Educational Programs

Jennifer Yates is a national landscape design & ecological speaker whose presentations are sought after by Libraries, Historical Societies, Botanical Centers Garden clubs, Women’s Clubs, & Architects. She is known for captivating audiences with her well-researched topics on horticulture, garden design, ecology, history, famous people & more.

Landscape Gardening Talks;

American Romantic Landscapes:Olmsted, Vaux & Farrand 

This talk focuses on three outstanding landscape architects of the 1800’s & 1900’s & their groundbreaking contributions to ecological landscape design. We take a journey through the duration of their lives & projects- the second is a large feature of the beautiful slides of their artistry. We learn how Olmsted & Vaux ‘s partnership created a meteoric rise in their careers. Farrand is so determined to succeed in a male dominated career path. All three focused on bringing nature to the people through the use of native plants, working with nature’s harmony in a time which wasn’t done. We learn of their inspirations & colleagues.  Techniques to achieve their outstanding designs are viewed. The presentation highlights historic places & gardens of interest in the US, many of them are open to visitors.

The Magical Gardens of Bunny Mellon. This fascinating presentation covers much of Bunny Mellons’ life & focuses on her legacy as an important American landscape designer. Highlighted are key moments in Bunny Mellon’s life & career, ranging from her redesign of the White House Rose Garden, to the establishment of The Oak Spring Foundation. Also featured is her enduring legacy of ecology & sustainable garden design. There is a strong focus on how she creates magic in her landscape designs!

Friends & Gardeners: Christopher Lloyd & Beth Chatto. Features the outstanding design landscape design styles of the most important landscape designers that England has ever known. The presentation examines how their work overlaps as well as the differences.s their We learn their individual life stories and their rise to fame as well as their gardening discoveries..Another focus is how they made outstanding designs, as well as ecological contributions. Their interesting book, Friends & Gardeners, is discussed.

Beatrix Farrand: and the New American Garden Design.  Beatrix Farrand is arguably America’s most outstanding female Landscape Architect. This lecture explains how she paved the way for women to excel in the field. Her creativity is demonstrated in over 200 projects: including: The White House, Princeton, Harvard, The Ayrie & more. She was significantly influenced by William Robinson & Gertrude Jekyll where they were the cutting edge of gardening in Europe. Also, her relationships with her Aunt, Edith Wharton (The Mount in Massachusetts) & Mildred Bliss (Dunbarton Oaks in Washington DC) created a legacy of beauty. Beatrix’s diverse gifts for designing hardscaping, featuring sculpture, planting plans, site planning, & ecology were a testament to her tireless spirit.

Olmstead: Parks for People. Frederick Law Olmsted was the catalyst for the concept of Parks For The People establishing an outstanding legacy of national and urban parks. His mission in providing people with landscapes to “escape” congested urban living, highlighting immersion in nature by offering recreational outlets. He had the ability to create naturalistic environments, collaborating with Calvert Vaux whose strengths in Gothic Architecture, bridge design, & city planning complemented Olmstead gifts. Olmsted was a true pioneer in 12 different areas of life vocations as well as one of the first landscape architects in America. Highlights of their collaboration include Central Park, Prospect Park, Niagra Falls State Park, and Yosemite National Park. A fascinating journey in the establishment of parks in America & a look at the adventurist life he embodied.

Topics Include:

• Historic & Famous Landscape Architects/Designers
• Ecological Garden Designs & Sustainable Landscape Practices
• Indoor Gardens/ Outdoor Living/ Greenhouses : Meditation/ Healing Gardens
• Rain Gardens & Ecotones
• Water Conservation in the Landscape & Drought-Tolerant Landscapes
• Edible & Herbal Gardens

Testimonial from Joanne Gabriel, Adult programs Darien Library-“Thank you for your hard work & effort on the research & your wonderful visual presentation. It really showed.”

Testimonial from Angela Dimmit, Head of Mad Gardeners. “Thank you Jennifer for your presentation on Friends & Gardeners: Chatto & Lloyd. “Your presentation was lovely, fascinating & well-researched. We all enjoyed it enormously.”

Testimonial from Darien, Ct Library Amanda Di Maio, Adult Programs “Thank you for your captivating program on Bunny Mellon, bringing her work to life.  Your expertise on landscape design shone through. Your insights & storytelling made her legacy inspiring.”

Calendar 

Sherman Library, 6/28/25 Beatrix Farrand

Ridgefield Library, 7/725 Beatrix Farrand

Bronxville Library, August 21st, Beatrix Farrand

Pound Ridge Library, 1/7/26, Beatrix Farrand

Pound Ridge Library, 1/27, American Romantic Landscapes

Scarsdale Library, 4/11/26, Olmstead:Parks for the People

Scarsdale Women’s Club, American Romantic Landscapes, Spring ’27

Gunn Memorial Library: Spring ’26 TBD 

Darien Library:  Beatrix Ferrand: Ecology & Landscape Designs

Waveny House Jan ’26, The Magical Gardens of Bunny Mellon 

Pound Ridge Library, Jan ’26 Olmsted Parks for the People 

Scarsdale Library, Parks for the People 

Sherman Library, American Romantic Landscapes 

Please visit Instagram for Talk Schedule 

Previous and Upcoming Presentations

Follow the link to book Jennifer to speak to your group with advanced notice please :

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