SPEAKING GIGS

See where Jim is speaking next – or invite him to present at your next meeting!

Recent and upcoming gigs:

  • Professional Landscape and Nursery Trade (PLANTWNY), Buffalo, NY (Friday, February 3, 2024)
  • Evans Garden Club Evans, NY (Tuesday, November 14)
  • Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Erie PA (Tuesday, September 5)
  • Friends of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum Morristown, NJ
  • Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature (C-SAAHN) Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Speaker Series, Buffalo, NY
  • Book signing, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House Buffalo, NY
  • Private Luncheon Reception The Garret Club, Buffalo, NY
  • Keep Hamilton Clean & Green Committee Hamilton, Ontario
  • Flamborough Horticultural Society Waterdown, Ontario

Contact

Topics

  • Garden Tourism
  • Garden Walk Buffalo
  • How to Start a Garden Tour
  • Great Gardens of the U.S. and Europe 
  • The Buffalo-style Garden, Gardens with Art

Fees
$250 local. Out of Buffalo Niagara, negotiable. Travel outside a 30-mile radius by car subject to mileage expense of 55.5 cents per mile. Other travel arrangements and overnight accommodations expenses to be determined.

Technology Needs
Presentations are one hour PowerPoint/Keynote show and talk, with handouts.  I will come prepared with an Apple Keynote/PowerPoint presentation on a MacBook Pro laptop, and all appropriate connectors to work with any standard projector. I will also bring a back-up projector. I would require an outlet/multiple outlet surge protector for power for both projector and laptop. A screen or blank, light wall is fine in a room that can be made appreciably dark.

Recent presentation topics:

Topic Descriptions

  • Garden Tourism
    One of the tourism industry’s fastest growing segments in size and scope is a surprising boon to a region’s image as well as neighborhood improvement and invigoration — and has an impressive economic impact. See by example, Buffalo’s burgeoning horticultural tourism industry including garden tours, bus tours, Open Gardens, contests, speaking events, garden education, a garden art sale, and more. About one hour.
  • Garden Walk Buffalo
    See and hear how a block club garden tour with 29 gardens became America’s largest garden tour — an event called, “the best of its kind” — with 400+ gardens and an estimated 55,000 visitors. Presentation includes photos of Buffalo gardens that have appeared in more than 40 national publications including Fine Gardening, Martha Stewart Living Online, Horticulture, Garden Gate, Great Backyard Gardens, Real Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens’ Garden Ideas and Outdoor Living, and more. Along the way there are garden tips gleaned from Buffalo’s gardens. Garden Walk Buffalo map handout. About one hour.
  • How to Start a Garden Tour
    Practical tips on starting a garden tour, or taking your current garden tour to the next level. Subjects covered include soliciting gardens, finding sponsors, creating maps, promotional materials, press releases and press kits, websites, social media, event planning, setting up a headquarters for the event, insurance, partnering with a visitors’ bureau, survey/research collection, and more. Handouts included. About an hour. Private consultations, as a marketing professional, available for individual groups based on an hourly rate of $100/hr.
  • Great Gardens of the U.S. and Europe
    Extensive travel has garnered images and anecdotes from botanical, residential, palatial, experimental, artistic, classic, famous, and fun gardens from around the U.S. and Europe. Chelsea, Disney, Alcatraz, Lurie, Giverny, Keukenhof, Sissinghurst, the Vatican, Longwood, and dozens more, create a whirlwind of desire to get out and explore the world’s gardens.     About an hour.
  • The Buffalo-style Garden, Gardens with Art
    There’s English-style gardens, Japanese-style gardens, French Baroque-style gardens, Cottage gardens and more. The Atlantic Magazine coined the term “The Buffalo-style garden” as a standout style of gardening unique to Western New York State. A Montreal garden writer suggests it is the first and only true garden style to emerge from North America. What is it? It’s a garden infused with reclaimed, found or re-purposed art, grassless front yards, informal bountiful expressions of a non-professional gardener‘s interest and passions. Be led through gardens from around Buffalo Niagara and find ways to incorporate what you learn so you can create your own Buffalo-style garden. About one hour.
  • Garden Photography
    Through samples of my own photography, how to craft better photos out of gardens. Having had photographs published in magazines from Fine Gardening, to Horticulture, as well as published in a few books, including my own photo-heavy book, Buffalo-style Gardens, I can share what I know works. For a non-photographers, beginning photographers, and folks that just want to get a better shot. NOT technical, not for expereince photographers.

Past Presentations

  • GWA The Association of Garden Communicators Annual Conference, Chicago, Il, Garden Tours, Organizing, Impacts and Inspiration Roundtable Discussion.
  • Buffalo Day at Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY
    Garden Walk Buffalo, a City Transformed by Gardening
  • WNY Hosta Society and Buffalo Area Daylily Society, East Aurora, NY
    Garden Photos, Grow Your Know How
  • Creative Mornings Buffalo, Delaware Park Casino, Creative Changemaker of the Month, interview and three-minute quick talk
  • 20th Century Club, Buffalo
    Stealing Ideas from Garden Tours Like Garden Walk Buffalo
  • America in Bloom Symposium & Awards, San Luis Obispo, California, 2016.
    Tourism from Beautiful Home Gardens: Generating tourism revenue with Minimal Investment
  • Garden Tourism Conference, Toronto, Ontario, 2015.
    Panel participant on The Value of Tourism Awards
  • Garden Tourism Conference, Toronto, Ontario.
    Gardens & Tourism: A Match for Success March 18 &19, 2013
  • University at Buffalo Gender Institute – Buffalo Gardens Symposium
  • Buffalo & Erie County Public Library – Gardening Week
  • Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature – “Imagine” Series
  • WNYS Landscape & Nursery Association – Plantasia Lecture Series
  • Western New York Hosta Society

Published Articles & Interviews

My Garden Has Appeared in:

  • This Old House Magazine, “Small Wonder.” an eight-page spread, June 2017, see online version here.
  • Buffalo Spree Magazine, “Chic Shed,” June 2017
  • Garden Gate magazine, “How to create curb appeal,” August 2012
  • The Buffalo News, “New Ideas from Creative Gardeners,” August 5, 2016 with accompanying online slideshow.
  • Real Gardens, “Vine & Dandy,” Summer 2012
  • Backyard Solutions, “Avoid Costly Mistakes,” Spring 2012
  • The book, Garden Up!, Susan Morrison and Rebbecca Sweet, “Fruit Trees for Gardens of Every Size, Dwarf Columnar Trees,” Cool Springs Press, 2011
  • The Buffalo News’ Buffalo Magazine, “It’s Winter, It’s Buffalo, Grow Something Indoors,” February/March 2011
  • Fine Gardening, “Spice up the night,” August 2010
  •  Horticulture, “Walk This Way, Hometown Pride Blooms at Garden Walk Buffalo,” June/July 2010
  • Great Backyards, “Attention to Details,” 2009
  • Cleveland Plain Dealer, “Nation’s largest garden tour is about to bloom in Buffalo,” July 2008
  • The book, Garden Walk Buffalo, Written by Elizabeth Licata, with photographer Don Zinteck, and designer Jim Charlier, Buffalo Heritage Unlimited, 2006