Larry Weaner grew up in Northeast Philadelphia with railroad tracks in the back of his family's house, which had just about 15 feet of greenery. Probably not the typical start for a horticulturist-to-be.

“But as soon as I was old enough to cross the street,” he told us last week, “I walked to nearby Burholme Park (part of the Fairmount Park system). I used to wander around the park marveling at the beauty. It was my introduction to plants.”

From this prosaic background bloomed a superstar in the world of horticulture. Last month, the American Horticultural Society, the nation's most prestigious horticulture organization, honored Weaner as one of only six horticulturists in the country to be given its “Great American Gardeners Awards.” 

These awards acknowledge individuals and organizations for their notable contributions to fields such as plant research, garden stewardship, garden communication and education. 

According to an AHS spokesperson, Weaner’s “innovative blend of science, design and interdisciplinary topics has redefined ecological and cultural landscape approaches, offering a comprehensive platform for professionals and gardening enthusiasts alike.”

Weaner, whose landscape design, installation and management firm Larry Weaner Landscape Associates (LWLA) is known for its blend of ecological restoration and native garden design, told the Local that he and his staff at and its non-profit educational affiliate, New Directions in the American Landscape, were “shocked” by the news of their award – given the “giants” in the field who’ve won it over the years.  

“It is quite an honor. We are extremely flattered and humbled,” he said. 

Weaner, 70, also won the AHS's Landscape Design Award in 2021, and his nonprofit won its Horticultural Innovation Award in January of this year. 

“I didn't even know there was such a thing as horticulture when I was a teenager,” said Weaner, “but when I was going to Northeast High School, I happened to get a job with a landscape design company, and I became interested in it. I even went out and bought a tree and planted it.”

Weaner then majored in ornamental horticulture at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, part of Penn State University now, graduating in 1977. For the next five years he worked in the Boston area for what he describes as a “horticulturally sophisticated” nursery. He founded his firm in Massachusetts' Berkshire Mountains in 1982 and moved it to Philadelphia in 1987. 

His daughter Sara, an Erdenheim native and alumna of Springfield Township High School, is the executive director of his nonprofit. She studied education and anthropology at Bryn Mawr College, followed by graduate school at Teachers College at Columbia University.

“Our activities are exclusively educational,” said Sara. “We put on conferences for other landscape professionals and for lay people also. We have two two-day conferences every January, and Morris Arboretum is the co-sponsor. The next one will be at Temple University. Our programs this year will expand with virtual courses this summer and fall and in-person workshops in the fall at different locations.”

LWLA works with both private homes and public places from Maine to Virginia, using ecology-based designs and native plants. They focus on fine gardens with a naturalistic focus and a wildlife-friendly approach that attracts pollinators. 

“We have been pioneering since 1982,” said Weaner, whose firm was headquartered in Flourtown for several years before moving to Glenside. “Bringing ecology into designs that also consider wildlife as well as aesthetics is now popular. We have been doing it since before it became popular.  Our niche is to walk a fine line between fine garden designs and ecological restoration.”

Weaner has many clients in Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy and other nearby communities. 

For more information, visit ndal.org or lwladesign.com.Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com