Give us feedback! And my Native Plant Studies certificate is complete!
By Lise Fracalossi
I’m settling in to seed collection and cleaning season here at the nursery, an activity which has left my fingers stained blue and my eyes straining (those summersweet seeds are tiny, yo). Things feel a bit calmer than the height of the season, but it’s never too quiet around here…
Help us grow taller!
Help us serve you better! If you interacted with Red Trillium Gardens in 2025 – even if you didn’t make a purchase – we’d love feedback on your experience.
I’ve put together this feedback form, and I’d be honored if you took a few minutes to fill it out. Only five questions are required, and it shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to complete.
I’ve enjoyed getting to know y’all this year, and I am truly grateful for your patronage and interaction. Here’s to an even better 2026!
Native Plant Studies certificate complete!
This week I sent Native Plant Trust confirmation of my completion of the Native Plant Studies basic certificate.
I’d already confirmed that two years of running a native plant nursery covered the community service requirement, so the last step was to put together my portfolio. Here’s the cover image I used for the (actual, physical) portfolio:
Did I need to make the fancy cover? I did not. But it was fun to do anyway. And those are all photos I took myself! Of course I had to include a red trillium!
I haven’t heard back from Native Plant Trust yet, and honestly, I’m not sure what happens next. Do I get a neat diploma? Is there a graduation ceremony? Do I learn a secret handshake? Do I receive a letter in the mail informing me I’m now legally a nerd?
Personally, I’m hoping it’s the latter.
Here are some more pictures from inside the portfolio:
The credit tracking sheet, which I put at the beginning of the portfolio.
I have tabs for each class.
Part of an assignment I did for my Native New England Shrubs class, on Lindera benzoin (spicebush).
Some notes from the Botany of the Connecticut Coast field study I did recently. Of course I write in cursive, a script indecipherable to people under the age of 30 😆
Why did I decide to pursue the certificate? Obviously I don’t need a piece of paper to legitimize my knowledge of native plants! Mostly I did it because I wanted to take the courses anyway, and I figured, hey, I might as well get some resume material out of it.
I began this process in late 2022, not long before my mother died, and it’s been… a Time™️ in my life. A challenging one. It continues to be. But this, and the nursery, continue to be a source of joy and meaning for me.
Thank you for being a part of this ❤️
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Featured image: The fruits of Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry). Photo by Lise Fracalossi; taken August 2021 at Ausable Point Campground, Peru, NY.