Speakers: Bios and Topics
MGGNO Speakers Bureau
Hot Topics 2019-2020
The Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans Speakers Bureau is a free community outreach service providing educational programs in Louisiana horticulture to groups and organizations. Speakers are Master Gardener volunteers who have completed the Louisiana Master Gardener training provided by the LSU Cooperative Extension Service. Programs are selected and prepared by Master Gardeners that reflect both their expertise and interests.
Master Gardeners will speak to groups in the Greater New Orleans area. Garden clubs, schools, businesses, churches, neighborhood and civic organizations are invited to take advantage of this learning opportunity.
Most programs are delivered as PowerPoint presentations and typically last approximately 30 minutes.
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PRESENTERS |
Bringing Birds Into Your Backyard This Program shows how to attract native and migrating birds into our yards by growing shrubs for nesting and using seeds, flowers and berries to keep them coming back for more. (30 minutes required to present) |
 MARIEANNE ARATA marata@mggno.com A master gardener since 2008, Marieanne and her husband are passionate wildlife gardeners. Each year at their home on two acres in Waggaman, many bird species enjoy nesting and feeding in their magnificent native landscape. A large pond attracts many water birds, and at dusk, bats. She is also a member of Petals of North Bridgedale Garden Club and a board member of Friends of Jefferson the Beautiful.
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Herbs … Top 10 from Herb Society Survey Curious what herbs are growing in the gardens of herb afficiandos? This presentation shares the Top 10 Herbs published by the Herb Society of America. Learn how to grow and use these flavorful and fragrant plants from a local expert in herb culture. (30 minutes required to present)
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 ANNE BARNES abarnes@mggno.com A longtime member of the Herb Society of America New Orleans Unit, Anne has been growing and sharing her love of herbs her entire life. She is equally passionate about her collection of over 80 salvia that attract the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds populating her wildlife garden, which she has lovingly cultivated for 25 years. Her uptown garden was granted the Greenbridges(TM) certification from the Herb Society of America for her use of native plants to create a habitat for pollinators. In addition to being a master gardener, Anne is also a Louisiana Master Naturalist. Anne is not available for presentations on Fridays. |
| Butterfly Gardening * Get a thorough introduction to the variety of Butterfly species that can be seen in our area and how you can support and attract these very important insects to your space with special plants and features in your garden. (45 minutes required to present)
My Weeds, My Bugs and How They Matter*
There are many trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants that are native to Louisiana that can add interest, ease and functionality to our gardens. Most ornamental landscapes consist of 90-95% plants from other parts of the world, but native plants are the basis of the natural food web and many insects, pollinators and birds need them to thrive. Learn about the many possibilities for adding native plant material to your gardens and how important it is for the health of our ecosystem. (45 minutes required to present) * Available only to groups of 50 or more |
 TAMMANY BAUMGARTEN tbaumgarten@mggno.com is the owner and operator of BaumGardens Landscape & Design and has designed, installed and maintained gardens throughout the New Orleans area for almost 20 years. She is a licensed Landscape Horticulturist with the State of Louisiana, a member of the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association, the Louisiana Native Plant Society and a Past President of the Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans. She has a keen interest in sustainable horticultural practices and is an avid proponent of native and wildlife gardening. Her love of butterfly and hummingbird gardening brought about a lot of experimentation with growing unique and different flowers from seed and thus the love of cottage-style gardening which she practices in her Broadmoor yard and now on 35 acres in Tylertown, Mississippi.
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Environmentally Friendly Gardening Learn to garden while making a gentile impact on the environment. Tips for soil and water conservation, integrated pest management, composting, wildlife-friendly spaces, and pollinator plants are included. (30 minutes required to present)
Vegetable and Herb Gardening – Fall |
 DOV BLOCK dblock@mggno.com Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Dov has called New Orleans his home for over three years. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in anthropology, he has spent the majority of his career working in the urban agriculture and garden education worlds. Dov ran operations for a small urban farm in the Lower 9th Ward and has taught children and adults of all ages in the garden through numerous capacities. A Master Gardener since 2017, Dov’s horticultural interests focus on edibles and organic growing practices.
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Made for the Shade (plus some Shady Natives) Shade gardens don’t have to be boring. Punch it up with color, shape and interest. And best of all – not a blade of grass to mow! My own front yard is covered by the deep shade of the graceful branches of a live oak tree. Underneath it grows a garden with year round interest and beauty. Let me show you how. (30 minutes required to present)
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 NELL HOWARD nhoward@mggno.com Vice-President and founding member of the Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans, 2019; LMG/MGGNO Projects Chair and Natives Project Coordinator – Educating the general public and planting natives in public places such as the New Canal Basin Lighthouse, several National Parks Service and French Quarter Association downtown locations; LA Master Gardener since 2007; Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional since 2016; Parkway Partners Education Director, 2nd Saturdays and Greenhouse Manager 2008 – 2015: produced 2nd Saturdays monthly Educational Series, volunteer coordinator, Catholic Charities Operation Helping Hands, and Tree Trooper Trainings. Nell is not available for presentations after 5 pm.
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Adding Spice to your Louisiana Landscape with Gingers Stunning tropicals that thrive in our South Louisiana gardens are revealed. Learn how to take advantage of our warmer climate and create excitement in your garden with butterfly gingers, shampoo gingers and hidden gingers. (30 minutes required to present)
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 GLEN LABORDE glaborde@mggno.com A master gardener since 2013, Glen has a masters in science education from UNO. He is a volunteer mentor for the New Orleans master gardening training classes and volunteers with the Pelican Greenhouse at their monthly plant sales. He loves tropicals, roses, camellias, and citrus.
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 ADELE MANGIPANO amangipano@mggno.com Adele Mangipano is a retired librarian who has been a master gardener since 2006. For the past five years she has been volunteering monthly at the Gretna Farmers’ Market answering gardening questions and promoting the Louisiana Master Gardener program to interested gardeners. She also volunteers at the Pelican Green House in City Park.
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Plant Propagation Plant propagation is a fun way to produce endless plants for your garden and to share with others. This presentation covers asexual and sexual reproduction of plants, including seed saving, cuttings, layering, grafting, and more. Learn about hybridizing and breeding plants true to type also. (30 minutes required to present) |
 SANDY PITRE spitre@mggno.com A labor and delivery nurse and nurse educator, Sandy relaxes by pursuing her passion for gardening. She has been a Louisiana Master Gardener since 1999 and loves sharing her knowledge of horticulture with other NOLA gardeners. Originally from Cut Off, she adds a little Cajun perspective to her classes, which she acquired on Bayou Lafourche.
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Pollinator Protection Pollinators are in trouble due to disease, pest, and insecticide pressures. Conserving pollinators begins with protecting them from pesticide use and setting aside appropriate habitat. Learn how to help the bees, butterflies, and other insect pollinators in this presentation. (30 minutes required to present)
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 USHA RAMADHYANI uramadhyani@mggno.com Usha Ramadhyani is a retired anesthesiologist and is finally able to indulge in her passion for gardening. She is a native of the southern city of Bangalore, India and has lived in the New Orleans area since 1984. She is a Louisiana master gardener since 2017 and is a mentor for the MGGNO class of 2018. Usha comes from a long line of gardeners starting with her great grandfather who often displayed his prize winning plants at the Bangalore Flower Show. Today she and her husband enjoy maintaining their yard of ornamentals and edibles and have passed on their passion to their children. She volunteers at the cold frames gardens in City Park where produce is grown to donate to the local teaching kitchens and to community centers like Okra Abbey. Her current interests are native plants and gardening for pollinators.
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Tool Talk This comprehensive show-and-tell demonstration reviews the various types of tools (rakes, shovels, pruners, etc.) generally used by gardeners. You’ll learn which ones are the most useful, proper use and care including tips on cleaning, sharpening and safety. Guests are encouraged to bring their own tools for evaluation. (minimum 30 minutes required to present and table to display tools; best suited for smaller groups 25 or less) |
 ROGER SVOBODA rsvoboda@mggno.com A retired mechanical engineer, Roger’s horticulture interests include trees, edibles, rain gardens, natural yard care (using natural methods of pest control and soil improvement) and sharing his knowledge of garden tools and machinery. He recently relocated to New Orleans from Snohomish County Washington where he was a Master Gardener since 2008 and coordinated their Educational Outreach (Clinic) for the last two years. |
The Colombian Exchange- The Movement of Plants Around the Globe Humans have moved plants far outside of their natural range, greatly altering the botanical world in the process. This presentation traces the early movement of many of our most popular crops, spices, and vegetables across thousands of miles and many of the oceans in the holds of ships, the bottom of canoes, and the baggage of caravans. This early globalization and trade of plants is a fascinating window into human history and just how truly “global” our gardens truly are. (30 minutes required to present)
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 ANNA TIMMERMAN atimmerman@mggno.com Anna Timmerman is the LSU AgCenter Agent in Jefferson Parish. She has been working in the horticulture industry for fifteen years in a variety of applications, including greenhouses, residential landscaping, urban farming, and large-scale organic market gardening.
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Basics on Raising Backyard Chickens Gain basic knowledge on raising chickens in your backyard and the life cycle of chicken eggs. (30 minutes required to present)
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LINDA VINSANAU
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Online Resources for NOLA Gardeners Googling gardening information online is fast and easy but does not always guarantee you’ll find answers appropriate for our NOLA climate. In this presentation, you’ll learn how to ensure you find reliable information every time you search the Internet. Plus we’ll share the favorite sites and resources followed by LSU AgCenter experts and New Orleans master gardeners. (30 minutes required to present)
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 LINDA WEGMANN lwegmann@mggno.com Linda Wegmann has been an active volunteer with the Louisiana Master Gardener program since 1999. She has served in various leadership roles and currently chairs the MGGNO Speakers Bureau, which she helped launch in 2014. An advocate of the Louisiana Super Plant program, Linda enjoys experimenting and sharing her experiences with the latest LSP introductions. She is also a volunteer at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center in Algiers.
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* Available only to groups of 50 or more PowerPoint presentation – requires HDMI-compatible TV or projector |