Speaking
Virtual presentations are now available! Keeping your group engaged and connected to nature, while staying safe.
Heather is a popular local speaker who has lectured at numerous professional organizations, businesses and special interest groups.
She is a life-long gardener, Maryland Master Gardener, Maryland Master Naturalist and Certified Professional Horticulturalist and an independent Integrated Pest Management (IPM) consultant.
See her list of topics below. Topics can be combined to create a series for your group. Special requests are welcome.
List of presentation topics:
- Gardening with 20/20 Vision ~ Planning for success from roots to shoots
- CSI: Maryland ~ Solving real-life landscape mysteries using IPM diagnostic Techniques. This talk qualifies for CEU’s for Ornamentals.
- You Can’t Judge a Bush by its Color ~ Look beyond what you see, using advanced IPM strategies. Real life IPM situations that illustrate how important it is not to jump to hasty conclusions based on what you initially see or, what you think you know about the situation. This talk qualifies for CEU’s for Ornamentals
- No-till or Lasagna Gardening ~ How to create new garden spaces without picking up a shovel.
- How will our changing climate change our gardening practices? ~ New gardening techniques for a warming world.
- Boxwood Blight and other problems
- Understanding the Spotted Lanterfly, the emerging non-native invasive pest that is poised to harm agriculture and landscaping plants. How to identify different life stages and what steps to take to mediate this pest.
- Gardening, It’s for the Birds ~ How to attracted beautiful & beneficial birds to your garden.
- Tips and tricks to attract Hummingbirds to your garden ~ What is more fun that enjoying the antics of these summer jewels in our garden?
- Bluebirds ~ How to attract them these beautiful symbols of happiness and/or How to monitor a Bluebird Trail.
- Common Garden Bugs ~ The Good, Bad and the Ugly. Learn how to recognize our common garden insect pests and our beneficial organisms helping to keep the pest populations in check.
- Gardening for Butterflies ~ How to attract and support our butterflies in our gardens
- Pollinator Friendly Garden Design & Practices ~ How to attract and support our native bees and other pollinators
- How to create a Backyard Oasis ~ How to add water features to your yard from small containers to in-ground ponds, with or without goldfish. There is a water garden for every space & every budget.
- How to create a Backyard Habitat ~ How to add the most important elements to your garden in order to attract & sustain local wildlife. Learn how to restore the habitat of our displaced and in some cases, endangered local wildlife, including insects and pollinators.
- Gardening to attract Wildlife ~ Year-round gardening techniques that attract and sustain wildlife. Providing healthy, sustainable ecosystems to beneficial insects, birds and mammals who are effected by habitat loss and fragmentation.
- Gardening with Native Plants ~ Native plants provide habitat for a much broader range of insects, birds and animals than their non-native counterparts. They help us restore lost habitat and fragmentation, as well as compete with non-native invasive plants for resources such as light, nutrients and water.

What are people saying about The Soulful Gardener?
Thank you again for your presentation to our garden club. It was excellent. You have a wonderfully engaging style of presentation as well as highly informative material. (And your photos are fantastic.) I have heard rave reviews from my fellow members. ~ JoAnn M, Burtonsville Garden Club