Enhancing Habitat, Resilience, and Beauty in the Garden: Manzanitas and Companion Species
Explore plant combinations that offer year round beauty, support pollinators and wildlife, and thrive with less water and maintenance.
Lectures from the garden.
We speak to groups of curious gardeners about the plants we grow and trial at Dancing Oaks.
Fred Weisensee & Michelle Loughran
Fred Weisensee, a Pacific Northwest native, co-founded Dancing Oaks with Leonard Foltz 30 years ago. Together, they transformed five acres of an old timber farm into a specialty nursery with expansive display gardens. Their search for plants has taken them around the world, but lately they have become enamored with plants much closer to home, particularly the manzanitas of the Pacific Northwest. The world still calls now and then, whenever their beloved greyhounds approve the itinerary.
Their niece, Michelle Loughran, is a co-manager at the nursery with a special interest in resilient gardening. Originally from the Midwest, Michelle now trials plants for drought tolerance and deer resistance here in Oregon. The goats in her own garden serve as the ultimate, even less forgiving garden critics.
The nursery and gardens provide food and refuge for local pollinators and wildlife while offering a firsthand look at what can thrive through cold, drought, and a changing climate in the Willamette Valley.
Our Garden Lectures
We’re happy to adjust the length and focus of any lecture to suit your group, or develop a new talk around a topic you’d like to explore.
The Seven Plagues of Gardening (& plants armed for combat)
A lively look at common garden troubles and the plants equipped to face them.
East Meets West: Dancing Oaks' Shrubs Through the Season
Discover the shrubs and small trees that serve as the cornerstones and unsung heroes of garden beds, creating spaces and paths that guide you through.
Adapting to a Changing Climate
A practical look at how we trial plants for hardiness and drought tolerance, and what the garden teaches us as growing conditions continue to shift.
Unique Hardy Plants for Small Spaces
Discover distinctive plants that bring lasting character and seasonal interest to smaller gardens.
Shrubs for Beauty & Backbone in the Garden
See how well chosen shrubs give a garden enduring structure while carrying color and interest through the seasons.
Surprising Survivors of a Sub-Zero Winter
Meet plants that came through an exceptionally cold winter and learn what their performance can teach us about hardiness.
Trees for All Seasons
A look at trees that keep earning their place in the garden long after their flowers have faded.
Tropical Magic For Northwest Gardens
Discover hardy plants whose lush foliage and bold forms bring a touch of the tropics to Northwest gardens.
Four Seasons of Gardening at the Edge of the Oak Savanna
Follow a year in the garden at the edge of the oak savanna and see how the planting changes from season to season.
Companion Plants For Lonely Rhododendrons
Move beyond the solitary rhododendron with woodland companions that extend interest and make the whole planting feel at home.
Bring Dancing Oaks to your audience
Ask us about a lecture.
Tell us a little about your group, preferred date, and location. We’ll get back to you about availability and details.