All About Milkweed

history, culture, pollination, community, design

Go beyond monarchs and learn so much more about this unique genus of plants. Explore milkweed's history, including its cultural importance to various indigenous peoples. Learn about the specialized and dangerous way milkweed is pollinated. Appreciate the many species that use milkweed as a host plant and the beneficial predators that come for a snack, as well as how to support these fauna in your garden. Dive into how monarch butterflies self medicate and the issues climate change presents for the future of this practice and the health of milkweed in general.

Finally, learn how to identify 20 of the most common Asclepias in North America -- and which may be good options for your garden -- then how to design with milkweed in a sustainable and artful space that provides habitat to a vast array of creatures.

With so much useful information packed into a 60 minute video, your friends will soon dub you the milkweed whisperer.

Join award-winning author, speaker, and garden designer Benjamin Vogt on a fifty-minute journey to inspire and invigorate your natural landscape. All sales are final and no refunds will be issued. The class is self paced and remains online at the sole discretion of the author. You have unlimited access to the class as long at it remains online. The class and all material is the sole copyright of Benjamin Vogt (author) and can't be rebroadcast, transcribed, or shared in any way without the prior written permission of the author.


Your Instructor


Benjamin Vogt
Benjamin Vogt

Benjamin is the author of A NEW GARDEN ETHIC and PRAIRIE UP, owner of the design firm Monarch Gardens, and has a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. His work has been featured in The American Gardener, Fine Gardening, Garden Design, Houzz, Midwest Living, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many books including American Roots. Benjamin speaks nationally to botanical gardens, environmental organizations, and city parks staff. He lives in Lincoln dreaming of restoring a prairie and hosting an artist residency program on 40 acres.


"I liked how he connected what we do in our gardens to the overall health of our ecosystem. He provided facts I hadn't heard before and I walked away from the presentation inspired to make changes."

"Wonderful! Combination of knowledge, wit, and alacrity of presentation.... So interested in his topic that he made me interested!"

"He did an outstanding job bridging practical gardening with the philosophy behind why we need native plants in our landscapes. He had great photos, statistics, and personal stories."

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We are sorry to hear that, however, all sales are final and no refunds will be issued.

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