Saturday, March 28 2026, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Meet at the Asheville Botanical Garden Visitor's Center (indoor and outdoor class)
This class is a panel discussion with three home landscaping experts!
Love the idea of a native plant garden—but worried it might look “messy” to your neighbors or HOA? This engaging, multi-speaker session will show you how to create landscapes that support wildlife and feel intentional, beautiful, and neighborhood-friendly.
Local experts Drew Lathin, Nathan Buchanan, and Ben Pick will share practical insights on designing with native plants, from choosing the right species to creating structure, flow, and visual appeal. You’ll learn how to transition from traditional lawn to a more ecological landscape, reduce maintenance over time, and navigate conversations with HOAs or neighbors along the way.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or rethinking an existing yard, this class offers real-world strategies and inspiration. The evening will conclude with a networking session, giving you the chance to connect with others—including community members who have successfully worked with HOAs to embrace more nature-friendly landscapes.
Drew Lathin is the owner of Mountain Native Landscape Design and a certified Blue Ridge Naturalist. He has been playing around with native plants in built landscapes for over 25 years as a native plant nursery manager, designer, installer, and consultant.
Ben Pick is from Asheville, North Carolina. He started working in a local garden center in his teens and then doing landscape work during summers through high school. This led to pursuing a horticulture degree from NC State University. He spent the next 10 years working in a variety of horticulture jobs, including world-class gardens across the US and abroad, learning a wide range of gardening skills and practices. He now uses this knowledge locally at his nursery, as well as his garden services company and in classes he teaches.
Nathan Buchanan, founder & Owner of Wildbud Natives, grew up on a Fraser Fir farm in Mitchell County and has been listening to plants for as long as he can remember. After studying horticulture through 4-H and briefly in college, he earned degrees in psychology before returning to his roots in 2016 to start Wildbud Natives. Guided by mentors—both human and botanical—Nathan is drawn to meadows for their resilience, layered structure, and the way they invite people into the life of the landscape. Through Wildbud, he applies ecological principles to build vibrant, functional meadows that weave biodiversity back into the land.
COST : $35 for non-members, ABG MEMBERS get 25% OFF
CLASS SIZE : 40