- $29
"Spring 2.0: Eco-Cleanup & Beyond” with Rebecca McMackin
How does a 90-minute distraction from dreary headlines sound right about now, featuring an updated, ecologically smarter look at an essential garden subject?
For nearly four years, my Virtual Garden Club has operated on a subscription model, where members purchased access to a whole semester of classes at a time. This spring I have something new in mind:
I'm hosting monthly 90-minute Zoom workshops you can buy individually, including this one on "Spring 2.0" with ecological horticulturist Rebecca McMackin.
Tickets for each of these webinars are just $29, in hopes that they will be a bright spot.
You can read more about one of our exciting classes below...
“Spring 2.0: Eco-Cleanup & Beyond,” with Rebecca McMackin
Now Available as a Recording: Want to commit to managing your garden more ecologically without sacrificing beauty, but not sure how? Start the season off confidently with a 101 on smarter spring cleanup and beyond with Rebecca McMackin, a leader in the ecological landscape movement.
What You'll Learn in This Class
What to do with all those leaves we left in place in fall (move them, shred them, let them lie)?
Which kinds of plants can take a leaf layer and which cannot, and need relief?
What native perennials to combine under trees to create "soft landings" as habitat for overwintering beneficial organisms (and beauty!).
What perennials to cut back how far—and when (and what plants to simply leave standing).
The “chop and drop” technique (no, don’t cart every last cut-off part to the compost!).
And what about other tasks like weeding, or caring for our remaining lawns—how do those work in ecological horticulture?
Come with your questions to ask live in class or submit in advance (with a photo attached for design and plant ID help, for instance).
About Rebecca McMackin
Rebecca McMackin spent a decade as director of horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park, managing 85 acres of diverse parkland organically and with an eye to the park’s overall ecology. The resulting biodiversity from those ethical management strategies influenced thousands of people and other urban parks to adopt similar approaches. Rebecca, a recent a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, gave a TED Talk on ecological horticulture in 2024 that has been viewed more than 1 million times. She recently installed an 8,000-square-foot native wildflower garden for the entrance to the Brooklyn Museum.
Class Date and Time
This class was taught live on March 27, 2025.
You can enjoy the recorded version at your leisure.
Watch Rebecca's Class for Just $29.
The live class was a huge hit with very positive feedback.