SPRING LUNCH & LEARN

Layering your Landscape: How Native Plants & "Benign Neglect" Enrich our Lives

With Janet Davis

Thursday, May 14th, 2026

Lists of native plants are easy to find but knowing how to combine and use them effectively in your own landscape can be much more challenging. In this engaging program, discover how thoughtfully “layering” native plants can transform your yard into a beautiful, vibrant, and wildlife-friendly space.

Learn how to select and combine native plants to enhance the beauty of your landscape while supporting pollinators, birds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. We’ll explore how diverse plantings can create a more dynamic garden that requires less formality, less mulch, and less work, while bringing more enjoyment and connection to nature.

You’ll also gain practical tips for incorporating native plants into existing gardens, designing plant combinations that thrive together, and creating outdoor spaces that help us feel more a part of nature rather than apart from it.

Following the luncheon and presentation, Janet will be selling a selection of high-quality native plants from her nursery and will be available to answer questions, offer plant recommendations and share expert advice on incorporating native species into your landscape. You can also enjoy a guided walk through Irvine’s Woodland Garden. 

Speaker Bio: Known as the “cheerleader” for native plants, Janet Davis operates Hill House Farm & Nursery, which grows and sells only U.S.A. native plants, primarily mid-Atlantic natives and select cultivars. She uses her expertise with native plants to offer landscape design and consultation services. Janet Davis received a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Virginia Tech and has spent her entire working career growing something—fruit, veggie gardens, indoor plants, herbs and landscape plants, and her daughter, Olivia.

For Adults- 

*Pre-registration required-please register by 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 13th.*

This event will sell out; please assure your reservation by registering early! 

Time: 12:00 PM -2:00 PM

Location: Irvine Nature Center Tent and/or Fern Rooms

Price: $30 Members (Pacesetter Level or above) / $40 Non-Members