Let’s Talk Gardening!

I love speaking to garden groups, library friends or any community organization interested in plants or gardening. For 2024-2025, I offer four gardening talks:

• Garden Trends 2025 — A fast paced look at which trends (and plants) will be in garden centers during 2025. We’ll look at what’s behind the trends and how you can participate.
• Downsize Your Garden Work — Are your knees or back telling you maybe it’s time to downsize how much work your garden is? In this gardening talk, Mary will discuss ways to keep your garden beautiful and meaningful while reducing the wear and tear on your body and avoiding a move.
• The Downsized Gardener — If you’re a gardener who has moved to a smaller space, Mary feels your pain (she’s done it, too). This talk will cover how to keep your green thumb in shape even if your only garden is a deck or patio — and how and where to find more spaces to garden.
• Trees You Aren’t Planting, But Maybe Should — As the climate changes and global trade brings new pests and diseases to the North, perhaps you should consider some different trees. In this talk, Mary covers 15 unusual trees to consider and 10 more under-planted trees you might want to try.

Looking for something shorter? I have a 30 minute talk called “Are We Really Zone 5?” about the zone changes the USDA has put in place in the last year. A great, short talk for plant nerds.

I’m developing more gardening talks all the time. If your group is interested in a different topic, let’s talk!

The Fineprint

For 2025, I charge $200 for an hour-long talk in Minnesota, plus mileage to any location more than 25 miles from my home in St. Paul. I appreciate the chance to sell copies of my book at the talk. Speaking engagements outside of Minnesota are $250 plus travel expenses. To arrange an event, please email me at mary at maryschier dot com. Recording of talks for public distribution is not permitted.