Talking Local Plants! Speaker Series


In anticipation of our Annual Spring Plant Sale starting on April 13, 2026, you will get to hear from TGC staff who are eager to use their expertise to help make your spring planting as pleasant as possible!

Monday, April 6
Doors open at 5:45pm / Talk starts at 6pm

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From Invasive Problems to Native Solutions: Planning Your Garden Using TGC Plants 
with Theo Smith & Kathleen Kapayou

Let us help you prepare your greenspace for native plants!  Volunteer & Restoration Manager, Theo Smith will highlight invasive & non-native plant species commonly found in yards/small lots and how to remove them to replace them with native plants.

Kathleen Kapayou, Director of Education & Engagement, will discuss the native plants growing in our greenhouse and where they can thrive around your home. We’ll discuss sun exposure, plant spacing, and the ecological benefits of selecting plants that will bloom during different seasons. Create a beautiful native garden of your own while supporting wildlife with the help of our homegrown plants!

Attendees will receive a FREE plant voucher and will gain access to a special "sneak peek" of the plant sale with an option to pre-order before anyone else.

Theo Smith, Volunteer & Restoration Manager, has been involved in habitat restoration for years - all around U. City and St. Louis. Calling himself the "scourge of Japanese honeysuckle", Theo is passionate about plants - and helping the underrated, ever-beneficial locally-native ones to thrive. 

Kathleen Kapayou, Director of Education & Engagement, is a Missouri Master Naturalist, gifted gardener, and an incredible garden-to-table cook. She has 20+ years of teaching environmental education programs and learning how children & adults interact with native gardens.  
Questions?  Contact Amanda at 314-725-8314 X 102 OR [email protected].