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.
You can also watch videos of Amy Stewart discussing her books here.
To book Amy as a speaker, send an email to .
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.
Coming in May 2011: Wicked Bugs!
The follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities is coming soon! Wicked Bugs takes a darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the natural world.
You'll meet creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. From the world's most painful hornet, to the flies that transmit deadly diseases, to millipedes that stop traffic, to the "bookworms" that devour libraries, to the Japanese beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary power of six and eight-legged creatures. It's a mixture of history, science, murder, and intrigue that begins--but doesn't end--in your own backyard.
This 45-minute talk is accompanied by dazzling photographs, historical images, copper engravings, and other visuals as illustrations. In addition, Amy may bring actual specimens with her-- but don't worry--they don't bite!
Also coming in 2011: The Wicked Bugs Traveling Exhibit! Go here to find out about booking the exhibit at botanical gardens, science museums, zoos, libraries, and other venues.
Wicked Plants-The Deliciously Dark Side of the Plant Kingdom
In her New York Times bestseller Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other 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.
Flower Confidential--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.
The Earth Moved--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.
The Global Garden: Connecting the World of Horticulture to Your Own Backyard
Note to program chairs: This talk was developed for groups that requested a "best of" or "greatest hits" style talk. It covers elements from all of Amy's books.
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."
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.
From the Ground Up--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 & Communication Workshops
Narrative Nonfiction Workshops
Amy also teaches half-day workshops on writing creative nonfiction and on garden and nature writing. Contact her for more information.
Seminars for the Horticultural Industry and Retailers
As a regular contributor to Garden Chic magazine, Amy Stewart speaks regularly to the horticultural industry. A sampling of topics are below.
TECHNOLOGY: Social Media and Public Relations
As an early adopter of blogging and social networking, Amy teaches workshops for horticulture industry professionals on how to use digital tools like Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, and blogs to connect with customers. She's also taught public relations strategies to horticulture business owners, focusing on finding the story aimed at getting the media interested, and winning a new generation of interested, engaged customers.
GREEN TRENDS: How to Sell Native, Wildlife and Habitat Gardening
A 60 minute discussion with slide show for horticulture industry professionals
As gardeners embrace green practices, they realize that their backyard is an ecosystem that not only supports their own lifestyle, but provides a haven for birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife that have been displaced by development. Birdwatchers, school children studying natural science, and anyone who wants to get closer to nature can-and should-turn to their local, independent garden center and horticultural professionals for wildlife gardening resources. Take home new strategies for promoting native plants and wildlife-friendly gardening practices, all inspired by the National Wildlife Federation's innovative Backyard Habitat program.
GREEN TRENDS: Kitchen Gardening
A 60 minute discussion with slide show for horticulture industry professionals
The slow food movement has encouraged foodies to support local farmers and eat seasonally. Many locavores are making the transition from gourmet to gardener, getting out into the garden for the first time to grow some of the local, seasonal produce they crave. Families on a tight budget are also getting into growing their own food as a way to stretch their grocery budget, spend more time at home with the family, and get some free exercise. Organic and eco-friendly methods are more important to kitchen gardeners than any other group. Get some ideas for how to turn your garden center into an eco-friendly one-stop-shop for culinary gardeners. We'll cover organic fertilizers, pest and disease controls, and weed controls, with some fresh ideas for connecting the green movement and the local food movement at your garden center.
GREEN TRENDS: The Eco-Friendly Garden Business
A 60 minute discussion for horticulture industry professionals
You're reaching environmentally-minded customers with native plants, organic fertilizers, and other eco-friendly products. But what about your own business practices? Discover dozens of strategies to go green at your own business and inspire your customers. Everything from eco-certification programs to recycling projects to energy reduction will be covered in this idea-packed seminar.
Amy's recent speaking engagements have included:
American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
United States Botanic Garden, Washington, DC
Google Author Series, Mountainview, CA
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, CA
Independent Garden Center (IGC) Show, Chicago, IL
California Statewide Master Gardener Conference, Asilomar, CA
Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD
New York Horticultural Society, New York, NY
University of Minnesota horticultural lecture series, Minneapolis, MN
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston, MA
American Horticultural Society, Alexandria, VA
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Missouri Botanic Garden, St. Louis, MO
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
Los Angeles Public Library 'Aloud' series, Los Angeles, CA
New England Flower Show, Boston, MA
Cincinnati Flower Show, Cincinnati, OH
San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, San Francisco, CA
Northwest Flower & Garden Show, Seattle, WA
Portland Home & Garden Show, Portland, OR
Green Spring Botanical Garden, Fairfax, VA
Wave Hill Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY
New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY
Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross, CA
Bookstores, botanical gardeners, master gardeners, and garden clubs nationwide
