The Collected Teachings
Kaitlyn Larson Parker is a fourth-generation horticulturalist, visionary entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and educator who carries more than a century of family legacy into everything she does. As owner and head of innovation at Larson’s Garden Center & Landscaping — a 107-year-old, award-winning family business — she has spent her career mastering the rare intersection of deep horticultural roots and forward-thinking strategy. Kaitlyn translates complex industry ideas into clear, compelling insights that feel both elevated and immediately actionable. Whether she’s commanding a stage in front of industry leaders or leading hands-on workshops for garden enthusiasts and green industry professionals, her presence is unmistakable: energetic, precise, and genuinely engaging. She leaves audiences not just informed, but inspired to think differently and act boldly.
Kaitlyn Larson Parker is a sought-after speaker, educator, and industry voice at the intersection of horticulture, landscape design, and emerging technology. From national conferences to intimate workshops, she brings practical insight, warmth, and real-world expertise to every stage she takes. Below is a look at her past engagements, courses, and talks.
PAST EXPERIENCES / ENGAGEMENTS
KEYNOTE
Bringing AI to the Grounds: Practical Ways ChatGPT Can Support Your School Facilities & Grounds
AI doesn’t have to be intimidating or complicated. In this practical, hands-on session, Kaitlyn breaks down how tools like ChatGPT can be used by facilities and grounds professionals to save time, solve problems, and work smarter — not harder. From drafting maintenance schedules to researching plant solutions, this session gives you tools you can use the very next day.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Garden Center Evolution: Adapting to New Trends and Consumer Demands
A candid, high-energy panel conversation about where garden retail is heading — and how independent garden centers can not just survive, but lead. Kaitlyn brings her perspective as both a designer and industry insider to explore what today’s consumers really want and how centers can meet them there.
PANEL INTRO
GCLC Winter Symposium Panel Intro
When running a small, independent garden center, every decision carries weight. Kaitlyn opened this GCLC symposium panel with an honest look at the realities of small business ownership in the green industry — the wins, the hard lessons, and the community that makes it worth it.
THE COLLECTED TEACHINGS
What follows is a body of work built over decades — keynotes, workshops, courses, and conversations that have shaped professionals, empowered home gardeners, and moved entire industries forward. Every engagement is designed with one goal in mind: to leave you better than she found you.
COURSE
What’s Happening Now — CNLA Course
The horticulture industry never stands still — and neither should you. This course introduces practical ways to stay ahead of shifting trends, emerging plants, and evolving consumer expectations. Kaitlyn delivers a fast-paced, visually rich look at what’s happening right now in the green industry, and what it means for your business or garden.
COURSE
Landscape Design 101 — Building a Strong Foundation
Great design doesn’t happen by accident. This foundational course teaches the core principles of landscape design — from plant selection and layering to flow, balance, and seasonal interest. Whether you’re a homeowner tackling your own yard or a professional brushing up on the basics, this course builds the vocabulary and confidence to design with intention.
COURSE — A-HOM003
Plants I Love — From the Eyes of a Landscape Designer
This is the course Kaitlyn Larson Parker was born to teach. A curated walkthrough of the plants she returns to again and again — the ones that perform, delight, and transform a space. Expect honest takes, insider knowledge, and a contagious enthusiasm that will have you heading straight to the garden center.
COURSE — A-HOM002
Top 30 Plants From the Eyes of a Landscape Designer
Thirty plants. Decades of experience. Zero fluff. Kaitlyn walks you through the 30 plants she recommends most as a working landscape designer — what they do, where they shine, and why they deserve a spot in your garden. This course is packed with practical knowledge and beautiful visuals that will change the way you see your outdoor space.
WORKSHOP
How To Knock The Socks Off Your Neighbors This Fall: Plant The Most Gorgeous Patio Pots On The Block!
Fall doesn’t have to mean the end of the show. This hands-on workshop teaches you how to build stunning seasonal patio pots that stop people in their tracks — from choosing the right thriller, filler, and spiller plants to nailing colour, texture, and structure for maximum curb appeal right through to frost.
WORKSHOP
What To Do With That Winter Squash
You grew it (or bought it) — now what? This workshop takes winter squash from garden to table in the most delicious way possible. Kaitlyn shares her favourite varieties, storage tips, and foolproof recipes that will make you wonder why you ever reached for anything else. Perfect for home gardeners and food lovers alike.
WORKSHOP
Top 12 Plants That Will Change Your Life This Year & How To Embrace Them
Twelve plants. Endless possibilities. Kaitlyn hand-picks a dozen transformative plants and shows you exactly how to use them — in your garden, in your containers, in your life. This workshop is equal parts inspiration and practical know-how, with the kind of enthusiasm that makes you want to drop everything and head outside.
WORKSHOP
Deck the Halls — Christmas Decor! How To Decorate Your Home Like A Pro!
Skip the generic and go for gorgeous. Kaitlyn walks you through how to decorate your home for the holidays with the confidence and eye of a professional designer — from choosing a cohesive colour palette to layering textures, greenery, and statement pieces that make your space feel truly magical.
WORKSHOP
Getting Your Garden Ready For Winter
A well-prepared garden is a happy garden come spring. This practical workshop covers everything you need to do before the first frost hits — from cutting back perennials and mulching beds to protecting tender plants and putting your tools away properly. Leave with a clear checklist and the confidence to do it right.
WORKSHOP
How to Decorate Wreaths and Make Bows Like a Pro!
There is something deeply satisfying about making something beautiful with your own hands. In this hands-on workshop, Kaitlyn teaches you the tricks the pros use to create lush, layered wreaths and perfectly looped bows that look store-bought — but better. Great for the holidays or any season.
WORKSHOP
Foraging for Holiday Decor
Nature is the best decorator. This workshop takes you outside to discover what’s already growing around you — berries, branches, seed heads, evergreens — and shows you how to bring it indoors to create stunning, one-of-a-kind holiday arrangements. It’s sustainable, beautiful, and deeply satisfying.
WORKSHOP
Falling in Love with Your Property This Fall
Ten practical things you can do this fall to transform how you feel about your outdoor space — from simple refreshes to bold moves that set you up beautifully for next spring.
ALSO IN KAITLYN’S REPERTOIRE
Additional Topics & Engagements
Early Spring Gardening · Behind the Scenes Tour · House Plants · Garden Makeovers · DIY Landscaping · Shade Plants Beyond Hostas · Hydrangeas — Why Are They Not Blooming? · What’s New in Plants · Pollinator Pathway & Natives · Composting 101 · Top 30 Plants · Landscaping — Updating Your Space · Introduction to Winter Squash · Glow in the Dark Petunia — Yes, It’s Real! · Running a Business (High School Business Classes) · School Field Trips — Hands-On Learning · On Location — Senior Centers: Crafts, Demos & Garden Talks · AI for Garden Center Professionals
WORKSHOP
Cool Container Planting Class
Containers are one of the most powerful tools in a designer’s arsenal — and one of the most underestimated. This class shows you how to build container plantings that are genuinely cool: unexpected combinations, bold textures, and a sense of drama that makes every pot a conversation piece. Whether you have a balcony or a sprawling garden, you’ll leave with ideas you can’t wait to try.
WORKSHOP
Hanging Basket and Planter Class
A full, lush hanging basket is a thing of beauty — and it’s not as hard as it looks when you know what you’re doing. Kaitlyn walks you through plant selection, soil, watering, and the design principles that make the difference between a basket that thrives and one that fizzles. Leave with the skills to create show-stopping baskets all season long.
WORKSHOP
Creative Ideas for the Garden
Your garden should feel like you — not like a catalogue page. This workshop is a creative deep-dive into the unexpected, the personal, and the delightfully surprising. From quirky design details and found-object features to plant combinations nobody else is doing, Kaitlyn sparks ideas that make your outdoor space genuinely original.
WORKSHOP
Kids in the Garden
Gardening is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child. This workshop is all about getting kids outside, hands in the dirt, and genuinely excited about growing things. Kaitlyn shares age-appropriate projects, plant picks that deliver fast, satisfying results, and the kind of fun that turns a one-time activity into a lifelong love of nature.
COURSE
House Plants 101: Understanding the Basics About Caring for In-Home Beauties
House plants are having a moment — and for good reason. This course demystifies the world of indoor plants, covering light, water, soil, humidity, and the most common mistakes that turn thriving plants into sad ones. Whether you’re a serial plant killer looking for redemption or a collector ready to level up, Kaitlyn gives you the knowledge to keep your indoor jungle genuinely lush.
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