In this webinar series, Garden Manager Walker Young will share real-world tips and tricks on topics such as soil building, integrated pest management, tree maintenance, pruning, plant selection, succession planning, weed control, effective watering, and irrigation. 

Webinar 1: Building Healthy Soil – August 12 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 AM

Healthy soil is the foundation of every successful garden, yet it is often the most overlooked part of garden care. In this webinar, Garden Manager Walker Young will share how to build and maintain healthy soil, from creating new planting beds to restoring tired, depleted ground.

Webinar 2: Maximizing your Irrigation – September 9 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 AM

Do you really know how to water? In a dry garden, watering is about much more than simply turning on the hose. This class will teach what dry garden plants actually need, how to water deeply and effectively, and how to plan for periods of extreme heat.

Webinar 3: Integrated Pest Management – October 14 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 AM

A healthy garden depends on careful observation and thoughtful intervention. Walker Young will introduce the principles of integrated pest management, with a focus on identifying common garden pests, understanding when action is truly needed, and choosing the least disruptive control methods first.

Webinar 4: Weed Control – Prevention and Strategic Elimination – November 11 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 AM

Weeds can quickly overwhelm even the best-planned garden if they are not managed thoughtfully and consistently. This webinar will discuss practical ways to prevent, identify, and control a garden’s worst weed offenders.

Webinar 5: Trees – Selection, Care, and Succession – December 9 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 AM

Trees shape the character and future of a garden. In this webinar, Walker Young will explore how to choose the right trees for a space and microclimate. He will highlight standout performers and “superstars” from the Ruth Bancroft Garden’s tree collection.

Webinar 6: Introduction to Pruning – January 13 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 AM

A well-pruned tree or shrub makes a beautiful focal point or an attractive backdrop in the dry garden.  Aesthetic pruning can enhance your dry garden trees/shrubs, amplifying the expression of their unique forms.  Learn the foundations of pruning for the dry garden when it comes to timing, tools, technique, and theory.

How it works: Register one person with one email at a time. If you would like to register multiple people, please register them each separately with separate emails.  Webinar will be recorded and all registrants will receive a recording link via email within one business day.  Once the recording is sent, you will have seven days to watch.  After that time, the recording will expire.  Access to the webinar recordings after the expiration date will be a charge of $20 (members)/$30 (non-members).

While each session stands on its own, the series is designed to be taken as a whole. Register for the full series below. Or click on the individual webinars for an ‘a la carte’ option. Read more about the Cancellation and Refund Policy here.

About the Instructor

Walker Young joined Ruth Bancroft Garden in 2012 studied with Ruth and curator Brian Kemble and has become a custodian of the Garden’s aesthetic. He helps preserve, renovate, and rejuvenate Mrs. Bancroft’s beds, with a particular talent for shaping mounds and arranging rocks to frame the plant collection. He also propagates rare succulents, manages the private collection, and contributed a cycad collection that adds an important transitional texture to the Garden’s plant palette.