Vincent A. Simeone

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Special Presentation Titles and Books Available

 

New!- “New York & New Jersey Getting Started Garden Guide”- New York & New Jersey Getting Started Garden Guide is a plant selection guide, perfect for when you're choosing plants and starting a garden in a climate that can be as challenging as it is beautiful. Choose the right plants and care for them properly, with help from an expert. Plants are divided into easy-to-browse chapters such as Annuals, Bulbs, Groundcovers, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Lawns, and Vines. Methods for preparing soil, watering, fertilizer application, and pest management are also covered in detail. Along with the "nitty-gritty" of tending your garden, Vincent shares his inspiration for garden design, offers ways to incorporate your plants into the landscape, and names some favorite cultivars or species.

 

New!- “Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods”- With detailed, strategic timelines for both short-term and long-term gardening techniques, Grow More with Less lets you put your best foot forward in creating an efficient, sustainable home landscape. From composting and mulching to planting trees, author Vincent Simeone covers all the eco-friendly essentials in one straightforward handbook. Simeone makes the what, how, and why of sustainable gardening unmistakably clear: why we should plant for the long-term, how to make the best plant selections possible, how to manage invasive species, how to make the most of your lawn (regardless of its size), the importance of IPM (integrated pest management) in fighting insects and pests, how to conserve water with proper irrigation, installing rain barrels and cisterns, and more. Even when the solution is to do nothing—for instance, leaving some parts of a lawn un-mowed in order to save time and money while attracting local wildlife—Grow More with Less enables you to confidently make the call. With effective, time-proven recommendations like these, field-tested in a large botanical garden and adapted for home use by Vincent Simeone, Grow More with Less is your complete step-by-step personal roadmap for green gardening.

 

New!- “Dogscaping: Creating a Pet Friendly Garden”- Our pets are an integral part of our everyday lives and family. It can be a challenge for gardeners to balance a healthy, safe and beautiful garden with the needs of their pets. This lecture will focus on how to make your garden safe and enjoyable for both your dogs (and cats) and their human companions. Helpful ideas will be presented such as using safe, durable surfaces and materials, reducing landscape wear and tear, avoiding toxic plants, using containers effectively and even growing fruits, vegetables and herbs that can be used as edible treats for your pets. 

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New!- Common Sense Rose Selection and Care for the Organic Gardener

Roses have been an integral part of gardening for centuries. Their color, fragrance and versatility offer old world charm and an undeniable presence in the landscape. But there are many challenges facing gardeners to keep roses pest free and thriving in the garden. Over the past decade a lot of research has been done to produce landscape roses that require less pesticides, less fertilizer and less pruning. This lecture will focus on some of the new and proven selections of landscape or shrub roses and their specific ornamental qualities, landscape function and reduced cultural needs. Organic methods such as composting and using less toxic pesticides will also be discussed as pat of an effective IPM program. 

 

“Selecting Deer Resistant Plants”- Deer can be devastating visitors to the garden, defoliating the landscape like a swarm of locusts. Prized trees and shrubs can be ruined overnight and some plants such as pine, spruce, arborvitae and juniper often do not recover. Mature trees can be transformed into lollipops with all of the bottom branches defoliated leaving foliage only on the top half of the tree. Although any plant can potentially be browsed by deer, there are certain plants that tend to be less appealing to them under normal conditions. While there are various deer repellents and elaborate fences on the market to protect your garden, this lecture will provide some good plant selelctions that deer will find less attractive to eat, allowing you to have a beautiful garden that deer will find less appealing.

 

 

 

“Great Flowering Landscape Shrubs and Trees”- How to select the proper plant for the proper place—whether for aesthetic value, landscape function or cultural requirements. This lecture will celebrate exciting new cultivars of traditional trees and shrubs including Dogwood, Hydrangea, Viburnum, Lilac, Crabapple, Cherry and more. Landscape design techniques and plant use will also be discussed. One of the most important aspects of this subject that will be presented is using new and improved varieties of shrubs as part of an IPM program. These shrubs are more drought, cold and pest resistant in addition to providing superior aesthetic value and landscape function.

 

“The Wonders of the Winter Landscape”—Winter is one of the most beautiful times of the year to appreciate the garden. Although plants lie dormant, interesting characteristics such as the growth habit, ornamental fruit, and bark interest become most evident. In addition, conifers and broadleaved evergreens can provide interesting foliage and texture. This lecture will focus on the wonders of the winter landscape and how to enhance the aesthetic value and interest of the garden by using horticultural treasures such as winter fruiting plants, broadleaved evergreens, conifers and trees with interesting bark. *Book available on www.ballbookshelf.com.

 

 “Great Landscape Evergreens”- Today, more than ever, homeowners desire privacy in their garden. With increased pest problems and other environmental factors effecting common evergreens such as Canadian Hemlock, seeking more appropriate alternatives is wise. Many species of conifers and broadleaf evergreens can thrive in varying types of environmental conditions offering beauty, function and privacy in the landscape. This lecture will offer many suitable screening trees and shrubs and how they should be properly cared for. Design tips such as how to create an effective screen and proper site selection will also be discussed. In addition to common species, less known species and varieties will also be presented. Photo Illustrated.

 

 

Other available lectures……

 

New!- “Sound Gardening Techniques for a Healthy Garden”-

Gardening can be a rewarding but challenging endeavor. Plants require a wide variety of care, including siting,  planting techniques and proper watering, pruning, fertilizing, and mulching. Learning the right techniques will help you grow a beautiful and healthy garden and ensure success of both old and new plantings. This lecture will offer basic and advanced information to help you maintain your landscape. 

 

 

New!-“New and Exciting Trees and Shrubs for the Forward Thinking Gardener” – Each year hundreds of new species, varieties and cultivars of plants are introduced into commerce. These choice plants offer superior flowers, foliage, fruit, superior vigor and cultural adaptability. This lecture will focus on the newest and most promising selections of trees and shrubs for the gardeners with a true appreciation for the best and brightest plants available.

 

 

New!- “Invasives vs Exotics: What We Really Need To Know”- For years the debate about natives plants and the threat of invasive species has been a hot topic. Great efforts have been made to identify and limit the infiltration of exotic invasive species into our environment. While there is still much more work to be done, educating ourselves and the gardening community still remains the best strategy to deal with this complex issue. This lecture will tackle the debate of native and exotic plant species and offer alternatives with the introduction of exceptional native plants, non-invasive exotic species and sound gardening practices.  

 

New!- “The Ever  Changing and Exciting World of Hydrangeas”- Hydrangeas are one of the most popular and beloved garden plants in the world. With so many new species and varieties now being introduced into the horticultural trade, gardeners have unlimited possibilities. While these possibilities are enough to make the average person crazy, a crafty gardener can illuminate the landscape with a wide variety of foliage textures and colors as well as flower types and colors. This lecture will provide a diverse selection of hydrangeas to enhance the garden. Specific information on cultural requirements, pruning and landscape use of hydrangeas will also be discussed.    

 

 

 

“Great Gardens of the World”- Since 1998 I have had the pleasure to travel to some of the most breathtaking gardens in the world. The countries visited include Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. This lecture provides detailed information on a wide variety of unusual and exotic species of plants, picturesque views of natural and cultivated areas and helpful information on garden design and popular trends. Come along with me for a train ride through the Canadian Rockies, a hiking trip into the wild bush of New Zealand, a whale watching expedition to Cape Town and a visit a 15th century abbey in jolly old England. Don't miss this unique and inspiring journey around the globe!

 

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“Historic Landscape Preservation: Reinventing an Aging Landscape”: This presentation will explore the world of historic landscape preservation and how to rehabilitate an aging landscape. This lecture will look at historic plantings that have become hazardous or obsolete over time and what steps to take to properly address this issue. Special attention will be given to recapturing the historic design elements of a landscape while using both historic and modern species of plants to accomplish your goals. Design elements, texture, color and function of plants in the landscape will be discussed. Using superior species or varieties of plants to satisfy the historic intent of a landscape design while introducing disease resistant, hardier plants into the landscape will be explored. Lastly, maintaining these plants in a more sustainable and low maintenance way will be presented as part of an overall theme of the lecture.

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“The Four Season Garden: Trees and Shrubs With Year Round Interest”- While spring is the most popular season to many gardeners, creating the four-season garden has become a popular trend. Using plants that provide ornamental flowers, foliage, fruit, fall color and bark interest can really spice up a garden. Using these plants in effective plant combinations can further enhance the natural beauty of the garden. This topic will explore woody plants that possess two or more seasons of interest and how to use them effectively in the landscape. Other considerations will include attracting wildlife into the landscape.

 

“Selecting Trees That Thrive in Urban and Suburban Landscapes”- Choosing the right tree for the right place in urban and suburban landscapes can be very challenging. These landscapes can be quite demanding and only certain species and varieties will prosper in these locations.  Often, street trees succumb to the harsh environments along roadways or get too large for areas with limited room. This lecture will offer some exceptional deciduous trees for urban and suburban landscapes such as parks, traffic medians and along streets. Also discussed will be proper planning and maintenance practices to ensure the success of these plantings such as proper planting techniques, pruning, mulching and general aftercare.

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“Landscaping with Native Trees and Shrubs”- There has long been a debate between the virtues of native plants vs. exotic species. Many worthwhile native trees and shrubs have gone ignored to put more emphasis on plants with Asian or European nativity. Many native flowering trees and shrubs, evergreens and groundcovers can provide ornamental benefits and function in the landscape. Because these plants are native, they will thrive in our climate where sited correctly. This topic will dispel the notion that natives are not as interesting in the landscape as exotics.

 

“Trees and Shrubs for the Autumn Garden”- The autumn season is a great time to garden. While autumn usually represents a time of harvest and putting the garden to rest, many landscapes are beaming with color. This lecture will offer practical information on how to garden using woody plants that possess interesting fall foliage, fruit and bark interest. Plants ideal for the home landscape will be highlighted.

 

“Great Gardens of Eastern Australia”- Take a trip through the Australian Rain Forest, to the Great Barrier Reef and to some of the most beautiful private and public gardens in the world. This lecture will highlight the natural wonders and horticultural treasures of the east coast of Australia from Cairns to Hobart, Tasmania. Special emphasis will be put on a wide variety of plants, innovative garden trends and landscape design.

 

 

"The Great Trees: A Link to Our Past, Our Hope for the Future"- A lecture on our old, majestic trees and how to plan for their future. The lecture will also address cultural and maintenance practices, succession planning, new and superior tree varieties, etc. This is a PowerPoint presentation of some of the great trees of the nation.

 

"Preserving Our Historic Trees: Knowing What to Keep and What to Cut"- A How-To on landscape preservation and tree maintenance. In addition, hazardous tree assessment and tree preservation will be addressed.

 

"Proper Pruning Techniques for a Healthy Garden"- This lecture will highlight proper pruning techniques to maintain a healthy, balanced garden. Whether you have overgrown shrubs, sheared hedges or need advice on how to make your flowering trees and shrubs more productive, this lecture will offer hands on information on how to successfully prune the landscape. Specific information on tree pruning, rejuvenation and selective pruning and shearing to maintain a manicured garden will be discussed.  Required tools and specific plant requirements will also be discussed.

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I also can customize lectures to meet your organizations needs…..

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Past Speaking Engagements:

-Long Island Horticulture Conference, NY

-Nassua Suffolk Landscape Gardeners Turf and Landscape Show

-Davidson Symposium, Davidson NC

-East Landsing Garden Show, MI

-Nashville Home and Garden Show, TN

-The Inspired gardener Symposium, Atlanta, GA

-The Southern Gardening Symposium, Callaway Gardens, GA

-NJ Nursery and Landscape Association Symposium, NJ

-CT Nursery and Landscape Symposium, CT

-Mid Atlantic Horticultural Shortcourse, VA Beach, VA

-Pennsylvania Nursery amd landscape Conference

-DE Nursery and Landscape Association Conference, Wilmington, DE

-Empire State Tree Conference, NY

-NY State Arborist Conference, NY

-Long Island Arboricultiural Association tree Conference, NY

-NY State Nursety and landscape Association Conference, NY

-IMA Garden Syposium, Indianapolis, IN

-Symposia for Master Gardeners in NY, NJ, CT, VA, IL, MI, PA, WV, RI,

-Plant Societies in NY, NJ, CT, MD

-Garden clubs in NY, NJ, CT, NC,

-Botanical gardens in Washington D.C., NY, NJ, MD, DE, ME, MA, GA, CT