requirements, how to apply, and how applications are reviewed.

Stacey Matrazzo is the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s program manager. She is an environmental educator with a bachelors degree in Environmental Studies and a masters of Liberal Studies from Rollins College, is a certified Florida Master Naturalist and an active member of the Florida Native Plant Society. She is a native Floridian who spends much of her free time kayaking, hiking, birding and photographing Florida’s amazing natural environments.

Noon FridayLunch on your own

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 — LEU GARDENS1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando

1 p.m. Friday — Orchid Room Saving Florida’s State ParksFloridians take great pride in their state parks. They are the heart of what makes Florida special. Men and women of foresight restored these parks in decades past that were enjoyed by over 27 million Floridians and tourists last year. This is the premier state park system in the United States, having won the national state parks Gold Medal Award on three occasions. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which oversees the Florida Park Service, is responsible for the protection of Florida’s state parks. The state parks have been a single-use agency for 80 years but now DEP intends to manage the parks under a multiple-use philosophy, which means practically any activity is permissible as long as it generates more revenue. This includes such activities as logging, hunting and livestock grazing. This will be the most significant change affecting our state parks since the state park system was established in 1935. Who will protect our state parks from such ill-conceived uses?

Jim Stevenson served as Chief Naturalist of Florida’s State Parks for 20 years during which time he developed the educational and the land management programs for the state park system. He retired in 2003 after 38 years with the Department of Environmental Protection. He was chairman of the Florida Springs Task Force that developed a protection strategy for Florida’s springs and director of the Governor’s Florida Springs Protection Initiative that implemented springs protection projects. He also coordinated the Wakulla Spring Basin and the Ichetucknee Springs Basin Working Groups for 18 years. He serves on the boards of the Wakulla Springs Alliance and the Florida Springs Institute. He is the author of the recent book, My Journey in Florida’s State Parks: A Naturalist’s Memoir.

1 p.m. Friday — Palm Room Wildflower Propagation Techniques Get hands-on experience while learning native wildflower propagation techniques with seeds and plants. Come ready to dig in and get your hands dirty.

Dena Wild worked as a city planner/urban designer for 35 years. During her tenure with the City of Orlando, she was Chief Planner for Urban Design, which included overseeing the public art and historic preservation programs. She also taught urban design as a UCF adjunct professor. Upon retirement, Dena’s focus shifted from urban design to urban horticulture. She is an active Orange County Master Gardener whose activities include speaking engagements, teaching classes, and writing for Florida Gardening. Her urban horticulture education includes “hands-in-the-dirt” experience, post-graduate studies in landscape architecture at the University of Colorado, the Boulder (Colo.) and Orange counties’ Master Gardener programs, and the University of Florida’s Best Management Practices for the Green Industry. She also serves on the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s board of directors as its secretary.

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6–9 p.m. Friday — Camellia Room Florida Wildflower Symposium Banquet Dinner, awards, and keynote address by Dr. J.C. Cahill, experimental plant ecologist and lead scientist on the PBS Nature series documentary, “What Plants Talk About.”

Plants are, literally, furniture, fiber, and food. In school, we teach our children the names of plant parts; at home, plants ‘work’ for us in the garden and yard. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the public view of plants is appreciation rather than fascination. In contrast, the animals around us are the source of stories, they are our adopted family members, and they are interesting. But what if plants had the ability to talk? What if plants were able to recognize close relatives and treat them differently than strangers? What if plants had the ability to take complex information and integrate it, leading to some novel behavior? In fact, they can, and they do! Learn how during this fascinating presentation, after which it’s unlikely that you will see plants in quite the same way.

Dr. James F. Cahill (J.C.) is a professor of experimental plant ecology and Faculty of Science research fellow at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. As the author of nearly 100 articles, his research interests are quite broad and include the study of behavioral ecology of plants, competitive games in social networks, and exploitation and collaboration among plants, fungi, and pollinators. In addition to the traditional job of an academic researcher, J.C. is passionate about communicating science to diverse groups of people.

2 p.m. Friday — Orchid Room Amendment 1: Where Do We Go From Here? In November 2014, 75 percent of Florida voters said yes to Amendment 1, which was to raise money to acquire and restore Florida conservation and recreation lands. However, during spring’s legislative session, Florida’s lawmakers chose to use more than $300 million in Amendment 1 funds on salaries, vehicles and other expenses. A lawsuit is pending and conservationists throughout the state are up in arms, yet Tallahassee’s leadership continues to give them a very cold shoulder. Audubon Florida’s Charles Lee will look at the future of Amendment 1, what’s going on to exercise the will of the people, and how you, as voters and conservationists, can get involved.

Charles Lee is director of advocacy for Audubon Florida, the state’s oldest and largest environmental organization. He serves as its principal spokesperson on public policy issues, and works directly with state and regional lawmakers on conservation policy. During his 42-year Audubon career, he helped establish Disney Wilderness Preserve, halt development in North Key Largo, protect the Wekiva River through land acquisition, and establish “Preservation 2000,” the state’s $300 million per year environmental land acquisition program.

3 p.m. Friday — Orchid Room Saving Florida In a presentation based on her book, Saving Florida, Dr. Leslie Kemp Poole will reveal the roles played by women in preserving natural Florida. Among other things, you’ll learn how women’s clubs prompted legislation to establish Florida’s first state park, which later became the core of Everglades National Park in 1916 — before women even had the right to vote. A book-signing will be held after the presentation.

Dr. Leslie Kemp Poole is an award-winning writer and historian. Poole has long been interested in the role of women in the state’s environmental movement and how they were saving the state’s important natural resources even before they were able to vote. The fourth-generation Floridian received her PhD in history from the University of Florida in 2012 and is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College. Her articles have been published in a number of academic journals and she regularly presents papers about her research at history conferences. In 2008, Leslie appeared in the PBS documentary In Marjorie’s Wake, which retraced author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ 1933 trip on the St. Johns River. She lives in Winter Park.

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9 a.m. Saturday — Camellia Room10 Easy WildflowersHorticulturist Nancy Bissett will introduce 10 wildflowers species selected by growers and landscapers that are easy to use in Florida’s landscapes. Descriptions include size, life cycles, season of bloom, where they occur naturally and how to use them in landscapes. Nancy also will discuss growing conditions and care. These wildflowers also attract a host of pollinators and butterflies, and support birds with seeds and insects. Using them will help you to create a living landscape.

Nancy Bissett is a horticulturist, restoration ecologist, and botanist with The Natives Inc., a Davenport firm offering consulting, ecological restoration, and landscape architecture. As the developer of The Natives nursery, she has experimented with the propagation and growth of many native plants, including grasses, wildflowers, and rare species. Nancy has developed techniques for restoring many upland communities, including site preparation, planting, direct-seeding native groundcovers, and weed control. She has developed direct seeding projects for state agencies, water management districts, mitigation banks, mined lands, developers, and corporations.

9 a.m. Saturday — Garden CottageHabitat for Native Bees — Flowers and MoreMost people are aware of honey bee and bumble bee declines, but many are not aware of the amazing diversity of other bee species that surrounds us. Planting more flowers on which bees can forage is one way to bolster populations, but there are other things that you can do to support both honey bees and wild bees. Learn about Florida’s bee families and their basic biology and lifestyles, which will give you an advantage when trying to sustain them. Bees’ needs and how you can meet them also will be covered.

Cory Stanley-Stahr received a B.S. in Zoology in 2004 from Weber State University in her hometown of Ogden, Utah. She went on to study the retention of commercial populations of solitary bees at Utah State University and the USDA ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit in Logan, Utah, and earned her PhD in 2010. She spent three years as the Bee Specialist and CAPS Coordinator for Utah State University Cooperative Extension. In 2013, she brought her husband and the youngest of her three sons to Gainesville, so that she could join University of Florida’s Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory (HBREL) as a postdoctoral research associate. For over two years, she has served as the HBREL’s native bee specialist, supervising agricultural pollination projects including Project Integrated Crop Pollination and Operation Pollinator.

8 a.m. SaturdayRegistration desk opens

8:15 a.m. Saturday — Camellia RoomMembers meeting

9 a.m.–3 p.m. SaturdayPlant Sale • Silent Auction • Exhibitors

9 a.m. Saturday — Palm Room Preserving Roadside WildflowersHave you been seeing more wildflowers on roadsides? Two years ago, the Florida Department of Transportation revamped its wildflower program to include conservation of “wildflower areas.” To capitalize on this exciting development, the Florida Wildflower Foundation is working with partners in the Panhandle to increase awareness of the value of roadside wildflowers. Hear about the changes this work has brought to roadsides statewide and how you can help facilitate change in your region.

Jeff Caster is a lifelong conservationist who has worked for the Florida Department of Transportation since 1993. In his current position as State Transportation Architect, his responsibilities include Florida’s roadside wildflower and scenic highways programs, highway beautification, and landscape conservation and management. He has been an adjunct assistant professor of Landscape Architecture at Florida A&M University, and president of the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He is past chairman and a present board member of the Florida Wildflower Foundation.

Eleanor Dietrich of Tallahassee has been the Florida Wildflower Foundation’s Panhandle Wildflower Alliance Liaison for several years, swinging between the Alliance and the Florida Department of Transportation’s District 3 to help preserve the Panhandle’s roadside wildflowers. She is a longtime advocate for Panhandle wildflowers. In 2010, she helped write Florida’s first model resolution to protect roadside wildflowers.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 — LEU GARDENS1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando

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10 a.m. Saturday — Garden House Patio Make a Pollinator PotDon’t just put together a container of wildflowers – make it a Pollinator Pot that hosts native species – from birds to bugs to butterflies – and looks good while doing it! Learn what pollinator-preferred plants to use and how to care for them, as well as which pollinators will feast on them and lay eggs.

Chris Waltz is an active volunteer for the Florida Wildflower Foundation and the Florida Native Plant Society who recently wondered what he could do to promote the plight of pollinators and their dependency on Florida’s native plants and wildflowers. As an avid home gardener who propagates many of his own native plants, he came up with the concept of Pollinator Pots … and the rest is history!

11 a.m. Saturday — Camellia RoomMonarchs and MigrationThe iconic black and orange Monarch butterfly breeds throughout the U.S. and southern Canada during spring and summer. As fall approaches, hundreds of millions from across the continent travel to overwintering sites in Mexico and California to escape freezing temperatures, with some flying more than 2,000 miles. Learn more about this amazing insect, its unprecedented migration, and how you can help sustain monarch populations by providing critical resources right in your own yard.

Dr. Jaret Daniels is IFAS Assistant Professor of Entomology and Assistant Director for Research for the Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. His research focuses on insect ecology, population biology and conservation, with particular emphasis on butterflies and other native pollinators. He has authored more than 50 scientific papers, popular articles, and books on butterflies, conservation, integrated pest management, and wildlife landscaping, including Wildflowers of Florida.

10 a.m. Saturday — Camellia RoomHow Plants Talk to PollinatorsBecause plants are immobile, they have developed many “come hither” ways to gain the attention of their suitors — pollinators that will ensure the reproduction of their species. Learn some of the interesting and ingenious ways plants “talk” to insects to entice them to perform the vital service of pollination.

With Dr. James F. Cahill (J.C.) (see page 4 for bio).

10 a.m. Saturday — Garden Cottage Wildflowers 101 As we begin to see and plant Florida wildflowers, it is both fun and challenging to learn about the thousands of species that occur in natural communities and which ones of these we might use to enhance our home landscapes. In her talk, Catherine Bowman will provide an overview of what we mean by Florida wildflowers and talk about some of Florida’s special plant communities, the wildflowers you might find there, and some good times of the year to look. In addition to highlighting wildflowers in their natural communities, her talk will include a focus on extending native plant corridors and habitat through our communities to connect with the extraordinary natural communities that surround us.

Catherine Bowman has been an ecological consultant for 22 years. She is the president and co-owner of Bowman and Blair Ecology and Design Inc. in Winter Park; president-elect of the Florida Native Plant Society, and past president of the FNPS’ Tarflower (Orange County) Chapter for seven years. She is now the chapter’s liaison to Mead Botanical Garden. A native Floridian, she spent her early years roaming longleaf pine communities, coastal habitats, swamps, blackwater streams, and pitcher plant bogs of Northwest Florida. She holds a degree in botany from the University of Central Florida with a focus on field botany. Her projects have included habitat assessments and species inventories on large state-owned lands, environmental studies for parks and trails, private and commercial developments, utility, roadway and bridge projects.

10 a.m. Saturday — Palm Room Pollinator Panel DiscussionJoin bee and butterfly experts from the University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as they discuss the problems facing pollinators and what we can all do to help. Audience participation is encouraged — bring your questions and comments.

With Dr. Jaret Daniels (UF and Florida Museum of Natural History) (see this page for bio), Dr. Cory Stanley-Stahr (UF) (see page 5 for bio), and Jeanette Klopchin, the new Pollinator Protection Specialist at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Jeannette is currently assisting with the development of the Managed Pollinator Protection Plan and establishing communication between stakeholder groups related to pollinator protection. She is developing outreach programs and materials for www.floridabeeprotection.org, the outlet for information regarding the department’s work to protect this valuable resource.

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Pollinator Appreciation Week Monday, Sept. 28 through Saturday, Oct. 3

at The Natives “Hill Nursery” 1617 Champaigne Rd., Davenport, FL 33837

Over 100 species of pollinator-attracting native wildflowers (including limited numbers of Asclepias),

groundcovers, shrubs and trees. We love our native bees!

Checks and cash are appreciated. Mastercard and Visa are accepted but are difficult to use in the field. (We aren’t quite up to date!)

For more information, visit www.thenatives.net, email natives@gate.net

or call 863-422-6664 or 863-287-3903.

1 p.m. Saturday — Palm Room Scrub Jays of Seminole State Forest Seminole State Forest rests mostly on undisturbed or minimally disturbed natural lands in north Lake County. Of its nearly 27,500 acres, more than 6,000 are scrub and scrubby flatwoods habitat, and much of this is home to Florida’s only endemic bird species, the Florida Scrub Jay. With fewer than 6,000 scrub jays left in Florida, there is a critical need to protect the species and its habitat. This talk will discuss the scrub jay’s biology, behavior, status, and the restoration efforts aimed at this unique and fascinating species in Seminole State Forest.

With Ralph Risch (see page 2 for bio).

1 p.m. Saturday — Camellia Room Gardening in the ShadeShade is an important part of most Florida landscapes, but gardening in shade requires some understanding if we are to be effective. Plants adapt to shade in different ways and only a few thrive in it. In this presentation, Dr. Craig Huegel will discuss how to create interesting and diverse landscapes in shady areas and highlight some of the native plants (including wildflowers) that are best choices for Florida.

Dr. Craig Huegel is a naturalist, author and educator who has devoted much of his professional career to teaching the public about wildlife and native plant communities. He is an adjunct professor at St. Petersburg College and the author of several books on Florida native plants for landscapes, which are for sale in the Leu Gardens gift shop. He will be signing his books there after this session.

1 p.m. Saturday — Garden House PatioBuilding Your Native Bee HabitatFlorida has many native pollinators, and each has preferred native plants that suit their anatomy and feeding behaviors. Learning which plants are best for particular pollinators will help you design a backyard habitat that will benefit the broadest number of Florida’s pollinators.

Taryn Evans and her husband, Terry, own Creative Garden Structures (www.creativegardenstructures.com), a small retail garden shop specializing in creating backyard habitat. They sell native plants, as well as, bee, bird, and bat boxes from their home in Weirsdale in Marion County. Taryn also maintains a one-acre demonstration garden designed to help interested homeowners understand better Florida’s native plants and the principles of sustainable gardening, like rainwater harvesting, less fertilizer/pesticide use, and “right plant for right place.” Of primary importance to her is conveying the message to others about the need for all types of insects in our gardens and landscapes, especially pollinators, such as Florida’s native bees.

11 a.m. Saturday — Palm Room How to Design Your Own Native Plant Landscape You’ll learn how to conduct a simple site analysis, set priorities by developing a program, begin your design (it doesn’t have to be fancy!), and develop a plant palette. You’ll also learn how to use your chosen species to come up with a finished design and implement it. During the last part of the workshop, participants will work on a simple design.

Bill Bissett is a landscape architect and co-owner and co-founder of The Natives Inc. in Davenport. The 1975 graduate of the University of Florida is a member of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Land Management advisory committee, and is the co-founder and five-term past president of the Heartland Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. He also was a member of the Polk County Ornamental Advisory.

11 a.m. Saturday — Garden Cottage The Art of Maintaining Your Native Landscape Plants native to Florida have adapted to the ecosystems in which they have grown all these millennia without human intervention. Our urban/suburban yards are only pale imitations of Florida’s wildlands. But planting a few native plants, even if they are the “right plant in the right place,” is not a fairy tale where everyone (and every plant) lives happily ever after. The plants have a higher survival rate if you plant them properly and give them a good head start so they can establish themselves. Some will die, but those that survive may become too rambunctious. Ginny Stibolt’s presentation will provide ideas and tools to help people who are new to natives. The “no-maintenance” landscape is a myth; it’s one of many old gardener’s tales that Ginny will debunk.

Ginny Stibolt is a lifelong gardener. She earned a masters degree in botany at the University of Maryland. But gardening is different in Florida. She’s been writing about her adventures in Florida gardening since 2004. In 2006, she changed her landscaping style after joining the Florida Native Plant Society to include more native plants and more natural areas in her yard. She wrote Sustainable Gardening for Florida (2009), Organic Methods for Vegetable Gardening in Florida with Melissa Contreras (2013), and The Art of Maintaining a Florida Native Landscape (2015) — all published by University Press of Florida. In addition, she writes her own blog, “Green Gardening.”

Noon Saturday — Orchid RoomBoxed lunch (preorders only)

1 p.m. Saturday — Garden Walk (meets at registration table)Butterfly Walk in the Gardens Join butterfly expert Dr. Jaret Daniels for a walk in the gardens to discover butterflies there. You’ll learn about their host and nectar plants, and get tips on butterfly identification and habits along the way.

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2 p.m. Saturday — Camellia RoomButterfly Gardening with Native Wildflowers and Plants A butterfly garden requires a little planning and proper selection of larval and nectar producing plants. By choosing a variety of native plants and plants that bloom at different times, you can enjoy a diversity of butterfly species all year long. Enjoy a fun-filled presentation by the City of Orlando’s Leu Gardens’ Director, Robert Bowden, as he talks about one of his favorite subjects — butterflies!

Robert Bowden is the director of Harry P. Leu Gardens and author of Florida Top Ten Garden Guide by Sunset Books and Florida Fruit and Vegetable Gardening by Cool Springs Press. He is an avid gardener and enjoys testing new vegetables, annuals and perennials, especially those that attract pollinators.

2 p.m. Saturday — Garden Cottage Florida’s Endangered OrchidsLearn about Florida’s rarest orchids, their natural habitats, and their present status in a presentation that combines scientific information, anecdotes from the field, and award-winning photography in a presentation that you won’t want to miss.

Prem Subrahmanyam discovered orchids at a young age and soon located native species growing near his Tallahassee home, launching a lifelong journey of discovery of Florida’s amazing native orchids, including the rare and elusive Ghost Orchid. He has spent more than 30 years tracking down species both common and rare. He moved to Central Florida in 2005, where he often can be found hiking with his wife, Joy, and/or a few of their 15 children. Many of his photos appear, along with detailed information on Florida’s orchid species, on his website, www.flnativeorchids.com. His photographs and articles also have appeared in many orchid- related magazines, wildflowers guides, and books.

1 p.m. Saturday — Garden Cottage, Walk Container Gardening with WildflowersYou don’t need a lot of space to grow Florida’s beautiful wildflowers. Join Leu Gardens’ Keri Byrum to learn about the best plants for growing in containers large and small. This classroom session will feature a step by step approach to planting and maintenance for these beautiful containers, followed by a garden walk to see wildflower containers throughout Leu Gardens’ landscape.

Keri Byrum is the Assistant Director at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando and a Florida Certified Horticulture Professional. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and her master’s degree from the Longwood Graduate Program at the University of Delaware.

2 p.m. Saturday — Palm Room EcoArt: Reconnecting to Our Natural EnvironmentEcoArtist Lucy Keshavarz will define and show examples of Ecological Art (EcoArt). Two of her projects integrated native plants to promote biodiversity within urban areas, requiring an extremely steep learning curve on her part with an intense introduction to native plants/wildflowers and the native plant industry. Lucy will describe lessons learned as well as reflect on the aesthetic paradigm shift needed in order to see the urban landscape as a way to connect with our natural environment.

Lucy Keshavarz, a native Floridian, is an artist and arts consultant who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Florida Atlantic University. In 1987, she assisted her husband, Maziar, in opening Keshavarz & Associates, Inc., a consulting civil engineering firm. In 1999, Lucy founded Art & Culture Group, Inc., to assist organizations and individuals with arts and cultural programming and design. She has facilitated and created public art for private and public entities. In 2013, Lucy completed two EcoArt projects in Palm Beach County urban areas that included over 60 species of Florida native plants. Her primary focus has become combining arts and science in ways that promote a reconnection of our human species to our natural environment in support of a sustainable and peaceful future.

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