Get Growing!

Going Native –  A Personal Journey from Cultivars and Chemicals to Landscaping with Natives with Hal Mann

These educational and often hands-on weekly gardening programs are held every Thursday throughout the summer and feature guest speakers and a variety of gardening topics.  The programs are held from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. at the Train Station unless otherwise noted. Programs are free of charge and registration is not required.

In 2012 Hal Mann decided to convert his home landscaping to all native plants. He’ll explain what influenced him to change from his life-long understanding and use of conventional landscaping made up of cultivars and non-native plants. He’ll describe the removal of invasive species and show the wonderful surprises that followed. You’ll travel with him as he struggled to break emotional attachments to some favorite non-native plants, share the compromises that were necessary to ensure harmony in his household and learn about interesting wildlife that came to make their homes on his property.

Hal makes his living as a day trader. He’s been a professional photographer, realtor, mutual fund salesman, CPA, and partner and financial officer of a small manufacturing company. Now, while working full time, he volunteers over 300 hours a year to various conservation, church, and community programs. He is a Master Gardener and Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist. He served on the Steering Committee of the Green Ribbon Initiative and was president of the Wild Ones Oak Openings Region Chapter for six years. He is editor of their monthly newsletter. Hal serves on the Stewardship Committee of Black Swamp Conservancy, and the Wild Ones National Monarch Butterfly Conservation Program. He is a founding team member of the Sacred Grounds Toledo program and on the Toledo Catholic Diocese Laudato Si’ Task Force. Hal lives with his wife, Ginny, in Perrysburg, Ohio.