News

Downloadable Garden Design and Plant List Created by Larry Weaner for Washington D.C/Virginia Area Landscapes!

Check out a sneak peek of Larry Weaner’s Wild Ones Garden Design. Larry was asked to create a native garden design that can be replicated for the D.C./Virginia area. His design features three habitat types: meadow, shrubland, and woodland. Accompanying the design are plant lists and guidance for site analysis, site preparation, layout, and maintenance. Featured photos shows one of Larry’s previously designed gardens of similar character. Read and download Larry’s full design package here, and explore a variety of designs for other regions here.

Wild Ones is an incredible nationwide organization and resource for creating native gardens and habitat in your own backyard. Find a local chapter near you!

Attend our 2023 landscape symposium!

For 34 years, LWLA’s educational affiliate, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), has organized an annual two-day symposium in collaboration with Connecticut College Arboretum and Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. The symposium has a long tradition of celebrating native plants and exploring landscape design at the intersections of ecology, culture, and art.

The 2023 conference features Kate Kennen (Offshoots, Inc), Jared Rosenbaum (author of Wild Plant Culture), Andi Pettis (Governors Island), David Godshall (Terremoto), and many other exciting speakers. More information/registration here.

The symposium is: January 5-6, 2023 (Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA) and January 12-13, 2023 (Connecticut College, New London, CT). We hope to see you there!

_{Image: Glenstone Museum (photo by Mark Weaner)}

Larry Weaner and LWLA featured in Wild: The Naturalistic Garden

We are excited to share that our work is featured in the new book Wild: The Naturalistic Garden, written by Noel Kingsbury and photographed by Claire Takacs.  An interview with Larry and photos of one of our favorite projects can be found in the final chapter, which focusses on the Prairie Garden.  

You can order the title at Phaidon or Bookshop.

Larry Weaner to serve as an Honorary Director of Wild Ones!

We are thrilled to announce that Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes has named Larry as an Honorary Director. He will serve his term from 2022-2025. Wild Ones honors and recognizes distinguished individuals who are respected and known for their expertise in fields of ecology, botany, plant science, horticulture, entomology, climate change, and conservation. To learn more about this honor and the Wild Ones organization, please visit their website.

Congratulations, Larry!!

Larry Weaner receives 2021 Award of Distinction from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers

We are pleased to announce that the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) has awarded Larry Weaner their 2021 Award of Distinction. This award was established to recognize a landscape professional who has made a distinguished contribution to the landscape design profession. Congratulations, Larry!!

Attend our 2022 landscape symposium!

For 33 years LWLA’s educational affiliate, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), has organized an annual conference in collaboration with Connecticut College Arboretum and Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.

The 2022 conference–Expanding the Scope of Landscape Design: People, Ecology, and Time–features such speakers as Sara Zewde, Gena Wirth, Dwayne Estes, W. Gary Smith, and Raymond Jungles.

For more about the 2022 conference, download the brochure or visit/register at NDAL.

The conference is divided across four half-day modules on Jan. 20, Jan. 21, Jan. 27, and Jan. 28. CEUs are available.

We hope to see you there!

Larry Weaner receives 2021 Landscape Design Award from the American Horticultural Society

As part of their annual Great American Gardeners Awards, the American Horticultural Society (AHS) has awarded Larry Weaner their 2021 Landscape Design Award. This award recognizes individuals whose work has demonstrated and promoted the value of sound horticultural practices in the field of landscape architecture. Congrats, Larry!

For more about Larry and the award, see the March/April issue of American Gardener magazine or visit the American Horticultural Society.

Mt. Cuba Center interviews Jenna Webster

The Mt. Cuba Center, an acclaimed native plant botanical garden in Hockessin, Delaware, recently interviewed Jenna Webster, Senior Associate at LWLA. Jenna has taught in Mt. Cuba’s certificate program for the past five years. In the interview she discusses what inspires her and shares insights on some of her favorite projects at LWLA.

Check out the interview and learn more about the Mt. Cuba Center.

Ethan Dropkin featured on Growing Greener podcast

LWLA’s Ethan Dropkin is featured on Thomas Christopher’s Growing Greener podcast. Ethan discusses the role that native annuals play and how designers can use them.

Check out the interview!

Webinars developed by Larry Weaner and NDAL featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine

Webinars developed by Larry Weaner and NDAL (New Directions in the American Landscape) were recently featured in a post by Landscape Architecture Magazine.

Founded by Larry Weaner in 1990, NDAL has provided educational programming for the advancement of ecology-based landscape practices. NDAL has presented programs throughout the US focusing on innovative theory, practical application, and an expansive vision of “Natural Design.” Programs draw from across disciplines, including agriculture, anthropology, history, and fine art.

Click here to see the NDAL program offerings. To register for sessions, please visit ndal.org.

New Directions in the American Landscape Presents Webinars for Home Gardeners & Educators

A renowned group of instructors including Douglass Tallamy and Larry Weaner will illustrate landscaping techniques that make our little corners of the world more ecologically sound and enjoyable to experience. Whether you choose to learn how pollinators, people, and plant communities interact; how to share concepts of ecoliteracy with your children; or how to collect your own seeds, this series will cover an eclectic variety of topics while generally emphasizing the importance of place-based ecological landscapes.

New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) has provided educational programming for the advancement of ecology-based landscape practices since 1990. Founded by Landscape Designer Larry Weaner, NDAL has presented programs throughout the US focusing on innovative theory, practical application, and an expansive vision of “Natural Design.” Programs also draw from a variety of disciplines including agriculture, anthropology, history, and fine art.

Click here to see our brochure. To register for sessions, please visit ndal.org.

COVID-19 Announcement

LWLA contributes to American prairie project at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

LWLA is proud to be part of a team designing an American prairie installation at Wakehurst at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Find out more about this exciting project and check out this video from Kew’s recent seed collecting trip to Illinois.

Larry Weaner publishes in forthcoming book: Garden Design Master Class

We are thrilled to announce Larry Weaner’s contribution to the forthcoming book, Garden Design Master Class: 100 Lessons from The World’s Finest Designers on the Art of the Garden edited by Carl Dellatore.  This title will contain Larry’s chapter on meadow creation, and is scheduled for release on April 14^th, 2020.

You can pre-order the title at Rizolli Books or Amazon.

31st annual New Directions in the American Landscape conference

LWLA’s educational affiliate New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) has released the program for its 31st annual conference.  The conference is January 9-10, 2020 (Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA) and January 16-17, 2020 (Connecticut College, New London, CT). Speakers include Michael Gaige, Abra Lee, William Bryant Logan, Anne Penniman, Przemek Walczak, and more.

Photo: by Mark Weaner of a LWLA project