IN PERSON (6:30 Social Hour) & ZOOM: When Nancy Ragland brought Jeff Epping on board at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in 1993 and shared her dream of creating a world-class botanical garden in Madison, little did Jeff know that he’d be spending the next 28 years on the journey to make her vision become a reality. Join Jeff in looking back to the beginning and through the years, as he and many talented individuals joined together to slowly, but surely, transform the lawn-laden landscape into the award-winning, intricate and beautiful garden that it is today. Over the last 18 of those 28 years, Jeff also worked with Judy Faulkner and her team of skilled and creative professionals to craft one of the most remarkable corporate landscapes in the country – Epic Systems in Verona. He’ll share some of that gardening journey as well.

Jeff Epping started Epping Design & Consulting in 2009 and just recently retired after 28 years serving as Director of Horticulture at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin, where he has always practiced and preached environmentally conscious gardening. His designs put plants at the forefront to create gardens that are not only beautiful, but also ecologically sound, providing habitat for insects, birds and all the wild creatures they help support. His garden designs celebrate the region, support nature, enhance the senses and satisfy one’s innate desire to connect with the natural world.