Speakers
Make your next gathering entertaining and educational with a speaker from Holden Forests & Gardens! Our speakers are experts in their field and cover a variety of topics that are perfect for club meetings, community centers, and public libraries. Unless otherwise noted, talks are intended for an adult audience and last 45-60 minutes with Q&A.
To Book a Program
- Read through the program details and requirements
- Select your first and second choice topics
- Complete and submit the booking request form
- Once you submit your booking request, someone from our Education Department will contact you to confirm the date, time, and topic. Your booking is not complete until it has been reviewed and confirmed by our staff.
Quick Links
Program Details
Pricing: Unless otherwise noted, there is a $150 flat fee for off-site programs within our service area.
- Mileage fees apply to any program outside our regular service area. We cannot fulfill requests with a roundtrip of over 130 miles at this time.
- Onsite programs will be charged an additional $75 facility fee. Special onsite program rates are available to Affiliate Garden Clubs.
- A $25 fee will be charged for programs that are cancelled without alerting speaker and the Holden Forests & Gardens Education Department.
- Payment can be made by check or credit card.
Location: We can accommodate onsite, offsite, and virtual programs. For virtual programs, the host is responsible for creating and providing the Zoom link.
Offsite Technology Requirements: HDMI cable, projector, and screen are required to host a speaker at an offsite venue. Reliable WiFi connection is preferred. The speaker will provide their own laptop.
Audience: Unless otherwise noted, programs are designed for a general adult audience.
Program Topics
Our speakers are HF&G staff members with deep experience in horticulture, education, and conservation. Feel free to inquire about a different topic, but be aware we may not be able to accommodate off-menu requests. Once you have finished selecting your programs from the options below, please fill out the speaker request form.
The History of Japanese Gardens
Speaker: Caroline Watson, Horticulturist
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Garden at Cleveland Botanical Garden with this special, limited-time program! Over one thousand years ago, the areas surrounding Shinto shires met the Chinese concept of a garden, and from it the Japanese Garden was born. Understanding the origin and historical development of Japanese Garden design helps one to see the significance of even the smallest of details in a Japanese Garden. It also opens up the opportunity to incorporate some of these features or ideals into your life or garden.
How to Nurture a Child’s Sense of Wonder
Speaker: Sharon Graper, Director of Education
This presentation complete with hands-on activities is designed for adults who want to be a companion in their child’s exploration of the natural world. Techniques and activities that encourage children to discover the world around them will be presented.
Rain Gardens: Working Hard While Looking Good
Speaker: Ann Rzepka Budziak, Director of Arboretum Horticulture
Rain gardens do double duty in our landscapes. They clean and infiltrate stormwater and can become an oasis for wildlife and beauty. This program discusses the benefits of rain gardens and how to properly site, select plants for, and install a rain garden on a residential lot.
Speaker: Ann Rzepka Budziak, Director of Arboretum Horticulture
If you are thinking about starting or expanding a native plant garden, this presentation is for you. Discover what goes into the planning and maintenance of the Myrtle S. Holden Wildflower garden at the Holden Arboretum. We’ll cover recommended native plants for the home garden and how to combine and care for them.
Speaker: Jen Graham, Adult Program Coordinator
Images of war rarely include green and growing things. It may surprise you to learn that botany and horticulture played an important role in both World War I and World War II. From victory gardens to milkweed drives, with stories from the battlefield and our own backyards, this presentation will examine how plants have helped us mobilize for victory, heal the sick, and spread a message of peace.
Return of the Eastern Bluebird
Speaker: Mike Watson, Conservation Biologist
Discover the basics of bluebird ecology and conservation as well as the Arboretum’s role in and process for the successful recovery of this species in Ohio. Tips for the homeowner on providing safe and attractive nesting options will also be shared.
Speaker: Mike Watson, Conservation Biologist
This interesting presentation reveals how geology, glacial activity, human history, and ecological interactions shape Ohio’s forests. Past and present forest types across Ohio, as well as the Arboretum’s current dominant forest types and the plants and animals associated with these forests, will be highlighted.
People for Trees in Northeast Ohio
Speaker: Volunteer Green Team Ambassadors
This program is a free, 30-minute introduction to the People for Trees initiative. Learn how the tree canopy has changed in northeast Ohio, how these changes are impacting our quality of life, and what Holden Forests & Gardens is doing to mitigate those changes. Find out how you can support our People for Trees movement by joining a vast community of concerned citizens across northeast Ohio who are working to restore our tree canopy, starting in their own backyard. Green Team Ambassador presentations are free of charge and are limited to our service area.
Speaker Request Form
To request a speaker, please fill out the inquiry form below. Click here for detailed descriptions and speaker bios of available programs.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Our service area is Lake, Geauga, and Cuyahoga counties. For those outside this area, additional mileage fees apply. Some programs are limited to specific locations. Please read the descriptions carefully.
What if I don’t see the program topic I want?
Groups are welcome to inquire about a special topic. However, off-menu requests often require creating a new program from scratch. Depending on season and staff availability, we may not be able to accommodate your request.
Please note that off-menu requests will take additional time to schedule, and there may be extra materials fees depending on the request.
What technology do I need to host a program?
HDMI cable, projector, and screen are required to host a speaker at your venue. Reliable WiFi connection is preferred. The speaker will provide their own laptop.
How much does parking cost for an onsite program
Parking for program participants at the Holden Arboretum is free.
Participants in a Speakers Bureau program at Cleveland Botanical Garden get the member flat rate of $7 when parking in the garage. Metered street parking is also available in the area on a first-come-first-served basis.
Can I pay the day of the program?
Payment should not be handed to the speaker on the day of the program.
Checks can be sent by mail to
Holden Arboretum Attn: Education 9500 Sperry Road Kirtland, OH 44094.
Credit card payment can be taken over the phone
Yes. If you would like to add a speaker to your existing rental, please reach out to the staff person coordinating your rental and they will get in touch with Education. You will be charged the $150 flat rate for the speaker.
If you do not have an existing rental and only need a room for the duration of the program, you will be charged the $150 flat rate + a $75 facility fee.
What is the cancellation policy?
The program host will be notified as soon as possible if a Holden Forests & Gardens speaker needs to cancel their program due to illness, transportation issue, or other unforeseen circumstance.
Should the host choose to cancel the program, they are responsible for notifying the speaker and Holden Forests & Gardens Education ([email protected]). If no notice is given, a $25 fee will be charged to the host.
