Growing Together

Wednesday, June 17: 11am to 12:30pm
Speaker: Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith

Dr Sue Stuart-Smith, a prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist, worked in the Great Britain’s National Health Service for many years, becoming the lead clinician for psychotherapy in Hertfordshire. Her bestselling book, The Well-Gardened Mind, published in 2020 was a Times and Sunday Times book of the year. It has since been translated into eighteen languages. 

Along with her husband, Tom Stuart-Smith, the celebrated garden designer, she has founded a not-for-profit initiative called The Serge Hill Project for Gardening, Creativity and Health which incorporates a unique living Plant Library and is based in an old orchard near their home in Hertfordshire.  The project provides resources for local schools and mental health charities, offering opportunities to connect with nature for those who have least access. 

Dr. Stuart-Smith will share wonderful stories of how being in nature can enhance our lives. She will relay contemporary research that shows how connecting with nature can help people cope with the various struggles of life. Dr. Stuart-Smith is a brilliant communicator. Participants will enjoy learning more about both The Well-Gardened Mind and Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith’s engagement with The Serge Hill Project.

All registrants will receive a program recording, but only live participants may ask questions.

Please register and join us live for this inspiring Zoom Webinar event!

Wednesday, July 15: 11am to 12:30pm
Speaker: Howard Nemeroff

Howard Nemeroff is respected as one of the most accomplished professional container artists in the United States.

This year, Nemeroff is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his plant-care and container-gardening business, Plant Parenting, Inc. In 2025, Digging In Association, a professional organization for container garden designers, honored Nemeroff with their Deep Roots Award for the significant role he has played in shaping and strengthening the professional container gardening industry and community. His creative designs often have been featured in Fine Gardening Magazine.  

Howard began container gardening before it was recognized as an industry. From the beginning, he has endeavored to use plants with an artist’s eye and a horticulturist’s knowledge. As he learned new horticultural practices, he brought these lessons to life in unique ways.  An innovator with a keen interest in tropical plants, he took the presentation of tender plants to new heights in non-tropical Chicago.

Though Howard is always looking for new plants to utilize in his palette, he focuses on artistic presentation as much as plant material. His designs are mechanically inspired and incorporate both hidden and visible structure.  Whether he uses artistic frames to embellish a look or uses an internal mechanism to "defy gravity," his style is sought after and appreciated by his clients.

Howard is the person that professional container gardeners look to for inspiration. You’ll be amazed by this opportunity to see his work and learn how he creates his unique and wonderful designs.

Dr. Allan Armitage is a well-known writer, speaker, and horticulturist. Born and raised in Quebec and Ontario, he later lived in East Lansing, MI and now resides in Athens, GA. He has worked with landscape plants and greenhouse crops in the North and South and travels the world speaking and sharing his passion for plants. Armitage holds his B.Sc. from McGill University in Montreal, his M.Sc. from University of Guelph, and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University.

Allan has written 17 books, countless academic papers and hundreds of articles for both professional and weekend gardeners alike; including a monthly column in the national greenhouse publication, Greenhouse Grower for over 40 years. Allan introduced over 20 plants to the gardening community, including Verbena “Homestead Purple’ and ‘Margarita’ ornamental sweet potato. He conducted research in New Crop Introduction and Evaluation, and Environmental Physiology. He developed and maintained The Trial Gardens at University of Georgia until his retirement. To view informative, and instructional short videos filmed in his personal garden, visit his YouTube channel. To access all things Armitage, visit his website AllanArmitage.net.

You’ll enjoy every minute of this presentation, and when you join the live webinar, you’ll have the chance to ask questions!