October 4, 2017
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The garden reader:
A "school" of gardens and creatures
By William Scheick
Lolly Tai. The Magic of Children's Gardens: Inspiring through Creative Design. Temple University Press, 2017. 376 pp. $75.00.
Three years ago I had the pleasure of photographing the inaugural of the family-garden addition to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. My description of that new place in
Texas Gardener (Sept.-Oct. 2014) noted that it was designed to reconnect children to nature.
In
The Magic of Children's Gardens Lolly Tai devotes 14 well illustrated pages to this Austin garden - ranked by her as one of the "nineteen case studies of outstanding children's outdoor environments." She suggests that in this family garden "children may have fun without even realizing they are absorbing information and learning."
Tai hopes to inspire the creation of still more similarly kid-centered, outdoor "schools." To that end in her book, she relies primarily on superb color illustrations.
Her assembly of 697 drawings, sketches and photographs of successful child-oriented outdoor environments depict the best practices for successful designs. These designs include management of scale, water, plants, wildlife, heights, retreat or enclosure, make-believe, creative and active play, and stimulation of the five senses.
Tai points out that the creation of such youth-purposed playscapes is important today because more and more youngsters grow up in nature-degraded cities or simply spend less time outdoors. "When nature no longer occurs naturally for children, it is imperative that we collectively work to design spaces that provide opportunities for children to explore and experience nature."
Restoring kids' contact with nature fosters their physical, emotional, intellectual and creative wellbeing. Moreover, Tai adds, when such recreational exposure to nature emphasizes sustainable landscape concepts, this encounter "instill[s] in them environmental stewardship at an early age."
In addition to a keen close-up look at the 19 featured locations, a helpful, detailed resource guide to other multi-state youth-oriented gardens concludes Tai's book. Besides the Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, other (pre-hurricane Harvey) Texas locations include Rockport, Corpus Christi, Orange, Houston, San Antonio, Kerrville, Weatherford and Dallas.
Parents on the lookout for uniquely special places to visit with their children will especially appreciate
The Magic of Children's Gardens.
Matt Sewell. A Charm of Goldfinches and Other Wild Gatherings. Ten Speed Press, 2017. 144 pp. $14.99.
For a refreshing reintroduction to nature designed for children and adults alike, Matt Sewell has beautifully illustrated a quirky album of current and forgotten collective nouns associated with the animal world.
"We as humans are romantic poets at heart, who delight in the idiosyncrasies of the natural world," the author reminds us. So while "most groups of wildlife can be described as a flock, herd or shoal ... where is the fun in ending there?"
Some expressions will be comfortably familiar, including a school of whales, a pod of dolphins, a pride of lions, a band of coyotes and a murder of crows. Other fascinating collective nouns have become more obscure over time, such as a deceit of lapwings, a kettle of hawks, a descent of woodpeckers and a bellowing of bullfinches.
Highlighting each animal's characteristic behavior in one to three paragraphs, Sewell succinctly explains the origin of these memorable phrases. Then, on an adjacent page, he provides a seemingly animated and totally captivating watercolor of these creatures.
A Charm of Goldfinches radiates magical charm, making it a little treasure.
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| New citrus planting method stops bugs, yields additional benefits
By
Kathleen Phillips
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
A planting design that outwitted a weevil in Texas citrus groves has yielded numerous other benefits for growers and brought better quality oranges and grapefruits to consumers, experts say.
Enter the Diaprepes root weevil in 2000. The insect was found to be chewing up Texas citrus tree roots underground, then busting through the soil and up the tree to feast on leaves. Researchers began looking for a way to disrupt the weevil's path.
By 2009, studies found all it took to stop the pest was a layer of plastic mesh over
the soil beneath the tree, according to lead scientist Dr. Mamoudou Sétamou, professor of entomology at Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center in Weslaco.
The plastic forms a barrier that the weevil cannot penetrate either from the ground up or from the tree to the soil, the researchers on the project explained, and thus the pest's life cycle was interrupted, and it could not live there.
But after several years, Sétamou and others on the project realized that with field work, irrigation of the trees and washing rains, soil would become deposited on top of the plastic mesh layers. That led the team to try planting citrus trees on raised beds of soil and then covering the beds with plastic mesh. This design has proven effective in stopping Diaprepes root weevils and preventing soil accumulation to build.
And that might have been the end of the story, but the research team began to notice other benefits after years of watching for the weevils.
Dr. Olufemi Alabi, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service plant pathologist, Weslaco, said the planting method also has proven to save the growers money on inputs while yielding more fruit per acre.
"Traditionally, the planting density in the Rio Grande Valley is 121 trees per acre," said Alabi, who joined the project in 2013. "With the new planting design, growers can easily increase this to 165-218 trees."
The raised beds are 10-feet wide at the base, slope to 8 feet at the top and are about 18 inches tall, Alabi said. The plastic mesh is applied across the beds in a continuous length from one end of the row to the other.
The configuration has saved irrigation water, Alabi said, because the plastic mesh reduces evaporation from the root zone meaning less water is needed. The method also reduces the need for chemical sprays against the weevils and weeds, which can't grow through the plastic mesh.
Alabi said now that citrus greening has also emerged as a threat against citrus production, the novel planting method is being examined as a potential aid against that disease as well.
"Our hypothesis is that the new planting design will bring young citrus trees to earlier production compared to the traditional method, so the productive capacity of the grove can be realized prior to and even in the presence of citrus greening disease," said Alabi, who is collaborating on the study with Setamou,
growers and the Texas Citrus Pest and Disease Management Corp. The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group.
That study is also recording additional benefits of the planting design in 30 acres planted in the study at the Citrus Center in Weslaco and another 100 acres planted by cooperating growers, Alabi said. Another 145 acres are likely to be planted in the new style by the end of the year.
"Ironically, despite the disease and pest issues, citrus acreage in Texas has been steadily increasing the last three to four
years," Alabi said. "And more interesting is an increase in gross returns per acre due to a combination of factors, including the outputs of these research efforts."
Almost 27,000 acres of citrus in a three-county area of the Lower Rio Grande Valley annually yield more than 9 million cartons of fresh grapefruit and oranges plus 5 million cartons of juice fruit valued at more $100 million dollars, according to Texas Citrus Mutual.
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Gardening tips
Plant your cole crops, like broccoli and collards, early this month to allow time for them to develop and mature before the first hard freeze. Even though they can handle a few degrees below freezing, they will be damaged by a drop to the mid- to low 20s.
Have a favorite gardening tip you'd like to share?
Texas Gardener's Seeds is seeking brief gardening tips from Texas gardeners to use in future issues. If we publish your tip in
Seeds, we will send you a copy of
Texas Gardene
r's 2017 Planning Guide & Calendar. Please send your tips of 50 words or less to the editor at:
Garde
ning Tips.
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Upcoming garden events
If you would like your organization's events included in "Upcoming Garden Events" or would like to make a change to a listed event, please contact us at Garden Events. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details at least three weeks prior to the event.
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Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath have disrupted activities all along the Gulf coast and well inland. Before attending any event listed below, please contact the event organizers to ensure that it has not been cancelled, rescheduled, or relocated.
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OCTOBER
Katy: Mary Karish, Texas Gardener contributing writer, will teach Organic Gardening & Fruit Orchard Management during October and November. This course will teach you how to enrich your soil with organic matter. You will learn how to generate compost that is loaded with nutrients and disease fighting capabilities. You will also learn how to establish a garden area, seed starting and transplanting. This class provides practical guidelines on selecting and planting fruit trees and citrus that are suitable for your area. Included will be maintaining, pruning and fertilizing fruit trees and citrus as well as organic disease and pest management. The course will combine theory and hands on practice sessions. Practice sessions will be held on Saturdays and timing will be agreed on the first day of class. Limit 24 students. The course is open to the general public. Class will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays (class theory) and Saturdays (practice sessions) October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, and November 7, 14 at James E. Taylor High School, Room 1160,
20700 Kingsland Blvd., Katy
. Tuition: $70. To register, visit http://www.katyisd.org/dept/ce/Documents/Community_Education_Course_Catalog.pdf.
Tomball:
Linda Crum, Texas Bluebird Society,
will present "
Attracting Bluebirds to The Garden
," at 10 a.m., Thursday, October 5. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Victoria: Victoria County Master Gardeners will have a Fall Plant Sale on
October 7 at the MG Pavilion & Victoria Educational Gardens, 283 Bachelor Dr., Victoria. The sale will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude when the plants are sold out. This year the theme will be "Fall Is The Time For Planting" and will have fruit and citrus trees, fall color bowls, fairy gardens, succulents, Texas Superstars, fall annuals, perennial shrubs and color. Arrive early for the best selections.
Tarrant County
: On Sunday, October 8, five private gardens in Keller, Southlake, and Westlake will participate in the Garden Conservancy's Open Days program, welcoming the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Open Day is rain or shine, and no reservations are required. Admission is $7 per garden and tickets can be purchased on site; children 12 & under free. Call 1-888-842-2442, or visit www.opendaysprogram.org for more information. Discount admission tickets are available through advanced mail order. A portion of the proceeds from this Open Day also benefits the Tarrant County Master Gardener Association. Master Gardeners will be hosts at the homes and offer talks on water conservation, composting, insects, propagation and Rose Rosette. Included on the October 8th Open Day: Morrison Home, 217 Chandler Road, Keller - features mature oak trees, perennials, a large vegetable garden, grapevines, fruit trees such as apricots, pears, and peaches, and a focal point fountain. The Stutsman's Garden, 1575 Knox Road, Keller - highlights include hand-built stone walls providing architectural interest, more than sixty-five native post oaks as well as many understory ornamental trees, native and non-native plants, and a charming garden house is a focal point in the perennial garden. Estate of Jan & George Grubbs, Jr., 702 South White Chapel Boulevard, Southlake - features include spiral Spartan junipers, a pond-side gazebo, bronze sculpture, an angel fountain surrounded by boxwood and annuals, extensive perennials and trees, and a pool garden with a five-foot cherub fountain and large planted containers anchoring each corner. Schill Garden, 162 Jellico Circle, Southlake - includes a vegetable garden, a butterfly garden, a greenhouse, a large flagstone patio with a fireplace, and a dry rock bed that helps divert water from the foundation of the house. Paigebrooke Farm, 1 Paigebrooke, Westlake - a former flat-pastured dairy farm has been transformed into an oasis of ponds, trees, hills, fountains, and rock walls. A patio and garden area was designed by Elizabeth Smidt of Great Gardens of McKinney, and features a pizza oven and entertaining spot.
Marion:
The Guadalupe Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will meet October 10, at St. John's Lutheran Church, FM 465, Marion. The speaker will be Judit Greene, wildlife specialist, who will speak on selecting native plants for shady area. There is a plant/seed exchange and greeting at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7:00. For more information, directions to St. John's Lutheran Church, or membership applications, visit http://npsot.org/wp/guadalupe/.
Tomball:
Chris Wiesinger, Southern Bulb Co., and
Heidi Sheesley, TreeSearch Farms,
will present "
Bulbs and Buddies
," at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 10. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Belton: The Bell County Master Gardeners will hold a general membership meeting 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., October 11, at the Bell County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 1605 Belton. For additional information, contact carol.j.morisset@gmail.com or j-upchurch@sbcglobal.net.
Georgetown: Bill Carr, noted Texas botanist, author, and one of the foremost authorities on native plants of Central Texas will present "The Undiscovered and Unreported Native Texas Plants of Central Texas" at the October meeting of The Native Plant Society of Texas, Williamson County chapter, at 7 p.m. Thursday,
October 12. The meeting will be held at the Georgetown Library, 402 W. 8th Street, upstairs. Free and open to the public.
Tomball: Angela Chandler, The Garden Academy, will present "What Your Weeds Are Trying To Tell You," Wednesday,
October 11, noon-1 p.m.
Weeds are unwelcome trespassers in the home landscape, but they have a lot to say. Learning to read them will help you diagnose soil conditions so you can improve the overall health and fertility of your soil. Before you pull them out or reach for the sprayer, take a minute to listen. Your weed management strategy will take a giant leap forward. This class will cover how to read the weeds and what to do with the information. We will also cover the place weeds have in nature, some useful weeds, and a long term strategy to reduce their presence in your garden. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email
info@arborgate.com, or visit
www.arborgate.com.
Houston: "Indoor Plant Purifiers" presented by Linda Gay, former director of Mercer Botanic Gardens. 10-11:30 a.m., October 12, Genoa Friendship Garden Education Building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd, Houston. Free. Harris County Master Gardener event. Limited seating. For more information, visit hcmga.tamu.edu.
Houston: "Old Rose Treasures of New Orleans - Surviving the Heat, Floods and Hurricanes"
is the topic of the Houston Rose Society meeting, October 12, 7:30 p.m. at the Cherie Flores Garden Pavillon, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. The parking lot is Lot C located at Hermann Drive and Crawford Street. Leo Watermeier will present the program. Leo has been the curator of the rose garden in the Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans since its inception. Learn how more than 150 varieties of old garden roses are grown in this historic park and the French Quarter. Leo will also discuss how hurricanes have affected those roses over the years and give suggestions on how to best recover from their impact. Free admission. For more information, visit
www.houstonrose.org
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Conroe
: Fall Plant Sale,
Saturday, October 14. Presentation 8:00 a.m., sale
9:00 a.m. until noon. Come get your plants! Don't forget your wagon.
Montgomery County Master Gardeners,
9020 Airport Road, Conroe
. For more information, call
936-539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com.
Tomball:
Henry Flowers, Festival Hill Gardens,
will present "
Cilantro-Herb of the Year 2017
," at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 14. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Tomball:
Pam and Leah Gunter
will present "
Gunter's Heirloom Vegetable
," (:00 a.m. until noon. Saturday. October 14. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Tyler: From Bulbs to Blooms - Fall Conference and Sale will be held October 14. Greg Grant, Texas Gardener contributing editor, and Smith County Horticulture Agent and Bulb Expert, will be the featured speaker on Hard to Find Bulbs and Bulbs good for the South. Along with bulbs, trees and shrubs will be available. Registration, 8:30 a.m.; Program, 9:00 a.m.; Sale, 11:30 a.m. Harvey Hall, 2000 W Front St., Tyler. Free and open to the public. For additional information, visit https://txmg.org/smith/coming-events/ or call 903-590-2980.
Tomball:
Gaye Hammond, Houston Rose Society,
will present "
Landscaping with Flare
," at 11:00 a.m., Sunday, October 15. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Houston: Harris County Master Gardener Prec. 2 Open Garden Day, 8:30-11:00 a.m., October 16, Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd, Houston. Free. Master Gardeners will answer gardening questions. For more information, visit hcmga.tamu.edu.
Tomball:
Jeremy Kollaus, Swiss Alp Growers
, will present "
Leafy, Luscious and Lots to Harvest
," at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 19. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Tomball:
Angela Chandler, The Garden Academy,
will present "
Rain Gardens
," at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 21. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com .
Tomball: Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN, will present "Liver Lingo of Plants," Wednesday,
October 25, noon-1 p.m.
Our livers cleanse the blood. They are the filtering factories of our bodies. Plants can supply the nutrients to keep the liver clean, clear and healthy. When the liver is working properly the blood moves nutrients, hormones are flushed, recycled and balanced. Weight can be better regulated when fat, drugs and other toxins can be removed from the abdomen. Learn the plants involved in Liver Lingo. Maybe this year the holiday 5-20 lbs. gain will miss you. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email
info@arborgate.com, or visit
www.arborgate.com.
Tomball:
Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN,
will present "
Teas, Tinctures and Toddies
," at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 28. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
Tomball:
Angela Chandler, The Garden Academy, and Matt & Kelly Brantley, BZ Honey,
will present "
Bee Forum
," at 11:00 a.m., Sunday, October 29. The Arbor Gate, 15635 FM 2920, Tomball. For more information, call 281-351-8851, email info@arborgate.com, or visit www.arborgate.com.
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NOVEMBER
Conroe
: Open Garden Day,
Saturday, November 4.
9:00 a.m. until 11:00. Got gardening questions? Get answers!
Montgomery County Master Gardeners,
9020 Airport Road, Conroe
. For more information, call
936-539-7824 or visit www.mcmga.com
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Monthly meetings
If you would like your organization's events included in "Monthly Meetings" or would like to make a change to a listed meeting, please contact us at Monthly Meetings. To ensure inclusion in this column, please provide complete details.
FIRST WEEK
Kaufman:
The Kaufman County Master Gardeners meet the first Monday of each month at the First Community Church at 1401 Trinity Drive in Crandall. January through April and August and September meetings are at 9 a.m., with the remaining meetings beginning at 7 p.m. For additional information visit http://www.kcmga.org, call 972-932-9069 or email to sbburden@ag.tamu.edu.
Houston: The Harris County Master Gardeners meet at noon the
first Tuesday of each month at the Texas AgriLife Extension, 3033 Bear Creek Drive (near the intersection of Highway 6 and Patterson Road), Houston. For additional information visit
http://hcmga.tamu.edu
or call 281-855-5600.
Dallas: Garden Masters, Inc., meet the
first Wednesday of each month at North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd., Dallas. The club hosts different speaker each month from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bring your lunch! For more information, email Bunny Williams at
bunny-williams@sbcglobal.net.
Kerrville: Hill Country Master Gardeners meet the
first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 pm at Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Hwy 27. For more information visit
www.hillcountrymastergardeners.org.
Midland/Odessa: The Permian Basin Master Gardeners meet at noon, the
first Wednesday of each month, lternating between the Midland and Ector County's Extensions Offices. For more information about location, call 432-498-4071 or 432-686-4700.
Navasota: The Navasota Garden Club meets on the
first Wednesday of each month (September through May) at 10:00 a.m., usually at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center, 300 Church Street, Navasota. If not meeting at the church, a change of meeting notice will be placed on the door at the North entrance. Guests are welcome. Members are from Grimes County and surrounding counties.
Allen: The Allen Garden Club meets at 7 p.m. on the
first Thursday of each month, February through December, at the Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main St., Allen. For more information, visit
www.allengardenclub.org.
Atlanta: The Cass County Master Gardeners meet the
first Thursday of each month at the Atlanta Memorial Hospital Conference Room, State Highway 77 @ S. Williams St., Atlanta. A business meeting is followed by an educational program. The public is welcome to attend. For additional information, call 903-756-5391 or visit
http://cass.agrilife.org.
Fort Worth:
The Native Plant Society of Texas - North Central Chapter meets the first Thursday of each month, excluding January and July, at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. Meeting begins at 6:30 p.m., program begins at 7:00 p.m. Guest speakers present educational programs on topics of interest. Members, friends, family, guests and the public are welcome. For a list of speakers and topics or more information, visit http://www.txnativeplants.org.
Hempstead: The Waller County Master Gardeners usually meet at 9 a.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Waller County AgriLife Extension Office, 846 6th St., Hempstead. For more information on the meeting schedule, visit http://txmg.org/wallermg or call 979-826-7651.
Gonzalas: Gonzales Master Gardeners hold their monthly meeting at noon on the
first Thursday of each month at 623 Fair Street, Gonzales. Bring a bag lunch, drinks provided. Contact AgriLife Extension Office at 830-672-8531 or visit
http://gonzalesmastergardeners.org
for more information.
New Braunfels: The Comal Garden Club meets the
first Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Southbank Clubhouse, 222 Southbank Blvd., New Braunfels.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts a special Peckerwood Insider's Tour at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month. Spaces are limited so pre-registration is required. $15, free for members. For more information, visit http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
SECOND WEEK
Austin: Austin Organic Gardeners Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the
second Monday of each month (except December) at the Austin Area Garden Center, 2220 Barton Springs Road, Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. For more information, visit
www.austinorganicgardeners.org.
Jacksonville: The Cherokee County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Woodmen of the World, 1800 College Ave., Jacksonville. For more information, e-mail Tom Abbott at
tom@deerfield-abbey.org.
Glen Rose: The Glen Rose Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. on the
second Tuesday of each month (September through May) at the Somervell County Community Center in Glen Rose. For additional information, email
stringer030@yahoo.com.
Glen Rose: The Prairie Rose Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets at 6 p.m. on the
second Monday of each month at the Somerville County Citizen Center, 209 SW Barnard St., Glen Rose. For additional information, email
prairierose.npsot@gmail.com.
Harrison County: The Harrison County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Tuesday of each month in the Harrison County Annex building, 102 W Houston St. (south side of the square), Marshall. Meetings are held in the 2nd floor AgriLife Extension meeting room. For more information, call 903-935-8413, or email
wannagrow2@gmail.com.
Marion: The Guadalupe County (Schertz/Seguin) Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the
second Tuesday of each month except July, August and December at St. John's Lutheran Church in Marion. Directions to St. John's Lutheran Church: From FM 78 turn south onto FM 465 and the church is just past the Marion School on the right. From IH-10 go north on FM 465 towards Marion. The Church will be on the left, just before you get to town. A plant exchange and meet-and-greet begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m. Visitors are welcome. For more information or an application to join NPSOT visit
www.npsot.org/GuadalupeCounty/
or contact
guadalupecounty@npsot.org.
Quitman: The Quitman Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. the
second Tuesday of each month at the Quitman Library on E Goode Street, Quitman. It is a diverse group that welcomes all visitors. For more information, e-mail
quitmangardenclub@gmail.com.
Denton:
The Denton County Master Gardener Association meets from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. the
second Wednesday of each month
. Meetings are open to the public. For complete details, visit
http://dcmga.com/.
Humble: The Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, hosts a Lunch Bunch the
second Wednesday of each month from noon until 2 p.m. Take a sack lunch or order a box lunch from Starbucks when you call 281-443-8731 to reserve your spot. Master Gardeners and Masters Naturalists may earn CEU credits by attending.
Jacksboro: The Jacksboro Garden Club meets at 9:30 a.m. the
second Wednesday of each month (except June, July and August) at the Concerned Citizens Center, 400 East Pine Street, Jacksboro. For more information, call Melinda at 940-567-6218.
Longview:
The Gregg County Master Gardeners Association's Learn at Lunch program meet the second Wednesday of each month. The business meeting begins at 11:30 a.m., with the program at noon, at the AgriLife Extension Office, 405 E. Marshall Ave., Longview. The program is presented for horticultural education and is free to the public. For further information call 903-236-8429, visit www.txmg.org/gregg, or like us on Facebook at Gregg County Master Gardeners.
Rockport: The Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, founded in March 2003, meets the
second
Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at 619 N. Live Oak Street, Room 14, Rockport, to discuss all aspects of using and growing herbs, including historical uses and tips for successful propagation and cultivation. Sometimes they take field trips and have cooking demonstrations in different locations. For more information, contact Linda 361-729-6037, Ruth 361-729-8923 or Cindy 979-562-2153 or visit
www.rockportherbs.or
g and
http://rockportherbies.blogspot.com.
Woodway: The McLennan County Master Gardeners meet on the
second Wednesday each month at noon at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 9001 Bosque Blvd., Woodway. Educational programs follow the business session. For more information, call 254-757-5180.
Beaumont: The Jefferson County Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. (social) 7:00 (meeting) the
second Thursday of each month except in July in the AgriLife Extension auditorium, 1225 Pearl 2nd floor (downtown Beaumont next to the Court House). For more information contact: 409-835-8461 or
txmg.org/jcmg.
Georgetown: The Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. 8th Street. Georgetown. For additional information, contract Kathy Henderson at kshend@verizon.net or visit
http://www.npsot.org/wp/wilco.
Orange: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association holds their monthly meeting on the
second Thursday of each month. A short program is presented. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the new Orange County Expo Center on Hwy 1442 in Orangefield. Enter the building in the front entrance, first door on the right, Texas AgriLife offices. Pot luck supper at 6 p.m. Visit
http://txmg.org/orange
for more information.
Pasadena
: The Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardeners hold an educational program at 10 a.m. on the
second Thursday of each month
at The Genoa Friendship Garden Educational Building at 1202 Genoa Red Bluff, Pasadena. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information,
visit http://hcmgap2.tamu.edu
.
San Antonio: The San Antonio Herb Society meets at 7 p.m. on the
second Thursday of each month at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels (corner of Funston & N. New Braunfels). For more information on programs, visit
www.sanantonioherbs.org.
Smithville: The Smithville Community Gardens meets at 5:30 p.m. the
second Thursday of each month at the Smithville Recreation Center.
Angleton: The Brazoria County Master Gardeners meet at 11 a.m. on the
second Friday of each month at the Brazoria County Extension Office, 21017 County Road 171, Angleton. There is a general business meeting followed by a brief educational program each month. For further information call 979-864-1558, ext.110.
College Station: The A&M Garden Club meets on the
second Friday of each month during the school year at 9:30 a.m. in the training room of the College Station Waste Water Facility building at the end of North Forest Parkway, College Station. Expert speakers, plant sharing, and federated club projects help members learn about gardening in the Brazos Valley, floral design, conservation, and more. For more information, visit
http://www.amgardenclub.com/.
Houston: The Spring Branch African Violet Club meets the
second Saturday of each month, January through November, at 10:30am at the Copperfield Baptist Church, 8350 Highway 6 North, Houston. Call Karla at 281-748-8417 prior to attending to confirm meeting date and time.
Kilgore: Northeast Texas Organic Gardeners meets at 1:30 p.m. on the
second Saturday of each month. For more information, call Carole Ramke at 903-986-9475.
Dallas: The Rainbow Garden Club of North Texas meets the
second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Meetings are held at member's homes and garden centers around the area. For more information, visit
www.RainbowGardenClub.com.
THIRD WEEK
Arlington: The Arlington Men's Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the
third Monday of each month (except December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more information, contact Lance Jepson at
LJepson@aol.com.
Cleburne:
The Johnson County Master Gardener's meet on the third Monday of each month at McGregor House, 1628 W Henderson, Cleburne. Meeting times are at 2 p.m. October through April, except December and at 6 p.m. May through September. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For additional information, contact Sue Matern at 817-517-9076.
New Braunfels: The Comal Master Gardeners meet at 6 p.m. the
third Monday of each month (except April and December,) at the
GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. An educational program precedes the business meeting. The public is invited to attend. For additional information, call 830-620-3440 or visit
http://txmg.org/comal/.
Texarkana: The Four Corners Chapter of Native Plant Society of Texas meets at 7 p.m. on the
third Monday of each month at the Southwest Center, 3222 W. 7th St. (U.S. 67), Texarkana. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Belinda McCoy at 903-424-7724 or
blackmtngardens@yahoo.com.
Corpus Christi: The Nueces Master Gardeners meet at noon the
third Tuesday of each month, except December, at Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely Dr., Corpus Christi. An educational program precedes the business meeting. For further information call 361 767-5217.
Evant: The Evant Garden Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m., usually at the bank in downtown Evant. To confirm the date, time and place of each month's meeting, call 254-471-5860.
New Braunfels:
The Lindheimer Chapter (Comal County) of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the third Tuesday of each month at
6:30 pm
at the GVTC Auditorium, 36101 FM 3159, New Braunfels. Meetings include an informative speaker
and a Plant of the Month presentation. Meetings are free and
visitors are welcome. For more information,visit www.npsot.org/w/lindheimer.
Note
: there will be no meeting in June or December.
Rockport: Monthly meetings of the Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardeners are held at 10 a.m. on the
third Tuesday of each month at Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Aransas County Office, 892 Airport Rd., Rockport. For additional information, e-mail
aransas-tx@tamu.edu or call 361-790-0103.
Sugar Land: The Sugar Land Garden Club meets on the
third Tuesday of each month, September through November and January through April at 10 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 702 Burney Road, Sugar Land. The club hosts a different speaker each month. For more information, visit
www.sugarlandgardenclub.org.
Denton: The Denton Organic Society, a group devoted to sharing information and educating the public regarding organic principles, meets the
third Wednesday of each month (except July, August and December) at the Denton Senior Center, 509 N. Bell Avenue. Meetings are free and open to the public. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are preceded by a social at 6:30. For more information, call 940-382-8551.
Glen Rose: The Somervell County Master Gardeners meet at 10 a.m., the
third Wednesday of each month at the Somervell County AgriLife Extension office, 1405 Texas Drive, Glen Rose. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call 254-897-2809 or visit
www.somervellmastergardeners.org.
Granbury: The Lake Granbury Master Gardeners meet at 1 p.m. on the
third Wednesday of each month at the Hood County Annex 1, 1410 West Pearl Street, Granbury. The public is invited to attend. There is an educational program each month preceding the business meeting. For information on topics call 817-579-3280 or visit
http://www.hoodcountymastergardeners.org/.
Brownwood: Brownwood Garden Club meets the
third Thursday of each month, 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. The club meetings are at Southside Baptist Church, 1219 Indian Creek Road, with refreshments and a speaker presentation. Visitors are welcome. For more information, email
boeblingen@centex.net or call 817-454-8175.
Hallettsville: The Hallettsville Garden Club meets at 2 p.m. on the
third Thursday of each month from September through May, at the Hallettsville Garden and Cultural Center, 605 E 2nd St, Hallettsville. Each month, the club hosts speakers that provide informative programs on a wide range of gardening subjects, and refreshments are provided by member hostesses after the business meeting. Visitors are welcome. Please email Sharon Harrigan at
sharonspetals@yahoo.com for more information.
Houston: The Native Plant Society of Texas - Houston (NPSOT-H) meets at 7:30 p.m. on the
third Thursday of each month except for October (4th Thursday) at the Houston SArboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park (4501 Woodway Dr.). For more information on programs, and for information about native plants for Houston, visit
http:/npsot.org/wp/Houston.
San Antonio: The Bexar County Master Gardeners (BCMG) meet on the
third Thursday of each month at the Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 3355 Cherry Ridge Dr., Suite 208, San Antonio. During the months of Jan., March, May, July, Sep. and Nov., an evening meeting begins with a social time at 6 p.m. followed by a free presentation from 6:30-8:30 p.m. During the intervening months (Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec.), afternoon educational seminars/general meetings are held from 1-3:30 p.m. Check
http://www.bexarmg.org/ to verify meeting date for any given month, as circumstances could require a change, and to find information on the speaker and topic scheduled for each meeting.
Seguin: The Guadalupe County Master Gardeners meets at 6:30 p.m. the
third Thursday of each month, at the AgriLife Building, 210 East Live Oak, Seguin. After a brief social hour, the meeting and guest speaker begins at 7 p.m. The meeting is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 830-303-3889 or visit
www.guadalupecountymastergardeners.org.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, hosts the Evening at Peckerwood Lecture series at 7 p.m. on the
third Friday of each month. Tickets are available online. Tickets are $10, $5 for members.For more information, visit
http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
FOURTH WEEK
Brackenridge Park: The Native Plant Society San Antonio Chapter meets every
fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Lions Field Adult and Senior Center, 2809 Broadway at E. Mulberry, Brackenridge Park, except August and December. Social and seed/plant exchange at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Bea at 210-999-7292 or visit
www.npsot.org/sanantonio.
Bryan: The Brazos County Master Gardeners, a program of Texas AgriLife Extension, meet the
fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Brazos Center, 3232 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan. There is a public gardening program at each meeting and pertinent information may be found at
brazosmg.com or 979-823-0129.
Edna: The Jackson County Master Gardeners present their "Come Grown With Us" seminars on the
fourth Tuesday of each month, January through October, beginning at 7 p.m. at 411 N. Wells, Edna. The seminars are free, open to the public and offer 2 CEU hours to Master Gardeners or others requiring them. For additional information, contact the Jackson County Extension Office at 361-782-3312.
Linden: The Caddo Wildflower Chapter of Native Plants Society meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month at the senior citizens building at 507 S Kaufman St. in Linden at 6:30. Visitors are welcome. For additional information, contact Karen Tromza at
khtromza@yahoo.com.
Fort Worth: The Organic Garden Club of Forth Worth meets at 7 p.m. on the
fourth Tuesday of each month except July and December at the Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center, 3220 Botanic Blvd., Ft. Worth. Refreshments are served. For more information, call 817-263-9322 or visit
www.ogcfw.webs.com.
San Antonio: The Native Plant Society of Texas San Antonio Chapter meets the
fourth Tuesday of each month, except August and December, at the Lions Field Adult & Senior Center, 2809 Broadway, San Antonio. Social and plant/seed exchange at 6:30 p.m., program at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit
www.npsot.org/sanantonio or email
npsot.sanantonio@gmail.com.
Houston: The Houston Native Prairie Association meets at 7 p.m. on the
fourth Wednesday of each month at the Cherie Flores Pavilion in McGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston. For more information, contact
hnpat@prairies.org.
Austin: The Garden Club of Austin meets at Zilker Botanical Gardens auditorium, 2220 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, at 7:00 p.m. on the
fourth Thursday of each month. 7:00-7:30 p.m. Refreshments and Social, followed by a presentation at 7:30 p.m. Free. For additional information, visit
http://thegardenclubofaustin.org/.
Leander: The Leander Garden Club meets on the
fourth Thursday of each month (except July and August) at 10:30 a.m. at the community room behind the Greater Texas Federal Credit Union,1300 N. Bell, Cedar Park, unless there is special event planned. Following a program and short business meeting, we share a pot-luck luncheon. To confirm the meeting place and time, please call president Cathy Clark-Ramsey at 512-963-4698 or email
info@leandergc.org.
Dallas: The Dallas County Master Gardeners meet the
fourth Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. For location and program information, visit
h
ttp://www.dallascountymastergardeners.org/ or contact The Helpdesk, M-F, 8 to 4:30 214-904-3053.
Dallas: The Greater Dallas Organic Garden Club meets at 7:00 p.m. on the
fourth Thursday of each month at the REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Dallas. For more information, call 214-824-2448 or visit
www.gdogc.org.
Arlington: The Arlington Organic Garden Club meets from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. on the
last Thursday of each month (except November and December) at the Bob Duncan Center, 2800 S. Center Street, Arlington. For more information, contact David at 817-483-7746.
Hempstead: The Peckerwood Garden Conservation Foundation, 20559 F.M. 359, Hempstead, holds an Open Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. Tours start at 10 a.m. and the last tour leaves at 2 p.m. Tickets available online or at the gate. $10, free for members. For more information, visit http://www.peckerwoodgarden.org/explore/visit-peckerwood-garden/.
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