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!).