Speaker Programs
Staff from The Holden Arboretum can enhance meetings and events at our site or yours with insightful programs on a variety of informative topics. Please contact the Education Department at 440.602.3833 for fee information and to obtain a speaker request form. Or download a request form.
Viki Ferreniea, Lead Horticulturist
Formerly director of horticulture for the New England Wildflower Society, Ferreniea, a graduate of Swanley Horticultural College in Kent, England, received the national diploma in horticulture from the Royal Horticulture Society. She trained at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, England. She is the creator of the North American wildflower garden at Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia, Pa. Ferreniea is the author of Wildflowers in Your Garden, published in 1993.
Favorite Perennials for Sun and Shade
Find out why some plants have become garden favorites and learn about some not so well-known plants that should be used more. This program looks at perennials that do especially well in this area and will also bring something special to your garden.
Success with Rhododendrons
Take home all the know-how needed to successfully grow rhododendrons in your landscape. Once you understand what makes rhododendrons and other plants in the heath family different from other garden plants you will be able to site, plant and care for them much better.
Twilight Gardening
Dusk is a time often over-looked in the garden, but there are quite a few wonderful plants that can be used very effectively at this time of day and some only release their fragrance at twilight. The right trees, perennials and annuals all combine to make this a magical time.
Lori Gogolin, Horticulturist
Gogolin earned an associate's degree in horticulture from Kent State University in 1998. She is a horticulturist at The Holden Arboretum and is responsible for the Arlene and Arthur S. Holden Jr. Butterfly Garden.
Attracting Pollinators to your Garden
Tour the Arlene and Arthur S. Holden Jr. Butterfly Garden to learn all about the best plants, cultural methods and design principals to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees to your garden. This program is only offered at Holden during the months of June through September and takes place entirely in the garden.
Sharon Graper, Manager of Academic Services
Graper’s relationship with Holden began in 1981 when she chose Holden as the location for her high school senior project.
Since 1994, Graper has managed school programming at Holden. She has a master’s degree in science education from
the University of Delaware and received her undergraduate degree in environmental science from the University of
Virginia.
How to Nurture a Child’s Sense of Wonder
This presentation, complete with hands-on activities, is designed for adults who want to be a companion in their child’s
exploration of the natural world. Techniques and activities that encourage children to discover the world around them will
be presented. The focus will be on why it is more important to appreciate what is seen, than to know its scientific name.
Mike Watson, Conservation Biologist
Watson works on conservation issues involving wildlife, including a deer browse project designed to measure the impact of deer on Holden's forests. He is also the coordinator for Holden's Bluebird Project, a volunteer-based program monitoring the nesting activity of bluebirds and other species using Holden's more than 200 nestboxes. Watson earned his bachelor's degree from the College of Wooster and a master's degree from the University of Michigan.
Return of the Eastern Bluebird
This presentation will provide some basics of bluebird ecology and conservation. It will also address Holden's role in the successful recovery of this species in Ohio, including an overview of how Holden volunteers track bluebird nesting activity and current information on the status of bluebirds at Holden. Finally, tips for the homeowner on providing safe and attractive nesting options will be shared.
Ohio’s Forests
This interesting presentation reveals how geology, glacial activity, human history, and ecological interactions shape Ohio's forests. Past and present forest types across Ohio as well as Holden's current dominant forest types and the plants and animals associated with these forests will be highlighted.
