Bloom Charleston Featured Speakers

October 18, 2025
Moultrie Park, 41 Ashley Avenue, Charleston SC, adjacent to Colonial Lake
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.


Join us for a full day of inspiring talks on gardening, design, cutting-edge plants and more. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors and partners, these speaker sessions are free to attend. We encourage you to RSVP to help us plan accordingly and ensure the best experience for all guests.

Bloom Talks & Demonstrations:

  • Threading the Needle: Transforming site constraints into design strategies - Molly Hendry

  • From Garden to Vase: A floral design masterclass for gardeners - Joan McDonald

  • From Cottage Gardens to Charming Interiors: How to bring English style to a Southern home - Miranda Crowell & Lucy Hunter

  • Gardening for Life: Cultivating biodiversity & pollinators - Stephen Eich

  • Musical Interlude: A performance by Charleston Symphony’s Brass Quintet - Charleston Symphony

  • Weird and Wacky Plants: Mr. Plant Geek’s guide to the unexpected - Mr. Plant Geek

  • Do's and Don't's Of Gardening in the Lowcountry - Catherine McGuinn

  • Art in Action: A Live Topiary Demonstration - Mike Gibson

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from some of the best in the field! More details, including the full speaker schedule, will be shared soon — check back for updates.

  • Molly Hendry

    Molly Hendry - Roots & Ramblings Landscape Design

    Molly, a horticulture and landscape architecture graduate from Auburn University, worked in renowned U.K. gardens before leading projects at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. In 2023, she founded Roots & Ramblings and now partners with the Conservancy to apply her design expertise at Colonial Lake.

  • The Gardeners Green Floral Design

    Joan McDonald - The Gardeners Green Floral Design

    Joan, a designer, educator, and floral artist with 25+ years of horticultural expertise, creates stunning floral displays and leads workshops. She fosters community through leadership in garden clubs and as Garden Editor of Charleston Magazine, and enjoys cottage living in downtown Charleston.

  • Miranda Crowell

    Miranda Crowell - Better Homes & Gardens

    Miranda Crowell, Associate Editorial Director for Better Homes & Gardens, has 20+ years of experience writing for top publications including Martha Stewart Living and The New York Times. Based in the Bay Area, she blends editorial expertise with horticultural knowledge in her low-water garden.

  • Lucy the Flower Hunter

    Lucy Hunter - Lucy the Flower Hunter

    Lucy, a multi-award-winning English landscape designer with 20+ years’ experience, is author of The Flower Hunter and A Floral Love Story. She designs gardens, teaches, and creates hand-painted wallpapers for The Flower Hunter LLC, splitting her time between Charleston, SC, and London.

  • Stephen Eich

    Stephen Eich - Hollander Design Landscape Architects

    Stephen Eich leads the design and construction of urban projects from terraces to park redevelopments. Since 2010, he has managed award-winning work featured in Elle Décor and Architectural Digest, and is a recognized expert and speaker on rooftop and on-structure landscape design.

  • Charleston Symphony

    Charleston Symphony

    The Charleston Symphony, one of SC’s largest full-time arts organizations, presents 175+ concerts yearly. With nearly 90 years of history, it inspires and engages the community through innovative, high-quality performances while honoring its rich cultural heritage.

  • Mr. Plant Geek

    Michael Perry - "Mr. Plant Geek"

    Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek) is a TV presenter, speaker, hortpreneur, and author of Hortus Curious. With a background in product development, he’s appeared on ITV and Channel 4, speaking at RHS shows worldwide, inspiring gardeners with his fun, trend-focused approach to horticulture.

  • The Garden Club of Charleston

    Catherine McGuinn - The Garden Club of Charleston

    Catherine has 24+ years in Charleston’s organic industry and coordinates Clemson University’s Organic Certification Program. With an MS from Virginia Tech, she supports organic producers, focusing on education and certification access for small farmers, drawing on her background in farming and community gardening.

  • Mike Gibson

    Michael Gibson - Topiarist

    Michael P. Gibson, founder of Gibson Works LLC, is a self-taught topiary artist with 30+ years’ experience. Known for his “illusion topiary” style, he’s created 600+ living sculptures, featured on HGTV’s Clipped with Martha Stewart, and inspires others through workshops.