Adults

From the list provided below, you can select a topic appropriate for your adult group. Due to the number of requests, we ask you to electronically submit your request via the Speakers Bureau Request Form - Adult Programs at least 30-45 days prior to your event. Each request will be reviewed in the order of the date received. Note that we have presentations specifically developed for our senior learners called "For the Young at Heart" on our Senior Speakers Bureau page.

Basic Gardening

Winter Sowing Method

Did you ever wish you could garden all winter? Learning the winter sowing method will allow you to start planting seeds in January to reap the rewards in the summer. The other advantages of this method will be explained, along with a short demonstration of how to prepare your containers for winter sowing. Only for in-person and, depending on the season, will bring a selection of native plant seeds, a milk jug, soil, and plant labels for demonstration. 40 minutes, PowerPoint/lecture/hands-on, in-person or virtual

Garden Certifications

America's 250th: An Inspiration for Improving Monarch Habitat in the Laurel Highlands

Westmoreland Pollinator Partners are celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by initiating a project to add 250 new Monarch Waystations in the Laurel Highlands in 2026. Thanks to a mini-grant from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, registering a new waystation and receiving a beautiful sign will be free of charge! Master Gardeners have prepared a program for monarch butterfly supporters, home gardeners of all ages, and educators to bring them up to date on Monarch conservation and to promote adding monarch butterfly habitat and expanding existing Monarch Waystations. The life story of the monarch butterfly's migration will also be explored. This topic is for newcomers to monarch butterfly gardens and also aims to help existing Monarch Waystations expand in ways that maximize benefits for beneficial insects. If you’re wondering how we can support monarch butterflies better – and other critically needed insects - this program will be right up your alley.

Once the goal of 250 Monarch Waystations has been reached this year, the “free” certification and sign offer will no longer be in effect. However, gardens can still be certified as Monarch Waystations and receive beautiful signage by contacting Monarch Watch directly and paying a small fee.  You will be providing a valuable Monarch habitat for years to come. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Pennsylvania Pollinator Friendly Garden Certification

Pollinators need our help. Both native and domestic bee populations are declining due to habitat loss, disease, and pesticide exposure. Join the effort to protect pollinators by providing food and habitat for native insects/animals. Pollinators will, in turn, provide the pollination needed to protect our plant diversity and food sources. Certifying your property as "Pollinator Friendly" will help support a healthy ecosystem for our community and our future. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Garden Guests: From Pollinators to Pests

An Introduction to the Invasive Pest Spotted Lanternfly

Learn the basics about the Spotted Lanternfly, how to identify this pest and its life stages, the damage it causes, and management options to stop the spread across Pennsylvania. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden

Do you ever wonder about the butterfly visitors that come to your garden? This presentation will teach you all about six different local butterflies (including the Monarch butterfly) using photos of their different life stages (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult). The caterpillar host plants and adult nectar plants will also be discussed so that you know how to attract these butterflies to your garden! 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Calling All Bluebirds

Supporting bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting birds is a wonderful goal. Learning how to be a good Bluebird Landlord is important, and information will be provided to help meet this goal by providing food, habitat, and monitoring. They need our help to thrive! 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Healthy Habitats for Bees and Other Pollinators

Learn why the interaction of bees and other pollinators with flowering plants is so important for the pollinators, the plants, and us! You will review what pollen and nectar are and which insects and animals can be considered pollinators. At the end of this presentation, you will learn how to attract these pollinators to the garden and how to keep them in your new, beautiful garden year-round. Depending on the season (and if in person), we will bring flowering plants and seeds. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Mystical Moths

Did you know that butterflies are actually MOTHS? Yes, butterflies are only 10% of the order Lepidoptera, and 90% are moths! Yet most people know very little about them. Be prepared to be surprised and captivated by what you learn about moths during this program, which is all about moths and their contributions to our way of life. We will give you many interesting facts about moths and clear reasons why we should do what we can to stop their decline. Our program will help you understand what we can do to support them. 45 minutes, PowerPoint, in-person or virtual

Native Bees are Key

The Amazing Monarch Butterfly

Learn all about the Monarch butterfly, including the metamorphosis from egg to adult and the migration to Mexico in the fall. Plants that need to be added to your garden to attract these butterflies, specifically milkweeds for the caterpillar stage and generally their favorite flowering plants for their adult stage, will be reviewed. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual*

*Depending on the season, will bring milkweed, seeds & Monarch caterpillars, chrysalids & adults

Garden Planning

Straw Bale Gardening

There are many reasons why a Straw Bale Garden might solve your problems in the garden. Learn how easy it is to prepare the bales and plant them into this medium which provides constant fertilizer for growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. You'll see some creative solutions to gardeners' problems and learn the pros and cons of the Straw Bale Garden. 30 minutes plus Q&A, PowerPoint, in-person or virtual

Understanding Soil and Fertilizers

Know Your Natives

Growing Natives in Containers

Did you know that you can still grow native plants, even if you live in an apartment or patio home? Native plants can make beautiful container gardens, with all the benefits to wildlife that in-ground gardens provide. In this program, you will learn how to choose the right container and potting soil, and how to over-winter containers so they can remain planted for more than one year. You will also learn how to choose the best plants for your location, including sun- and shade-loving species. Included will be suggestions for a children’s sensory garden planted with native plants. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Native Flowering Trees

Learn about the value of these woodland species and how to incorporate them into your home landscape. Take a look at eight species native to Pennsylvania and the balance of aesthetics, wildlife benefits, and gardening joy these trees bring to the landscape. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Native Groundcovers

Groundcovers play important roles in the landscape, and native groundcovers are especially valuable for solving some of the challenges gardeners face. Not only can native groundcovers offer a variety of textures and colors to add interest to the front of the garden and transition spaces, but they can also do the hard work of reducing soil erosion, crowding out invasive weeds, serving as green mulch, reducing maintenance on slopes, and providing critical habitat that supports wildlife living within our space.

There is such a wide variety of native groundcovers that the choice of which to incorporate into the garden depends greatly on site conditions. Learn about tried-and-true native groundcovers for various locations and landscape challenges. Also considered will be which groundcovers to avoid and why. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Pollinator-Friendly Native Shrubs

Gardeners will learn about eight species of pollinator-friendly shrubs that will make any garden look great and create an essential pollinator habitat. Native shrubs for pollinators are often overlooked in the planning stages or on recommended plant lists. We will discuss the value and benefits that pollinator-friendly gardens have to offer. 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Under-Appreciated Native Plants

We will discuss options of Pennsylvania native plants to consider adding to your landscape to increase plant biodiversity and maximize wildlife benefits. Native milkweeds have recently dominated the conservation gardening conversation because monarch butterflies depend upon them. However, did you know that Pennsylvania has over 2,000 native plants, in addition to milkweeds, that support a wide variety of insects, birds, and animals? You will learn about all of this and more during this informative presentation! 1 hour, PowerPoint/lecture, in-person or virtual

Please submit your request via the Speakers Bureau Request Form - Adult Programs.