Events

Join us for a member panel on planting natives in clay, compacted soils. This is the most common soil condition that our members have at their dispossal for native gardens, so this is your opportunity to ask all your burning questions to some locals with experience on the topic. 

Panelists for this discussion include:

Aaron Stiles: Aaron Stiles is a landscape designer and owner of Foraging Ahead, he has worked on multiple farms and gardens throughout North Alabama and has experience working with and amending poor clay soil.

Lyn W: Lyn is a nomadic gardener and serial leaf bandit.  Whether your goal is to improve the soil or cope with what you have, she can help.

Denise Woodring: Denise has 16 years experience as a landscape designer and owner of Green Thumb Design, in Huntsville, AL.  As a gardener, she has designed and created native habitats and landscapes in clay soils, for her current and former homes over the past 30 years.

Samuel Sikes: Sam has been gardening in his own clay soils for five years, as well as two years professionally as the owner of the former Sikes & Carlton Corporation. Through the years, Sam has installed everything from large, mature burlapped trees and bare-root specimens to mature native plants and native seeds sown directly into garden beds. Unless the species you are installing is specifically adapted for heavy clay, he recommends not planting directly into it. The most effective way to ensure success when gardening in clay soil is to amend it.