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Kathleen Connolly

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Overview

Old Saybrook, Connecticut

From meadows and native plants to lawns, foundation gardens, and deer resistance, Kathy Connolly's “lively and well prepared" talks are interactive and full of tips for successful land care. She offers innovative design ideas and helpful resources.

w: Kathy's Home Page

w: Kathy's Facebook Page

e: view email Kathy@SpeakingofLandscapes.com

Description

Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer, garden writer, and speaker from Old Saybrook, CT. She gives about 25 talks each year for master gardeners, garden clubs, libraries, community groups, conservation associations, and others. 

Kathy is also a columnist for The Day community newspapers in southeastern Connecticut, reaching more than 150,000 homes each week. She is the former editor for About.com's lawns and lawn alternatives. She writes on horticulture and landscape ecology for several other newsletters, magazines, and websites as well.

Some of Kathy's recent articles: 

How Native Is that Native Plant? 

Design the Ideal Size for Your Lawn

 New Concepts in Lawn and Landscape Design Reduce Mowing

 5 Ways to Get the Most from Nitrogen Fertilizer on Spring Lawns

 How to Encourage Moss Where Grass Says “No”

 Micro Clover for Lawn Health and Beauty

 Tree Stumps in the Lawn: Reduce, Recycle, Repurpose

 How to Choose the Soil Test Reports You Really Need

Topics

Presentations:

"Five Ways to Cover Ground and Give the Lawnmower a Rest"

Grassy lawns are the single most popular ground cover, but they are not always the best cover for a location or the easiest to maintain. In this talk, Kathy Connolly talks about ways to cover ground with a variety of low-growing, durable groundcovers, from sedum and moss, to low-mow lawn mixes, shrubs, and flowering meadows. One-hour and two-hour formats.

"Grow a Meadow, Large or Small"

Many people love the beauty of a flowering field, but when they tried to grow a meadow they were disappointed. In this talk, Kathy Connolly explores the establishment and care of a successful meadow. She defines the terms, discusses meadow ecology, the role of native species, and explains the steps a would-be meadow grower can take from June to December to start a new meadow or encourage an existing one. 

"Waterwise Landscaping for Healthier Lakes and Rivers" 

Rain gardens and waterside buffer gardens are a joy to see, but beauty is only where their benefits begin. If properly designed, these gardens provide important stormwater management services. They protect water bodies from polluted runoff and help control erosion. When designed with native flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees, waterside gardens provide extraordinary support for native birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife. This one-hour presentation offers an introduction to how we can use flowers, grasses, trees, and shrubs to manage stormwater. Topics: Definition of buffer gardens, beneficial functions they provide, the roles of roots and leaves, site selection and site preparation, plant selection and installation.

"Native Plants for the Home & Community"

Native plants have a critical role in the regional web of life--and our backyards may be their last, best hope in some cases. Far from lacking in beauty, these sturdy botanical citizens are often hiding in plain sight at our garden centers. In this presentation, Kathy defines native plants, shows why they are important, and offers extensive lists for the regional home or community garden.

"Foundation Gardens That Say 'Welcome Home'"

Are there ways to get greater satisfaction from your home landscape while increasing the value of your home? Research points towards some possibilities, most of them centered around foundation gardens and entryways. In this presentation, Kathy explores what adds value—visual, emotional and financial—to the landscape. She discusses the challenges of designing and installing landscapes close to buildings and shows how some conventional landscape practices undermine appearance and functionality. She explores three surprising new ways of looking at the house itself. Available in one-hour and two-hour format.

"Deer Survivor: Creating a Deer-resistant Landscape"

There is no such thing as a deer-proof landscape in deer country, but there are ways to improve the gardener's odds. There are three sets of "tools" the home gardener can use. Kathy reviews each in detail, including plant lists, physical barriers, and products that repel. The presentation also explores the psychology and biology of the deer, providing insight into some of the creature's behaviors.

See recent television interview on spring land care practices. 

Hear recent podcast interview on meadows, lawns, and landscapes. 

Locations

Old Saybrook, CT