Year-Round Native Gardening in Atlanta at Beech Hollow

We're teaming up with Beech Hollow to offer a second chance to attend this popular event!

Join us for an updated and improved presentation on invasive plant removal and native gardening in every season with Woods Keeper's Michael Hudgins and Intown GNPS board member Laura Qadri. This information-packed talk will cover the right times to identify and remove selected invasive plants in our area, native plants to incorporate in your landscape for visual interest and wildlife habitat in every season, and key tasks to maintain and improve your native garden throughout the year.

Michael Hudgins began his journey with invasive plant removal in 2017 as a service member with AmeriCorps working to restore natural areas in Northwest Atlanta. He soon developed a deep passion for forest restoration and founded Woods Keeper in 2020. Work sites include Chastain Park, Grant Park, private homes, and other green spaces throughout Metro Atlanta. Offering invasive plant removal by hand, Woods Keeper aims to preserve existing native plant species as well as the native seed bank that’s just waiting for some sunlight and a little room to grow.

Laura Qadri, Vice Chair of Intown Atlanta GNPS, fell in love with native plants while taking classes at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens to earn a certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration. Since moving to Georgia in 2020, Laura has been converting her yard into a native landscape with the goal of achieving GNPS Gold Habitat Certification in 2025. She is also involved in community gardening and restoration projects, including planting a native pollinator garden and organizing a native plant sale at a local elementary school, and gives talks to community organizations and garden clubs on why and how they can plant more native plants to support wildlife.