Encounters With Weed Authorities

how to work with and change the law

Gardening in a more natural style, and advocating for wildness, will invariably draw the eye of neighbors and the weed authority they report you to. But don't despair! Your natural garden -- providing countless ecosystem services -- is important and worth fighting for. It takes folks 20 exposures to a new way of thinking / seeing before they even begin to reconsider their point of view, so take the long view on your journey.

In this course learn how to work with and change the minds of your neighbors and weed authorities by both tweaking your landscape and studying up on the letter of the law -- including victorious examples from around the country. Also learn from some landscapes that could benefit from a few careful changes.

This course will set you on your way to confident empowerment as you lead the way to a more sustainable future.

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 Vogt is owner of Prairie Up, formerly Monarch Gardens, offering garden design, online classes, workshops, webinars, and guidebooks. He is the author of A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future, as well as Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design. His forthcoming book, Unlawning America, will be released by Timber Press in 2026/27. Benjamin’s work has been featured in Dwell, Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Midwest Living, the New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is based in Nebraska and works nationally.


"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."

Course Curriculum


  First Section
Available in days
days after you enroll

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.

Get started now!