Lectures and Events

NOFA Organic Land Care Program
February 27–29, March 3, 4, 2008

The seventh annual NOFA Course in Organic Land Care will be held in Naragansett, RI. Lecturers will include university and extention educators, researchers, and land care practitioners including Gardens Are... owner Donald Bishop. He will be presenting lectures on invasive plant identification and control, take part in panel discussions on business issues facing landscape professionals, and lead workshops on pest management. Tuition is $525 (early payment discounts available) per student. Reservations can be made by contacting the Rhode Island Organic Land Care Program Coordinator at 401–364–3387.

New England Grows
February 7, 2008

Donald Bishop will be presenting a lecture on organic lawns. More information will be forthcoming.

NOFA Organic Land Care Program
January 23–25, 28, 29, 2008

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, in New Haven, CT will host the seventh annual land care program for landscapers, gardeners, conservationists, and land managers. Lecturers will include university and extention educators, researchers, and land care practitioners including Gardens Are... owner Donald Bishop. He will be presenting lectures on invasive plant identification and control, take part in panel discussions on business issues facing landscape professionals, and lead workshops on pest management. Tuition is $525 per student. Reservations can be made by contacting the Connecticut Organic Land Care Program Coordinator at 203–888–5146.

NOFA Organic Land Care Program
January 16–18, 22, 13, 2008

The Trustees of Reservations will host the seventh annual land care program for landscapers, gardeners, conservationists, and land managers at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster, MA. Lecturers will include university and extention educators, researchers, and land care practitioners including Gardens Are... owner Donald Bishop. He will be presenting lectures on invasive plant identification and control, take part in panel discussions on business issues facing landscape professionals, and lead workshops on pest management. Tuition is $525 per student. Reservations can be made by contacting the Massachusetts Organic Land Care Program Coordinator at 978–724–0108.

Organic Lawns and Gardens
May 30, 2007

Donald Bishop will present an interactive lecture on organic lawn and garden care with the Westborough Garden Club. The program will begin a 7:30 p.m. and be held at the Westborough Senior Center, 4 Rogers Road. The public is welcome.

Greenscapes
May 14, 2007

Donald Bishop will present a program on organics in the landscape from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School.

Concord Public Works
May 9, 2007

More information will be forthcoming.

STAR (Statewide Training And Resources) Exposition
May 1, 2007

Gardens Are... will be exhibiting at STAR, booth 947. Registration is open to all Commonwealth of Massachusetts employees.

Organic Lawns and Gardens
March 26, 2007

Donald Bishop will present an interactive lecture on organic lawn and garden care at the Bridgewater Senior Center, 10 Wally Krueger Way. The garden club business meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. followed by the presentation. The public is welcome.

Verdant Visions Garden Seminar
March 24, 2007

Join gardening experts Donald Bishop, Lucinda Brockway, and Michael Phillips discuss the topics of beneficial insects, seasons in the garden, and apple orcharding at the Old Meeting House in Francestown, NH. Registration begins 8:15, seminar 9-1; $20-30, advance purchase recommended, call for details. Parking off-site; free.

Organic & You: Making the Switch
March 12, 2007

Donald Bishop will present a program on transitioning businesses and organizations to organics from 11:30 to 2:30 at the Aspray Boathouse, Warwick, RI. This program is sponsored by the "Less Toxic Landscaping" Campaign of the Toxic Information Project (TIP), Providence, RI and qualifies for pesticide applicator CEUs.

Organic Lawns and Gardens
March 7, 2007

Donald Bishop will present an interactive program on organic landscaping with the Powisett Garden Club of Dover. The program will begin a 10:00 a.m. and be held at the Dover Town House.

Garden Diversity: An Insect Perspective
February 13, 2007

The Wellesley Garden Study Group will have an open meeting at 9:45 a.m. at the Massachusetts Horticultural Societies Putnam Building at Elm Bank. Donald Bishop will discuss insect diversity in the landscape and challenge gardeners' perspective of many "pests".

Invasive Plants: Being Part of the Solution
January 31, 2007

Donald Bishop will speak in the Nursery Session of the Long Island Horticulture Conference from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. sharing the accomplishments and experiences of the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group. The goal is to stimulate discussion among environmentalist, industry personel, and local decision makers on the topic of invasive species so there can be a productive working relationship among these groups.

Low Maintenance Landscaping
May 20, 2006

By popular demand GreenCAPE is sponsoring a second gardening program at the new Dennisport Public Library from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with Donald Bishop. This encore presentation will once again focus on low maintenance landscaping around the home using native plants and organic methods specific to the Cape. Contact the Dennis Public Library at 1-508-760-6219 for more information.

Japanese Knotweed Control Workshop
April 29, 2006

The Deerfield River Watershed and Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge are sponsoring the program which begins at 1:00 p.m. at the Discovery Center at Turners Falls, MA. Donald Bishop will be one of three experts presenting up-to-date control methods and regulatory issues of controlling this invasive species.

Spring Gardening
April 11, 2006

The Boston College High School Mothers' Guild is hosting an Alumni and Member Celebration at the Hunter-Fahey Commons with a presentation on Spring Gardening by Gardens Are... owner Donald Bishop. The presentation will be followed by a wine reception.

Low Maintenance Landscaping
March 11, 2006

GreenCAPE is sponsoring a gardening program at the new Dennisport Public Library from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Donald Bishop returns to the Cape to present a program on low maintenance landscaping around the home using native plants and organic methods. Contact the Dennis Public Library at 1-508-760-6219 for more information.

Fox Hill Garden Club
March 6, 2006

Donald Bishop and guests will explore the use of beneficial insects and bio-controls in the contemporary garden at 9:00 a.m. at the Dover Town Library.

Sixth Massachusetts Organics Recycling Summit
March 1, 2006

Compost industry executives, including Gardens Are... owner Donald Bishop, will participate in a panel discussion on compost quality and specifications at the Best Western Royal Plaza in Marlborough, MA. Admissions to the conference are $30. More information is available from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection at 617–292–5500.

The Effect of Invasive Plants On Quality of Life
February 28, 2006

The Community Garden Club of Cohasset will host their monthly meeting at the Second Congregational Church of Cohasset beginning at 9:00 a.m. at which Donald Bishop will present an interactive program on invasive plants and their effect on quality of life and the landscape.

Rhode Island Nursery & Landscape Association Annual Meeting
February 23, 2006

RINLA has partnered with the Rhode Island Spring Flower & Garden Show to hold its annual Winter Education Seminars at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Donald Bishop will be speaking on the present state of organic landscaping and accreditation at 2:00 p.m.

Massachusetts Agricultural Club
February 16, 2006

Donald Bishop will participate in a panel discussion on invasive plants and regulatory effects on landscape professionals.

University of Rhode Island GreenShare Program
February 7, 2006

Donald Bishop is presenting Organic Management of Landscapes, a program for home gardeners and landscape professionals. This session is being held at the URI East Farm from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Contact the URI Gardening Hotline at 1–800–448–1011 for more information.

Massachusetts Organic Farming Conference
January 21, 2006

Award winning business owner Donald Bishop will present a workshop, Marketing Fundamentals, at the NOFA/MASS Annual Winter Conference from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. The 2006 conference and meetings will be held at the Bancroft School in Worcester, MA. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.

Natural Landscaping Workshop
September 21, 2005

The town of Milton, MA, Department of Public Works is holding its second workshop on natural landscaping at Cunningham Hall, 75 Edge Hill Road from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Guest speaker, Donald Bishop will provide insight on landscape gardening in the northeast with native plants, conserving water, and reducing potential pollutants in landscapes.

Playing It Safe on Fields
September 19, 2005

The League of Women Voters Andover/North Andover are sponsoring a program that will feature Gardens Are… owner Donald Bishop. The focus of the program will be The Children and Families' Protection Act and how towns can develop a system to meet its goals. The event will take place at Andover's Memorial Hall Library starting at 7:00 p.m.

Naturally Beautiful Lawns and Landscapes
May 21, 2005

NOFA-NH and Stonewall Farm in Keene, NH will host an organic land care workshop for do-it-yourself homeowners, homeowners and institutional landowners who hire landscape professionals, and green industry professionals who want to learn more about organic methods and materials. The interactive workshop will be led by Gardens Are… owner Donald Bishop.

Naturally Beautiful Lawns and Landscapes
May 14, 2005

NOFA-NH and the Silk Farm Audubon Center in Concord, NH will host an organic land care workshop for do-it-yourself homeowners, homeowners and institutional landowners who hire landscape professionals, and green industry professionals who want to learn more about organic methods and materials. The interactive workshop will be led by Gardens Are… owner Donald Bishop.

Northborough Garden Club
May 5, 2005

Gardens Are… owner Donald Bishop will present an interactive lecture on organic lawn care at the Northborough Senior Center. The garden club business meeting starts at 7 p.m. followed by the presentation at 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome.

Concord-Carlisle Regional School District Adult & Community Education
May 4 & 11, 2005

In order to promote water conservation and resource protection the Concord Public Works is sponsoring two nights of adult education at the Concord-Carlisle High School from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. The first of the two part program will introduce Natural Landscaping, the importance of "right plant, right place" philosophies, as well as companion planting and the benefits of composting. The second program will address the value of a healthy soil, plant selection, and pest management for organic lawns. Call 978-318-3259 to register.

Northeast Regional Community and Urban IPM Conference
March 15–16, 2005

Gardens Are… owner Donald Bishop will be a guest speaker at the Landscape IPM Session on March 16, 2005. The conference is being held at the Radisson Hotel, Manchester, NH. Organic management of landscapes will be among the many topics covered by researchers, educators, regulators, and pest managers from across the Northeast.

Organic Lawns & Gardens: Family Friendly
February 24–27, 2005

Donald Bishop is presenting a one hour organic lawns and garden program at the Central Massachusetts Flower Show, February 27, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. This lecture is sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association.

NOFA-VT Winter Conference
February 12, 2005

Donald Bishop will present a workshop at the Vermont Technical College, in Randolph, VT on money saving and environmentally friendly techniques for the establishment and care of lawns and landscapes.

Native Flora: Botanical Treasures of the Northeastern Seaboard
January 7–February 20, 2005

The South Shore Art Center has produced an exhibition of botanical art which will be displayed until February 20, 2005. Donald Bishop will present a gallery presentation on invasive plants and their effect on native flora January 30, 4:00 p.m. followed by a wine reception.