Testimonials

"Amy, you are a class act!! My phone is ringing off the hook with praise for the evening. I can't wait for your next book!"

--Carmel Public Library Foundation

"Amy was the most fantastic, entertaining and interesting speaker we have ever had. We are still getting such rave reviews!"

--Lafayette Garden Club

"People are still raving about your talk here in May. You certainly took Little Rhody by storm."

--Rhode Island Master Gardeners

"That was the best lecture I've ever attended--not just here, but anywhere!"

--Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

"Thanks so much for including the Arnold Arboretum in your speaking circuit. You gave a terrific lecture on Flower Confidential, communicating the subject with energy, clarity, and humor."

--Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA

"I can see why our committee was so eager to get you here! Thank you for the great event. We got so many positive comments! People would like to repeat it when you publish your next book!!!!"

--Amador County Master Gardeners

"Amy Stewart's recent appearance at Books & Books, in support of her newly released Flower Confidential, is still being talked about today. Her large audience made up of many prominent members of Miami's flower industry was charmed by the disarming way she told the story of how flowers are brought to market. She's funny, interesting, smart and not afraid to tackle any question head on; her audience ate it up. I can't remember an event at the store when almost everyone who came bought a book. Every author should be that effective a speaker!"

--Mitchell Kaplan, Books & Books, Miami, FL

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy book tour to come to our library to do your excellent presentation on your book. You brought the audience with you on your journey to learn about the flower business from its beginning to the current stage. The people who came to the program all enjoyed your talk. It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing you talk about something you seem to be very passionate about. "

--Los Angeles Public Library

"Wow! She is amazing...Provided great insights about writing; loved her presentation...Great presenter!"

--Redwood Writing Project retreat

"Amazing.... She spoke on an outsider's view of the floral industry and how complicated it really is. Stewart spent much of her time focusing on the sustainability of the industry and the need for more organic products in the floral industry... It was interesting to me to see [Stewart] offering recommendations on how to drastically change an industry. It was definitely an interesting talk to see."

"We enjoyed your presentation and have been talking about some of the things you mentioned now that we're back in the office."

"I loved your talk at TPIE...I read your book over the summer cover to cover and loved it."

--Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition conference

Speaking Engagements

Amy Stewart travels the country talking to audiences at bookstores, botanical gardens, university and museum lecture series, and garden clubs and other community groups. Go here for a schedule of upcoming events.

Following is a list of popular program topics, and Amy can also tailor a program to meet your group's needs. Need more information to take to your committee? Click here to download a one-page summary of topics.

To book Amy as a speaker, Email Jacqueline Green.

And if we can't get together in person? There's another option that is easy and affordable! Go here to find out about arranging a 'virtual' meeting using webcam, videoconference, or telephone.

Wicked Plants-The Deliciously Dark Side of the Plant Kingdom

In her forthcoming book, Wicked Plants: A Book of Botanical Atrocities (Algonquin Books, May 2009), Amy Stewart takes on Mother Nature's most appalling creations. It's an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, Stewart presents tales of bloodcurdling botany that will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.

Find out which plant killed Abraham Lincoln's mother, which shrub ignited a global war, and what plant has killed 90 million people. From strychnine to castor bean, from poison sumac to monkshood, from carnivorous plants to weeds that spontaneously combust, Stewart introduces an unforgettable cast of characters and tells their tales with her own wicked sense of humor.

This 45-minute talk is accompanied by dazzling photographs, historical images, copper engravings, and other visuals as illustrations. In addition, Amy will bring seeds and plant samples with her when possible so that the audience can meet some of these botanical villains in person.

The Global Garden: Connecting the World of Horticulture to Your Own Backyard

Bestselling author Amy Stewart was a beginning gardener in Santa Cruz when she wrote the gardening memoir From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden. In the last decade her curiosity about the natural world has taken her to earthworm scientists in the Midwest, flower growers in Ecuador, plant breeders in Holland, and poison gardens in England.

Now the author of four award-winning books, Stewart always returns to her own garden, where she uses the lessons she's learned around the world to plant a lively, colorful, and environmentally-friendly sanctuary. Join her as she shares her unique stories about how science, natural history, and a community of plant lovers have shaped her experience of gardening. As Stewart says, "Gardening is about so much more than what you do in your backyard on the weekend--it's about creating habitat, creating community, and making the world a better place."

Behind the Scenes and Around the World in the Global Flower Market

A one-hour discussion and slide show with handouts (Depending on the setting, Amy can also bring a mixed bouquet and "deconstruct" it for the audience.)

Amy Stewart traveled around the world to learn more about the extraordinary business of flowers. At laboratories, greenhouses, airports, warehouses, and flower shops, she discovered a remarkable intersection of nature and technology, of sentiment and commerce. She told the story in her bestselling book, Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers.

What has been gained, and what has been lost, in the quest for the perfect flower? Does it matter if roses have lost their scent? How do we respond to a lily that has been bred for the convenience of the grower, not the desires of the customer? Are we better off with 209 varieties of daisies to choose from? In a global marketplace, is there such a thing as a socially responsible flower?

Join Stewart for an exploration of the individuals, the corporations, and the technology dedicated to the pursuit of the perfect flower. You'll never look at a rose the same way again.

Cut Flowers at Home and in the Garden

A 30-60 minute workshop with handouts and demonstration

Gardener and writer Amy Stewart traveled around the world to learn more about the extraordinary business of flowers. At laboratories, greenhouses, airports, warehouses, and flower shops, she discovered a remarkable intersection of nature and technology, of sentiment and commerce. She told the story in her bestselling book, Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers.

In this interactive workshop, Amy will teach you the secrets to great cut flowers that she learned from the pros. Find out what it takes to grow cut flowers organically in your garden and even how to plan your crop to bloom in time for a wedding or another special event. Learn a few easy tips for flower arranging, and discover the secrets for making flowers last longer, whether they come from your garden or the flower shop.

The Surprising Secret Lives of Earthworms

A one-hour discussion, with handouts and slide show (and live worms and, for large audiences, the popular real-time Worm Cam!)

Join Amy Stewart, author of The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms, for an entertaining and in-depth exploration of that tireless ploughman, the earthworm. She'll discuss new book and demonstrate the fine qualities of the inveterate invertebrates that have captured her affections. But earthworms are just one part of soil ecology: Stewart will also bring incredibly detailed photographs, taken with a high-power microscope, of other soil-dwelling microbes that form complex and important relationships with earthworms. She'll explain these interactions and their impact for gardeners and conservationists alike.

You'll get a chance to learn about some of the thousands of species of earthworms that have been identified around the world, including the giant worms of the Pacific Northwest. She'll bring several species of earthworms with her and explain each species' unique role in the soil. Stewart will trace the ancient history of earthworms, describe their travels around the globe, and share some of the many secrets of earthworms' lives that Charles Darwin uncovered. She'll also share photographs and anecdotes about some of the most remarkable worms ever discovered, including a giant Australian worm and an indigo blue worm from the Philippines.

Worm Composting and Healthy Soil Workshop

A 30-60 minute workshop with handouts, live worms, and a demonstration bin

Thousands of earthworms can live in a small worm bin and consume all your kitchen scraps, creating earthworm castings that are rich in soil microbes and help produce healthy, disease-free plants. Worm composting is also a fun project for parents and kids to do together, allowing kids to learn firsthand about recycling and earth science.

Join Amy Stewart, author of The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms, to find out all about the care and feeding of earthworms, and learn more about the extraordinary role that these creatures play in the soil. This hands-on course in worm composting will give you all the necessary information to get you and your worms started. Even better, you'll hear the latest, up-to-the-minute science on the specific benefits of worm castings for your soil, and find out how to increase and support the worm populations that already live in your garden.

A Chronicle of Gardening Adventures

A 30-60 minute discussion with slides and handout

Amy Stewart's garden journal was the inspiration for her popular gardening memoir, From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden. Now she when she writes about her garden, she publishes the results online through her blog, Dirt by Amy Stewart, which lets her meet other gardeners around the world. In this talk, Stewart will discuss the challenges and rewards of keeping a seasonal garden journal. She'll demonstrate techniques for keeping a journal online, on the computer, or in a simple sketchbook, and she'll share her secrets for telling a great horticultural story.

From the Ground Up was chosen for the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers series. Kirkus Reviews called it 'a rich feast of a book that celebrates the extraordinarily satisfying joys of making and keeping a garden.'

Writing Workshops

Amy also teaches half-day workshops on writing creative nonfiction and on garden and nature writing. Contact her for more information.

Amy's recent speaking engagements have included:

American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
United States Botanic Garden, Washington, DC
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Missouri Botanic Garden, St. Louis, MO
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles Public Library 'Aloud' series
San Francisco Flower & Garden Show
Seattle Flower & Garden Show
Portland Home & Garden Show
Green Spring Botanical Garden, Fairfax, VA
Wave Hill Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY
Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross, CA
Bookstores and garden clubs nationwide