2025 Spring Fever Symposium

 

Kelly D. Norris is one of the leading horticulturists of his generation. In his practice,
he explores the narrative of place through site-specific plantings and landscape
interventions. An award-winning author and plantsman, Kelly’s work in gardens has
been featured in The New York Times, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart
Living, Fine Gardening, Garden Design, and numerous television, radio, and digital
media appearances. His forthcoming book Your Natural Garden from Cool Springs
Press launches in late 2024.

Kelly’s interdisciplinary studio works in public and private places across North
America. He’s the founder and curator of The Public Horticulture Company, an
emerging ecological landscape startup based in Des Moines, Iowa. The studio
annually produces the New Naturalism Academy, a virtual school for enthusiastic
designers, as a commitment to continuing education and lifelong learning.

He is the former director of horticulture and education at the Greater Des Moines
Botanical Garden, where for eight years, he directed efforts in design, curation,
programming, garden, and facility management after serving as the owner’s
representative to nearly $20 million in capital projects.

Lois is originally from Alberta, Canada and obtained undergraduate and graduate
degrees in Genetics at the University of Alberta before earning her PhD at the
University of Nebraska, Lincoln in the Department of Plant Pathology. After a career in
various research, teaching, and academic advising roles, she retired from Iowa State
University in 2020.

Lois is the founding President of the Russ O’Harra Hosta Society and also served on
the Board of the Iowa Arboretum and Gardens for 15 years. Lois has been a Director of
the American Peony Society (APS) for several years and is currently its President. APS
is the international registration authority for the genus Paeonia.

The Iowa Arboretum has been part of her peony journey as it is where she first
encountered woody (tree) peonies. Since 1995 Lois has been growing all types of
peonies (woody, herbaceous, Itoh) with a special emphasis on species peonies and
those bred by A.P. Saunders who is considered the “father of the modern peony”. In
2020 she started a website devoted to Saunders peonies (saunderspeonies.com) and is
currently writing a book on the topic.

Eric has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 2014 and a
Board Certified Master Arborist since 2023. Eric has been working
in the tree industry since 2009 in Ohio, Minnesota, and now
Iowa. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management from
Cedarville University, and holds a high value on constant, lifelong
learning. He has held the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification
(TRAQ) through the International Society of Arboriculture and is a
member of the Tree Care Industry Association. His goal is to help
everyone enjoy and value their trees, and to help people, urban
development, and trees all live together and be mutually
beneficial. He started Freedom Tree Care in 2022 with the goal of helping people grow their
love for the outdoors through expert care for trees and landscape.

Eric is originally from Minnesota, but moved to Iowa in 2021. He and his wife have 4 children, 2
mini Australian Shepherds, and enjoy all kinds of sports and outdoor activities. You can find Eric
coaching his kids’ baseball and basketball teams, doing CrossFit, or out mountain biking in his
spare time (which is very limited!).