Propagating & Sowing New England Meadow Plants

New England meadow plants include a wide array of genera and are wonderful succession plants for many landscapes—dry open fields or damp, shady woodland clearings, large garden borders or converted lawn spaces. In Partnership with CT NOFA, this hands-on workshop welcomes all horticulture professionals, whether nursery growers, gardeners, or landscape designers, to come learn about the considerations and processes of propagating, sowing, and growing native herbaceous species. Instructors Leo Kenney from Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary and Emily Baisden from Wild Seed Project will discuss seed preservation, methods for strong and timely germination, and growing materials. Students will leave confident in the knowledge that they can incorporate these species into their businesses operations.

Leo Kenney is an ecologist and horticulturist currently based at Norcross Wildlife Foundation. There they work to enhance and supplement native plant communities and improve wildlife habitat using a wide array of applied ecology techniques, including seed collection, propagation from wild seed, restoration planting, and invasive species management.

Emily Baisden works as the Seed Propagation Manager for Wild Seed Project. Prior to that, Emily served as Entomologist and Educator at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She has an extensive background in native horticulture and environmental education and focuses largely on using native plants to support food webs and biodiversity. She holds a BS in environmental science from the University of New England and an MS in entomology from the University of Delaware.