Plant Select Member Webinars
The first of our 2026 webinars are listed below…. with more in the works!
As a Plant Select member, you and your staff are invited to participate in our member webinars. Each of these webinars should take about an hour — plus up to 30 additional minutes for Q&A. We’ll add webinars as they’re scheduled.
Please use our Member Webinar Library to access past talks, including the ones below.
Aren’t a member yet? Become a Plant Select member here. Your membership helps fund diverse, climate-resilient plants—including native introductions—for more sustainable western landscapes. Our non-profit couldn’t exist without our members, and we thank you!
2026 Webinars
Pollinator-Friendly Landscape Design
Thursday, January 15 | 6-7:30 pm MT
Join Deryn Davidson for a practical and inspiring webinar on creating landscapes that support essential pollinators in our region. Learn how thoughtful design practices can transform any outdoor space into a thriving habitat.
Whether you’re a homeowner, landscape professional, or community volunteer, you’ll walk away with clear strategies for designing beautiful, resilient, pollinator-friendly landscapes that make a real ecological impact.
About our speaker:
Deryn Davidson is the Sustainable Landscape State Specialist for Colorado State University (CSU) Extension. In this role, she conducts educational programming and provides consultation for public and private entities on ways to create sustainable and resilient landscapes. She holds a B.S. in Horticulture from CSU and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Arizona.
Deryn believes that with thoughtful design and appropriate horticulture practices we can foster biodiversity and use nature-based solutions to enhance the livability and resilience of our built environments.
Zoom sign-up link to come. Check back soon!
Well-Behaved Prairie and Plains Plants for the Home Garden
Thursday, January 29 | 6-7:30 pm MT
A prairie garden can be a daunting undertaking. However, there are many species of plants native to the regional prairies of Colorado and the Great Plains that make fabulous landscape plants. Even if you aren’t ready to fully commit to a prairie/meadow conversion just yet, you can create beautiful, functional and pollinator-friendly landscapes when you include plains, prairie and meadow plant species in your gardens.
Grace Johnson will discuss specific prairie species and their place in the functional landscape. She’ll highlight plants that tend to be more available, so landscaping companies and home gardeners can create more imaginative designs.
About our speaker:
Horticulturist Grace Johnson of Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms has worked in ornamental public horticulture for more than 10 years. Currently, she maintains the prairie gardens and Plant Select Demonstration Garden at Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms. Previously, Grace worked in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden’s Shaw Nature Reserve where she gardened exclusively with native plants and assisted with prairie restoration.
Grace has a passion for ecological and sustainable gardening, and for plant conservation. She’s passionate about creating landscapes that encourage plant diversity, conservation and pollinator habitat. She has a BS degree in Environmental Science.
Zoom sign-up link to come. Check back soon!
Resilient and Remarkable: The Latest from Plant Select
Thursday, February 19 | 6-7:30 pm MT
Join Ross Shrigley as he unveils the newest plant introductions and updates from the Plant Select® program. Ross will share practical guidance on how to use these plants in gardens and landscapes. He’ll also discuss Plant Select “sleeper plants” (aka, overlooked gems) from the last few years that have become more widely available. Whether you’re a landscape professional, a garden center team member, or a plant enthusiast, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of all these plants.
About our speaker:
Ross Shrigley has been the executive director of Plant Select—a nonprofit collaboration between Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens, and esteemed horticulturists—since 2017. In this role, he brings his passion, knowledge, and dedication to furthering sustainable gardening practices and promoting environmentally friendly plant selections.
Ross’s journey into horticulture blossomed as a student at Colorado State University. After graduating with a biology degree, he established a successful gardening business. Ross’s green thumb then led him to Denver Botanic Gardens, where he honed his expertise for many years. Following that, he joined Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery as an outside sales representative.
Zoom sign-up link to come. Check back soon!
The Wonders of Waterwise Irrigation
Thursday, March 12 | 6-7:30 pm MT
When it comes to saving water and keeping plants healthy, traditional spray nozzles are out!
Join Eric Olson as he shares many of the new tools in the waterwise irrigation toolkit for home landscapes, including rotary nozzles, drip irrigation, smart controllers and more. Eric will discuss the pros and cons of each, and he’ll walk through the importance of correct water pressure and how to achieve it in different applications.
Bring any questions you have regarding home irrigation—like how do you effectively water mature trees in low-water landscapes? Eric is here to help you improve your irrigation efficiency and make every drop count.
About our speaker:
Eric Olson is the Irrigation Specialist at Fort Collins Utilities and has been with the City of Fort Collins since 2007. Eric created the commercial landscape and irrigation standards for water conservation that have been adapted by several Colorado municipalities and cities. Eric reviews irrigation plans for commercial developments and assists residents as they transform their irrigation systems to improve efficiency and reduce water demands on the landscape. He manages commercial and residential sprinkler rebates and supports the Xeriscape Incentive Program.
Eric is certified in irrigation design, irrigation auditing, and backflow protection. He’s a retired Certified Water Professional (CWP) and is in his 15th year as an instructor for The Irrigation Association.
Zoom sign-up link to come. Check back soon!
Please use our Member Webinar Library to access past talks.
