Caldwell, NJ – Caldwell University brought the community together for a top-notch horticultural lecture in honor of Earth Day on April 22, 2025.

“First off, let me welcome you to Caldwell University,” opened Caldwell University Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Phillip Keefe. “On behalf of our President, Dr. Jeffrey Senese, we’d like to welcome you to our beautiful campus.”

“This is a very special day,” he continued after sharing a brief history of the University for guests who were first-time visitors. “We have the opportunity to hear form one of the world’s premier horticulturists on Earth Day.”

A sought-after and highly regarded lecturer, Duncan Himmelman, Ph.D., has more than 35 years of experience in practicing and teaching horticulture and landscaping design and he was immediately engaging and relatable to the entire audience.

“It’s nice to see such a large group of people here today for this particular talk, Native Groundcovers for Your Home Garden,” he began. “As a welcome to the day, it is Earth Day, and it’s our 55^th anniversary of Earth Day.

“I think it’s great that we are able to celebrate Earth Day today with native groundcovers.”

Dr. Himmelman even came prepared with handouts to accompany the presentation. As a long-time educator, he quipped, “People like to know, ‘Where are we going, Duncan?’, so this is where we’re going!”

He eased the eager crowd in with images of familiar groundcovers – from English ivy to Japanese pachysandra to periwinkle to turf – that set a familiar visual stage for those who may be unfamiliar with the broader concept of groundcovers.

He continued to state what many may not know about these groundcovers. “None of these are native to North America.”

“How many of you know about invasive plants? How many of you have spent hours trying to eradicate them?” As hands went up, he addressed the hand-raisers with some humor by stating, “Good! You’re on my team.”

From there, he taught a masterclass in the importance of native groundcovers and their eco-system services, such as pollination and providing food for birds and other wildlife.

“Native plants that we have here in this area have evolved with the native fauna that is tied to the whole reproductive process of the plant,” he described. “These types of eco-system services are what we want.”

A focus was brought to the eight native groundcovers and how anyone can incorporate them into their landscapes, keeping the eager crowd engaged and inquisitive. He provided practical insights into sustainable home gardening practices and left guests feeling inspired to implement environmentally conscious techniques into their own gardens.

It was a happy Earth Day indeed on the campus of Caldwell University.

Duncan Himmelman, Ph.D., is the former Education Manager at Mt. Cuba Center. He earned his doctorate in Ornamental Horticulture at Cornell University, taught college for 24 years, and has contributed to several horticultural publications. Duncan managed a 20-acre estate in Greenwich, CT and has designed landscapes for both private and public clients in New York City, Toronto, and Chicago.