Integrating Ecolgy, Beauty and Adaptability in Design
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Friday, February 13, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST
*Live Zoom Event
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Thriving landscapes that support wildlife, enhance biodiversity, and respond to environmental challenges require thoughtful design and tested practices. This engaging symposium brings together experts in horticulture, ecology, and design to share solutions that work—from small gardens to large public landscapes.
Learn how native keystone plants and layered “soft landings” can support pollinators from canopy to ground, and explore regenerative approaches that blend beauty, function, and biodiversity in every setting. Through illustrative real-world case studies, discover how dynamic, naturalistic plantings can adapt and thrive, and how climate-resilient and diverse plant palettes can strengthen ecosystems in both urban and suburban environments.
Attendees will gain practical tools for plant selection, soil preparation, and habitat design, along with proven strategies for creating landscapes that actively support wildlife and the environment. Whether you’re tending a home garden or shaping public spaces, this symposium provides the knowledge and solutions to design with purpose—and with the future in mind.
Learn how native keystone plants and layered “soft landings” can support nments.
*This will be offered as a series of live online lectures using Zoom with audience Q&A incorporated into the program. Each session will be recorded and a link to watch the symposium will be emailed to all participants. Professional development credit hours will be available for each session.
Learn how native keystone plants and layered “soft landings” can support
The following languages are supported for translated captions:
Arabic, Cantonese, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified). Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish , French (Canada), French (France), German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
About GreenScapes
The GreenScapes Symposium is an annual program planned by Brookside Gardens since 2004. The Symposium explores the latest topics related to landscape sustainability and the environment. This event appeals to a broad audience ranging from landscape architects and designers to master gardeners, horticulturists, and urban planners. Environmental stewardship is a core value of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Brookside Gardens’ parent organization. As such, we strive to provide timely information and viable solutions to environmental challenges that help create a healthy planet for all people, plants and living things.
Registration Information
If you create a new Active Montgomery account, please check your Inbox for an email with a link to authenticate your account. This must be done prior to adding the GreenScapes event to your cart and checking out.
- Register by clicking on this link via ActiveMontgomery.org (Activity # PBG0057) or call 301-962-1451
- Early Bird Fee: $50 (ends Friday, January 9)
- Student Fee: $30 (proof of current enrollment as a full-time student required)
Registration Help
- Click here for Frequently Asked Questions on creating and accessing your ActiveMONTGOMERY user account.
- You must first either create an account or log into your account in order to add the event to your cart for processing payment.
- If you haven’t accessed your ActiveMONTGOMERY account in the past 1 year (365 days), you will need to update your password.
- If you forgot your password and/or your username, on the login screen, select the “Forgot Username?” or “Forgot Password?” under the Login box. Provide the Primary Email Address you used to create your account. If you selected “Forgot Username?”, you will receive an email that will include your username. If you selected “Forgot Password?”, you will receive an email to reset your password.
- If you are still experiencing difficulties with your username and password, email ActiveMONTGOMERYHelp@montgomeryparks.org or call our ActiveMONTGOMERY Customer Service at 301-495-2580.
- If you would like to register over the phone, please call Brookside Gardens at 301-962-1451.
Schedule of the Day
| TIME | AGENDA |
|---|---|
| 8:45am | Welcome & Introductions |
| 9:00am | Design by Nature: Dynamic Planting at the Intersection of Horticulture and Ecology Patrcik Cullina, award-winning horticulturist, landscpae designer, photographer and planning consultant Native plants have become a central strategy in the growing sustainable landscapes movement aimed at protecting wildlife and the environment. Yet selecting a native plant is not a simple binary choice or at times even an option where local nurseries can be a native plant desert. Even landscape professionals and designers are faced with limited inventory. What criteria should we use when we’re forced to maJoin planting designer and founding Vice President of Horticulture at New York City’s High Line, Patrick Cullina, for an inspiring exploration of landscape design rooted in ecology, adaptability, and narrative. Through a series of compelling case studies, Patrick will reveal the mechanics behind successful projects—unpacking plant palettes, design strategies, and real-world challenges.
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| 10:15 am | Break |
| 10:45 am | Resilient RainScapes: Designs That Thrive in Climate Extremes Ann English, RainScapes Manager, Watershed Restoration Division, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, Maryland We are dealing more frequently with extreme weather patterns that bring periods of drought and periods of heavy rains and flooding. These conditions place new burdens on all landscapes, whether a home garden or commercial site, and increasingly lead to design failure and loss of plants. Join Ann as she evaluates various RainScapes projects designed to address these environmental challenges including rain gardens and conservation landscapes. We’ll explore strategies to properly create an effective design, using a treatment train approach. Ann will review how to size a landscape project, estimate plant quantities, and create a successful planting plan suitable for changing climate conditions. A range of native plant combinations and layouts will be reviewed that manage water runoff, survive droughts, and support pollinators and wildlife. |
| 12:00 pm | Lunch |
| 12:30 pm | Sponsor Presentations |
| 1:00 pm | Practicing New Naturalism: Site-Specific Plantings in Public and Private Places Kelly Norris, award-winning landscape designer, horticulturist, author Join planting designer, artist, and thought leader Kelly Norris for an in-depth exploration of his recent and future work at the intersections of horticulture and ecology.This presentation will delve into the mechanics behind several award-winning projects, including their narratives, plant palettes, and the relative success or progress of each endeavor. Kelly will also share methods for ongoing maintenance and design of naturalistic landscapes that mimic nature instead of controlling it. He’ll explore management strategies from his upcoming book, Your Natural Garden, including how to establish complexity in a new garden and when and what to edit. Whether you’re a professional working on large-scale designs or a passionate gardener reimagining your backyard, this talk offers valuable lessons for designing beautiful naturalistic landscapes. |
| 2:15 pm | Break |
| 2:45 pm | Responding To a Rapidly Changing Climate: The Case for Diversity & Plant Palette Expansion in Urban Landscapes Kim Shearer, Director of Collections & Curator, The Morton Arboretum, & Chair, USDA Woody Landscape Plant Crop Germplasm Committee This lecture explores the latest industry initiatives and advances in plant breeding aimed at preserving the genetic diversity of our native plant communities. Learn why plant provenance is critical for conservation and hybridization efforts but not a priority when selecting plants for urban and suburban landscapes. We’ll explore the case for why designing landscapes that prioritize ecosystem benefits for humans is just as important as those supporting wildlife. You’ll be surprised how climate change is dictating conservation efforts, its impact on native plant ecoregions and the implications for the way we garden. Kim will make the argument why we need to expand our native plant palette and design criteria to effectively respond to a rapidly changing climate. |
| 4:00 pm | Closing Remarks |
Continuing Education
CEUs offered at the 2025 GreenScapes Symposium:
- American Society of Landscape Architects (LA CES 5.0)
- Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD 5.0)
- Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professionals (CBLP 5.0)
- DC Master Gardener (5.0)
- Delaware Master Gardener (5.0)
- ISA BCMA Science: 1.25
- Management: 3.75
- ISA Certified Arborist: 5
- Municipal Specialist: 5
- Maryland Master Gardener (5.0)
- Maryland Master Naturalist Advanced Training (5 hours)
- New Jersey Master Gardener (5.0)
- New York Master Gardener (5.0 – contact your local extension agent)
- Penn State Extension Master Gardeners (5.0)
- Virginia Master Gardener (5.0 – contact your local extension agent)