Gardening for Biodiversity

A course offering by Vermont Nursery & Landscape Association in partnership with NBNC
Instructors: Sarah Hoffmeier, Sarah Salatino, Julie Parker-Dickerson, and Ashley Robinson
August 23 - 24, 2025 | $295
Course size: 16 students
Financial support available (contact us)
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raditional gardens are often pretty, but rarely beneficial to the plants, pollinators, birds, and other creatures in our landscape. Gardening for Biodiversity is about rethinking and revaluing these traditional landscape aesthetics, and designing ecologically functional gardens that contribute to local ecosystems. In this unique course, taught by a consortium of expert gardeners affiliated with the Vermont Nursery & Landscape Association, participants will walk away with the knowledge, tools, and resources to create and manage beautiful and biodiverse gardens.
Over the course of the weekend, participants will: visit local nurseries to understand how to source native plants and determine their ecological roles and genetic provenance; explore terrific local gardens to learn techniques in garden installation and plant care; and spend time in the classroom and in the field exploring fundamentals of biodiversity and ecology.
Course Goals & Objectives
- Understand the role of native plants on the broader ecosystem, such as pollinators, birds, fungi, and flora.
- Learn techniques to prepare, install, and manage garden space and care for new plants.
- Access resources that are available to help with plant ID, plant information, and invasive plant management.
- Observe great examples of pollinator and other biodiversity plantings.
- Learn to recognize the floral types and colors that attract different pollinators.
- Discuss seed collection, storage, overwintering, seeding, and propagation.
- Understand how and where to source native plants and determine their provenances.
- Discuss how gardening for biodiversity is important and different than traditional gardening methods and philosophies.
- Explore the concept of companion plantings.
- Learn how to put these tools & takeaways to use in our own gardens.
About the Instructors
Sarah Hoffmeier, owner of Ecolibrium, LLC, and self-described plant nerd, has worked in the landscape industry since 2007 when she began her studies in landscape design at The George Washington University in D.C. while working for a native plant nursery in Alexandria, VA. She earned her Master's degree from the Conway School of Landscape Design in 2009 and moved to Vermont where she began professionally designing and installing landscapes. In 2015, Sarah and her husband, Alex, created Ecolibrium, LLC an ecologically minded landscape design/build company also specializing in dry laid stonework. Sarah is a certified VT horticulturist through Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association, has completed the Master Gardener and Master Composter courses offered through UVM Extension, is a member of the Hardy Plant Club of Northern VT, and has been a member of the Montpelier Tree Board since 2009. Sarah continues her professional education of plants and design through conferences, courses, and experimenting with plants and techniques on her own property.
Sarah Salatino is the owner and head grower of Full Circle Gardens in Essex, VT. This nursery grows over 500 varieties of sustainably grown Vermont hardy native and pollinator perennials. It serves as an educational site to promote gardening for pollinators and habitat restoration. Sarah graduated from UC Santa Cruz after living and researching native endemic plants in Big Sur. Her interest in native plants was sparked at age 9 by her purchase of the Golden Guide to Flowers. A Vermont Certified Horticulturist, she is a member of the Vermont Nursery and Landscape Association, Hardy Plant Club, Vermont Pollinator Working Group, and the Xerces Society, among others. Sarah has taught seminars at the Vermont Flower Show, Friends of the Hort Farm, Fort Ticonderoga's Gardening Symposium, OLLI and many other gardening groups. At Full Circle Gardens, she continues to finesse her knowledge of growing natives through trial and error, especially the seeding part.
Julia Parker-Dickerson is a Second Grade Teacher, School Garden Coordinator, Master Gardener Project Leader, and leads the effort for Charlotte's Pollinator Pathway. Julia's garden designs are practical and meaningful for wildlife and people alike, serving as examples for the community. Julia works with people of all ages to instill a love of our local environment through spreading plant knowledge by leading hands-on workshops and information sessions throughout the year. She has a passion for planting public spaces with native and pollinator-friendly plantings. Most recently Julia interned with Park Architecture for landscape design and has recently taken on the role of Garden Correspondent on WCAX's Across the Fence. She received a Masters in Education from Rivier College and an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin. Julia currently resides in Charlotte, Vermont.
Ashley Robinson has owned and operated her design business for nearly 20 years. Having studied, worked and lived in Boston, California, and abroad, she brings a creative, collaborative and integrative approach to her designs. Ashley has a degree in urban studies from the University of San Diego, studied at Radcliffe and The Landscape Institute in Cambridge, MA, and worked for Landscape Architect Michael van Valkenburg. She works to share, educate and learn through experience & collaboration, enriching her knowledge of our ever changing environment. Her designs are born from a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of natural beauty. She has a passion for encouraging healthy, ecologically focused landscapes we can all access, benefit from and enjoy. A member of the VNLA, Vermont Biodiversity Alliance & Ecological Landscape Alliance. Ashley currently resides in Vergennes Vermont.
Physical Requirements
Participants must be able to walk up to a mile over the course of each day, on mostly flat ground. Participants should be comfortable outside in potentially hot, muggy, wet, and/or buggy conditions. Please reach out to us if you have any questions about mobility and/or other accessibility needs.
Recommended Reading
- Our Better Nature Edited by Curt Lindberg & Eric Hagen
- Bringing Nature Home By Doug Tallamy
- Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Reinar & Claudia West
- The Living Landscape by Darke & Tallamy
Meals
Participants should bring their own lunches and snacks. Coffee, tea, and snacks provided on Saturday morning.
Timing & Location
Course begins 9 AM on Saturday at North Branch Nature Center and concludes by 5 pm. Sunday will begin at Full Circle Gardens in Essex Junction and remain in Chittenden County for the remainder of the day.
Academic Credit / Professional Development
This course may qualify for 1 graduate-level credit for an additional $200 course fee. All BioU courses may be accredited by Castleton University. Participants interested in receiving credit must contact us at one month in advance so we have time to arrange course accreditation.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that home institutions will accept the credit. Participants pursuing academic credit will be required to complete an additional assignment above and beyond the course hours, including literature review, reflective writing, or a field-based project.
This course qualifies for 20 hours of professional development hours and continuing education units. Certificates of completion are provided at the conclusion of the course.
Cancellation Policy
While we realize that unexpected circumstances arise that are out of our control, North Branch Nature Center cannot guarantee refunds for registrations cancelled within 30 days of the course. If a cancellation occurs within this window, NBNC will attempt to fill the space from our wait list and provide a full refund. If the course needs to be cancelled by NBNC, we will provide a full refund.