August 9 - 6pm

John Forti, The Heirloom Gardener

Zoom meeting and Presentation!  

Meeting connection link

Please join the San Diego Horticultural Society on Monday, August 9, 2021 at 6 pm (pst) on Zoom for a presentation by John Forti, author of The Heirloom Gardener,  as he offers a garden historian’s pathway to remembering the joys and lessons that pre-industrial technologies and heirloom garden crafts can offer if we choose to adapt them to foster a more sustainable future. 

Modern Life is a cornucopia of technological wonders. But are we losing the tangible bond with the natural world that was enjoyed by previous generations? Author John Forti celebrates gardening as a craft and share the plants, lore, and traditional practices that link us with our environment and with each other.

“Heirlooms hold the keys to the past, though their patina may have changed over time. They provide cultural context, common roots, and shared stories, and these are times to cultivate common ground. Heirlooms come in many forms, all of which involve a legacy of skill, craft and memory. . . John’s goal is not to live in the past but to be present and participate in the betterment of his corner of the world. . . In his work as a garden historian and herbalist, he is not blind to the short-comings, biases, and errors of earlier times, but also sees families connected to seeds and soil, people connected to place, and a deep value for living in concert with our environment.” - John Forti, excerpt from the introduction to The Heirloom Gardener.

John Forti is a garden historian, horticulturist, and ethnobotanist who has directed gardens for Plimoth Plantation Museum, Strawberry Banke Museum, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and Bedrock Gardens. He also serves as a regional Slow Food Governor and biodiversity specialist for Slow Food USA.