Join us Saturday, May 30th, 2026 for this year’s St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium in Brightside St. Louis’ Demonstration Garden at 4646 Shenandoah Avenue.

Click here to register!

Check-in begins at 8:15 for Neighbors Naturescaping potential applicants. An informational session will take place from 8:30 – 9:00 AM for Neighbors Naturescaping applicants. Non-Neighbors Naturescaping participants can check in from 8:30 – 9:00 AM. Before the Symposium kicks off and throughout Symposium breaks, participants can enjoy pastries and coffee while speaking with experts at information tables.

For the full morning schedule, click here!

Neighbors Naturescaping Overview! – Mary Lou Green, Brightside St. Louis

Are you interested in participating in Brightside’s Neighbors Naturescaping program? Do you have questions about the process? Best practices and tips will be covered in this session and you’ll have the chance to go straight to the source to get all your questions answered! This session provides essential information about the process and a successful application. This session is one of three options required for the Neighbors Naturescaping application, though applicants are encouraged to attend all three options!

Concurrent Workshops

Start Where You Are* – Amanda Wood, MDC

Learning and preparing your site

– Understanding light, moisture, and soil patterns
– Identifying constraints (trees, compaction, heat)
– Site prep methods (lawn removal, sheet mulching)
– Expectations (start small)

Four Seasons of Interest – Susie Van de Riet, AAS Horticulture

Plant selection for structure beyond the bloom and wildlife benefit

– Winter presence and habitat
– Layering for year-round appeal

Working with the Soil You Have – Evan Parker, MDC

– Texture, compaction, drainage
– Roots and soil life
– Managing soil through planting

Putting Plants Together – Susie Van de Riet, AAS Horticulture

Translating site conditions into design decisions

– Selecting plants
– Sourcing plants
– Arranging plants for function and clarity
– Rhythm, repetition, balance and other design principles

Small Gardens Big Impact – Sean Gunsten, Demonstration Garden Manager, Brightside St. Louis

Pollinator-focused planting for small spaces

– Translating site conditions into design decisions
– Selecting plants
– Sourcing plants
– Arranging plants for function and clarity
– Rhythm, repetition, balance and other design principles

What’s Wrong With My Plant? – Amanda Wood, MDC

What’s normal and what’s not? 

– Pests and plant Health
– Healthy damage vs. real problems
– Beneficial insects and balance
– When to intervene (and when not to)

A Year in the Garden – Sean Gunsten, Demonstration Garden Manager, Brightside St. Louis

How we manage the Brightside Demonstration Garden

– Seasonal rhythms and timing of tasks
– Editing, thinning and cutting back
– Common problems and potential solutions
– How management changes over time
– Edges and cues to care

Who Show’s Up? Wildlife in a Naturescape – Miranda Wilkinson

– Pollinators, birds and predators
– Herbivory as ecological function
– Why small gardens matter

Rethinking Mulch: Better Ground Covers – Evan Parker, MDC

– The pros and cons of mulch
– Green mulch – a better way!
– Building and protecting soil

Charge:  $10 per person

Neighbors Naturescaping Participants and Volunteers:  Register early! Neighbors Naturescaping participants can take part in this event at no charge. Please sign up below to register for the Symposium.

Parking and Shuttle:  Parking is limited by the Demonstration Garden, so we encourage you to use our complimentary shuttle service! Additional parking is available at the St. Louis City Water Division, located at 1640 South Kingshighway, 63110. Please park at the rear of the building, and enjoy shuttle rides to and from the symposium.

Here is the event flyer ready to share!

Meet the 2026 SLUGS Speakers:

Susie Van de Riet 

AAS Horticulture, ISA Arborist, GN! Pro, ANFT Guide 
Owner/Designer/Consultant
St. Louis Native Plants 
StLNativePlants@gmail.com
314.780.2982
StLouisNativePlants.com

Susie Van de Riet is dedicated to educating others about the advantages of native plants, leveraging her formal education in Horticulture, complemented by her ISA Arborist Certification. She has participated in landscaping projects since 2009 and founded St. Louis Native Plants LLC in 2014, offering native landscape design, consultations, & education to homeowners. Her approach focuses on harmonizing landscapes with their natural surroundings. Her articles are featured in notable publications such as Missouri Prairie Foundation and Wild Ones journals. Additionally, she has been interviewed on St. Louis Public Radio and designed a publicly accessible native landscape for the National Wild Ones organization.

Evan Parker

Community Forester serving the St. Louis Region
ISA Certified Arborist MW-6505A
Missouri Department of Conservation
314-301-1504, ext. 4308

Evan Parker is a community forester with the Missouri Department of Conservation. He is passionate about the value of green infrastructure in creating a thriving community and strives to develop a larger and healthier tree canopy in the St. Louis region. In his role, Evan provides funding opportunities, technical assistance, and education to municipalities, non-profits, and the general public.

Amanda Wood 

Missouri Department of Conservation- St. Louis Region
Community Forester
IL-9744AM
314-301-1506 ext 4210
Amanda.Wood@mdc.mo.gov

Amanda Wood is a certified arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture with 7 years of experience of working in urban forestry throughout the US but originates from Belleville, IL. She is also an Urban Forestry Professional. Amanda recently worked as an Urban Forester in Cleveland, OH helping communities increase tree canopy, preserve trees, and help the next generation of arborists build skills to care for the urban forest. Currently, she is a community forester for the St. Louis region for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Miranda Wilkinson (she/her)

Urban Wildlife Biologist
Missouri Department of Conservation
11715 Cragwold Road
St. Louis, MO 63122
314-301-1506 x4207

Miranda Wilkinson is an Urban Wildlife Biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, where she focuses on wildlife and habitat management, as well as community conservation efforts. Her work supports wildlife and pollinator health through surveys, habitat projects, and partnerships that connect people with nature in urban and suburban environments. With a background rooted in bird conservation and a passion for the outdoors, Miranda is dedicated to protecting and managing our natural resources while inspiring communities to care for the environment around them.

Sean Gunsten

Demonstration Garden Manager
Brightside St. Louis
314-772-4646

Sean Gunsten is the manager of the Brightside Demonstration Garden, where he has worked for the past three years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and is a graduate of the St. Louis Community College Horticulture program. He is also the owner of Prairie Street Design & Consultation, focusing on native plants and resilient, nature-based landscapes. His current favorite plant is the Kentucky coffeetree.

Register for the St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium

Join us Saturday, May 30, 2026 for this year’s St. Louis Urban Gardening Symposium in Brightside St. Louis’ Demonstration Garden at 4646 Shenandoah Avenue. Please note, registration is free for those considering applying for Neighbors Naturescaping.

If you have questions or need help registering, please call the Brightside office at 314-772-4646.

Click here to register!