January 3, 2018
|
|
The garden reader:
The sweet smell of success
By William Scheick
Greg Grant and William C. Welch. The Rose Rustlers. Texas A&M University Press, 2017. 246 pp. $30.00.
During the 1980s a search was underway for forgotten antique roses in Texas - bushes that have prevailed for decades in neglected landscapes, abandoned cemeteries or random rural settings.
The search team, masterminded by Pam Puryear, became known as the Texas Rose Rustlers. The group aimed "to preserve, enjoy and share knowledge about the old roses."
All that was needed, Puryear wrote, was "sharp pruning shears, plenty of insect repellent, a sure cure for poison ivy, stout boots, some dollar bills, an honest-seeming face, the words for 'friend' and 'don't shoot' in several languages ... [and] someone to drive the getaway car."
In
The Rose Rustlers William Welch and Greg Grant offer entertaining personal accounts of their shared life-long (thankfully non-felonious) rosarian fixation. Each author profiles his favorite antique roses and also gives superbly illustrated accounts of their own heirloom gardens.
Grant, who recounts "the search for the San Antonio Rose," is thoroughly upbeat about pruning, but he sounds a sobering note about a currently devastating, mite-spread virus: "No garden roses are immune, including tough old pass-along heirlooms, no matter what they have survived in the past."
Rose Rustlers represents a resplendent testament to the "sweet smell of success" both authors have enjoyed with their heirloom floral treasures. And, as a bonus, it's a delight to visit their enticing antique-rose gardens.
Shawna Coronado. The Wellness Garden: Grow, Eat, and Walk Your Way to Better Health. Cool Springs Press, 2017. 160 pp. $24.99.
Besides roses, highly aromatic herbs provide another way for gardeners to achieve the sweet smell of success in their yards. "Taking an evening walk through a fragrance garden after a stressful day can completely revive a tired soul," Shawna Coronado promises.
The author also recommends anxiety- and pain-reducing yoga and exercise techniques for the garden, where health-friendly, nutrient-rich produce can be homegrown. Even just "digging in the soil is a valuable step to wellness," Coronado writes, because skin-to-dirt contact with soil bacteria "stimulates serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter that can affect mood, memory, sleep, sexual arousal and social behavior."
The Wellness Garden includes good sections on kitchen-garden patterns, plant-filled swimming pools and garden tools that help maintain their users' health and safety. Other book segments address the best ways to mow and lift.
Readers will likely appreciate Coronado's reliance on and citation of current research before she presents her recommendations. As a result,
The Wellness Garden offers thoroughly sane, reader-friendly advice on how "eating healthier, exercising regularly and finding an emotional balance in life" can define our "green activities" in the garden.
(Texas A&M University Press).
|
|
 |
|
Editor's Note: Gardening news is slow at the beginning of the year, and many gardeners are unable to work in their gardens during winter. We thought you might enjoy a change of pace during this slow season, so following is a gardening-themed short story presented for your enjoyment. - Michael Bracken, editor
Gamble's Garden Center
By Stephen Johnston
This story takes place that dry summer a few years ago when I was working at Gamble's Garden Center down Highway 105. You know, the one with the large store out front and all of those plots of land at the back for folks in the city who want to grow their own organic veggies.
For years before that, I worked at Mickey's Burger Barn on the corner of 14th and Oak, so if you've had a Mickey's Meal in the last ten years, I'm the gal that handed it to you. Problem was, the number of years I worked there was directly proportional to the number of pounds I gained, and one day I said enough is enough. I saw the Garden Center's help wanted ad and said to myself: veggie time.
And that was a big change. At first, I worked at the register, where I quickly learned that the garden center is really just a hardware store with an emphasis on hoses, hoes and horticulture, and one gazillion extra gardening gadgets that somehow people think they need. And sure, people can be ornery, but hey, I worked in customer service for years. The customer is always right, and I even kind of like making sure they get what they need.
So how ironic is it that I got fired one Tuesday for answering a simple customer question in what my black-rimmed-glasses-wearing Manager Mr. Jordan - otherwise known as Mr. Customer-is-King-and-if-we-don't-have-something-we-always-order-it-and-deliver-it-to-them - thought was the wrong way. I was talking to Mrs. Uppington, and she had asked me why the garden out back was missing something important, and I told her we hadn't had that particular thing for a long time, and I didn't know when we would be getting it. Just as I was answering, Mr. Jordan, overheard me, saw the disappointment on Mrs. Uppington's face, and flipped. Fired me on the spot, then fifteen seconds later rehired me and gave me a promotion.
I know, weird. Let me explain by giving you a couple of choice examples of my awesome customer service ethic.
Example one: I'm at the cash register, and Mr. McGee from over on Wistful Vista comes up asking not just for Hortensia seeds, but the ones from Guatemala. Now, I know we have them. And I know exactly where they are. Problem is, it takes longer to explain how to get there through the IKEA-like maze of our store than to actually leave my post, run to get them (I have lost a few pounds, thank you very much), and bring them back. So I take a quick look around, see that it's quiet, and make my choice. Due to my intricate knowledge of every short-cut in the store (never follow the arrows on the floor, people!) I am there and back in less than 30 seconds.
The issue? At about second 14, Mr. Jordan happens to wander over to my cash register, sees that I'm gone, and that Mr. McGee is standing there apparently waiting to be rung out. Yelling and waving of arms ensues upon my return, until Mr. McGee pokes his walking stick in between us, turns from him, smiles at me, and thanks me for getting his Guatemalan Hortensia seeds. Then he tells me I am THE BEST. We both watch Mr. Jordan back away, turn an embarrassing shade of red, cough, and then mutter something about something and walk away.
Example 2: Mrs. Throckmorten is standing at the cash register one Christmas, and I used to babysit for her before I worked at Mickey's Burger Barn, so I know her really well. Now, her triplets were like The Wild Bunch, and every time she phoned me to babysit, at some point I'd hear a loud crash. She'd say - every time - "Hold on a sec...something just happened!" Then I'd hear the usual muffled parent-kid shenanigans, she'd come back a minute later and say - every time - "I don't get paid enough for this!" I'd say, "Neither do I!" - every time - and we'd both laugh and continue.
So there she is at the cash register, and I'm ringing up her stuff, and I hear a loud crash from the Christmas Tree department down the aisle behind me. I look at her and say, "Hold on a sec...something just happened!"
I laugh, and she laughs, and I run over to help Billy Mills who is buried under an avalanche of Christmas ornaments and bags of fake snow. I dust him off, and come running back to the cash register. Problem is, Mr. Jordan - from the other side of the store - has seen me leave my post in the middle of ringing up Mrs. Throckmorten, and he comes running over like he's training for our town's annual half-marathon. He arrives just as I'm saying, "I don't get paid enough for this!" and starts yelling about labor regulations and cost-effectiveness, and I expect him to start pulling graphs out of his suit pocket, and then he sees me and Mrs. Throckmorten laughing so hard we're wiping tears from our eyes.
"She is THE BEST!" says Mrs. Throckmorten to Mr.Jordan, pointing at me and laughing even harder. Mr.Jordan looks back and forth between us with a wide-eyed stare, and I can see his left eyelid start to twitch. So that was that.
* * *
Enough examples and farce-like misunderstandings. Long story short, Mr. Jordan moves me from the cash register the next summer - despite me apparently being THE BEST - and I'm working out back helping with the plots of land the city people are using to grow their kale and beets. I'm going over the inventory list for hoses and watering cans, and that's when Mrs. Uppington asks me her question.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Uppington. We haven't had it for a while, and I really don't know when we'll be getting it again. What're ya gonna do!" We both shrug, and I start counting hoses again.
Of course, Mr. Jordan has just walked up and heard me say that. Of course.
"Molly!" he roars. "When a customer wants something, we never say we don't have it!"
"Yes sir," I say. "But-"
"And then what do we say, Molly?!?"
"We say we will order it for them, sir. But-"
"And then what do we do, Molly?!?"
"We deliver it to them as soon as possible, sir. But-"
Mr. Jordan raises his index finger in the air to shush me. Then he nods, but a little too vigorously and it makes his glasses slip down his nose. He pushes them back up with the same index finger and continues.
"And how long have you known this singularly important piece of customer service excellence, Molly?"
I sigh and look at Mrs. Uppington, who is grinning from ear to ear. "Since my very first day on the job sir," I say resignedly. I smile too.
"Quite," says Mr. Jordan. "Molly, you're fired."
Then Mr. Jordan realizes that Mrs. Uppington is still standing there. And then he notices that her grin is quickly changing to a frown. He doesn't say anything, but I can tell what he is thinking by the way his head swivels back and forth between us.
He's thinking: Ummm...I don't know what to think.
He finally settles his gaze on Mrs. Uppington, and delivers a sickly smile. "What, my dear, did you ask Molly?"
Mrs. Uppington gives him that stern look that only she can give. "As the manager of a major garden center," she says, "I am sure you are keenly aware that this summer has been very dry. And I'm getting tired of watering my garden by hand. So I simply asked Molly - who is THE BEST, by the way - when we'd be getting rain again. Sir."
You could see Mr. Jordan going over my answer in his head.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Uppington. We haven't had it for a while, and I really don't know when we'll be getting it again. What're ya gonna do!
* * *
So I'm assistant manager over at Gamble's Garden Center now. Looks like it has turned out to be a better career move than Mickey's Burger Barn. I've even lost weight, and I'll be entering the next local half-marathon.
Hope it doesn't rain.
That would be THE WORST.
Stephen Johnston was President of the Short Mystery Fiction Society from July 2006 to July 2008. He has published stories in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Mouth Full Of Bullets (The Best of Year One), Conclave, Amsterdam Scriptum,
and the short story anthology Doses of Death.
His story Jimmy Crick won both First Place and the Reader's Choice Award in the Midnight Road contest. Although originally Canadian, Stephen lives with his wife and two children near Amsterdam in the Netherlands, where he is currently writing a thriller.
|
Gardening tips
If you have ever wanted to try your hand at asparagus, now is the time to get started. Find a sunny spot and dig an 8-inch trench. Work in some rotted manure or fertilizer to the bottom the trench, then plant the crowns and cover with a 50:50 mix of compost and garden soil. Don't harvest any spears the first year, and harvest lightly the next couple of years until your bed is well established. Asparagus loves lots of organic matter. So, in the fall, after the first hard freeze, cut your plants back to the ground and cover with a 2-3 inch layer of rotted manure or compost. A well-tended asparagus bed will often outlive its owner.
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 2018 Planning Guide & Calendar. Please send your tips of 50 words or less to the editor at:
Garde
ning Tips.
|
|
|
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.
|
JANUARY
Hempstead: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Waller County offers the 6th annual Master Gardener Class training. Most training will be held at the Extension Office, 846 6th St., Hempstead, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays starting January 6. Field trips are also scheduled to local horticulture venues. Speakers will be TAMU Extension Specialists as well as local Master Gardeners and horticulture business owners. The training covers topics such as Soils, Botany, Vegetables, Shrubs, Trees, Native Plants, Pathology (Diseases), Entomology (insects), Propagation, Turf Grass, and Landscape Design. In return for this training, participants are required to contribute at least 50 hours of volunteer service in Waller County during their training year for certification and graduation. More details can be found in the application packet. For those who enjoy gardening and horticulture, this program is a fun and educational way to broaden their knowledge base and meet others with similar interests. The cost of the program is $160 and includes a Master Gardener handbook, mandatory background check (volunteer screening) and class handouts. If two family members share a Master Gardener handbook, registration fee for both is $260 total, a $60 savings! Registration closes early December. For more information, call the Waller County Extension office at 979-826-7651 M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or email the Waller County Master Gardeners at wallermgardener2013@gmail.com. The application packet is also available at http://txmg.org/wallermg/classes.
La Marque: "Growing Avocado & Papaya": with Jerry Hurlbert, Moderator and Coordinator of Texas Rare Fruit Growers Assoc, presenting, 9-11 a.m., January 6, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque: "Growing Peaches in Galveston County" with Galveston County Master Gardener Specialist Herman Auer presenting, 1-3:30 p.m.,
January 6, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
Victoria: Victoria County Master Gardener Association will begin the 2018 year with a "Lunch and Learn with the Masters" program Monday, January 8, from noon until 1 p.m. at the Pattie Dodson Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria. Virginia Ruschhaupt, VCMGA master gardener, will discuss "Growing Peach Trees in the Victoria Area." The event is free to the public. Attendees may bring a sack lunch and beverage.
Brenham:
The Bluebonnet Master Gardeners will host an open house for prospective 2018 interns. Information about the 2018 BMGA Training Course will be provided January 9, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Washington County sales Facility, 1305 E. Blue Bell Road, Brenham. For more information, call 979-865-2072.
Marion: Patsy Inglet will discuss "Native Plants and Native Birds: A Relationship Worth Nurturing" at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 9, at St. John's Lutheran Church, FM 465, Marion. Inglet is a docent, board member, outdoor classroom instructor, and citizen scientist of the Cibolo Nature Center; a docent at the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center; and a certified Master Naturalist. A plant/seed exchange and greeting precede the meeting at 6:30 p.m. For additional information, visit http://npsot.org/wp/guadalupe.
Bellville:
The Bluebonnet Master Gardeners will host an open house for prospective 2018 interns. Information about the BMGA Training Course will be provided January 11, from 10:00 a.m. until noon at the Austin County Extension Office, 20 South Holland, Bellville. The 2018 BMGA Training Course begins January 17 at the Austin County Extension Office in Bellville.
Houston: Thursday, January 11, Herman Aure, Galveston county master gardener with expertise with fruit trees, presents "Handling, Planting & Maintaining Peach and Plum Fruit Trees," 10-11:30 a.m. Genoa Friendship Gardens Educational Center Building, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff Road., Houston. Free. For more information, visit https://hcmga.tamu.edu.
Houston: "Modern Roses for a Troubled Earth"
is the topic of the Houston Rose Society meeting, January 11, 7:00 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. The program will be presented by Lothar Behnke. Behnke has been an active member of the garden industry for more than 30y years. Currently he represents Weeks Roses, Simple Pleasures and Iseli Nursery under the ownership of Gardens Alive. He will speak on new Weeks rose introductions for 2018, focusing on Top Gun, a red rose claimed to have superior beauty and disease resistance. Free admission. For additional information, visit www.houstonrose.org.
La Marque: "Collection & Storage of Bud Wood for Grafting": with Galveston County Master Gardener Sue Jeffco presenting, 9-10 a.m., January 11, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. The presentation and demonstration will take place in the Galveston County Master Gardeners' Discovery Garden in Carbide Park. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
Tyler: Master Gardeners at the Library, January 12, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. "Make No Mistake, What Not to Do!" with Master Gardener Dee Bishop. Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler. Free and open to the public. For additional information visit www.txmg.org/smith or call 903-590-2980.
La Marque: "Growing Great Tomatoes": with Galveston County Master Gardener Ira Gervais presenting 9-11 a.m., January 13, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque:
"Square-foot Gardening": with Galveston County Master Gardener John Jons presenting, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
January 16, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
Woodway: McLennan County Master Gardener Steven Lovecky will discuss "Cactus & Succulents!" from noon-2 p.m., January 17, at the Pavilion at the Carleen Bright Arboretum, 1 Pavilion Way, Woodway. Call 254-399-9204 for more information.
La Marque:
"Wedge Grafting": with Galveston County Master Gardener Sue Jeffco presenting, 9-10 a.m.,
January 18, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. The presentation and workshop will take place in the Galveston County Master Gardeners' Discovery Garden in Carbide Park. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
Hempstead: The Waller County Master Gardeners started accepting pre-orders on
November 1 for their 2018 Fruit Tree (and more) Sale scheduled for Saturday,
January 20. Three informational seminars about the varieties being offered are scheduled as follows: Nov. 2 from 10 a.m.-noon at the Waller County Extension Office, 846 6th St., Hempstead; Nov. 4 from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at the Waller County Community Center, 21274 FM1098 Loop, Prairie View; Nov. 9 from 10 a.m.-noon at the Pattison Area Volunteer Fire Department Bldg., 2950 FM359, Pattison. For more information about the sale and these seminars, visit
txmg.org/wallermg or call the Waller County Extension office at 979-826-7651.
La Marque:
"Successful Spring Vegetables": with Galveston County Master Gardener Specialist Herman Auer presenting, 9-11:30 a.m.,
January 20, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com ; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque:
"Small Trees, Small Yards": with Galveston County Master Gardener Sandra Duvall presenting, 1-3:30 p.m.,
January 20, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque:
"Garden Tool Talk": with Galveston County Master Gardeners Henry Harrison, III, and Tim Jahnke presenting, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.,
January 23, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque:
"Growing & Using Herbs": with Fort Bend County Master Gardener and Coastal Prairie Texas Master Naturalist Tricia Bradbury presenting, 9-11:30 a.m.,
January 27, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque:
"'Texas Tuff' Plants": with Galveston County Master Gardener Sandra Devall presenting, 1-3 p.m.,
January 27, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
La Marque:
"How to Grow Roses Successfully": with American Rose Society Master Rosarian and Galveston County Master Gardener John Jons presenting, 6:30-8:30 p.m.,
January 30, at Galveston County AgriLife Extension in Carbide Park, 4102 Main Street (Hwy 519), La Marque. Pre-registration required: Ph 281-534-3413, email
galvcountymgs@gmail.com; for additional details visit
www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.html. Free.
|
FEBRUARY
Tyler:
Master Gardeners at the Library, February 9, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. "Texas Tough! The History of the Texas Superstar Plant Program" with Texas Gardener Contributing Editor and Smith County Horticulture Agent Greg Grant. Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler. Free and open to the public. For additional information visit
www.txmg.org/smith
or call 903-590-2980.
Victoria: Victoria County Master Gardener Association will offer a "Lunch and Learn" February 12, from noon until 1 p.m. at the Pattie Dodson Health Center, 2805 N. Navarro St., Victoria. "What's This?--Volume III" will be presented by Matt Bochat, Victoria County Extension Agent. The event is free to the public. Attendees may bring a sack lunch and beverage.
Orangefield: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association will hold a rose training session on Saturday, February 13, from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at Cormier Park, 8235 FM 1442, Orangefield. Cost is $15 and includes materials and two cuttings of your choice from our rose collection. Additional cuttings may be purchased. To enroll, call 409 882-7010 or visit Orange.agrilife.org and click on the EarthKind Roses Propagation Class.
Hitchcock:
"Galveston County Master Gardeners 2018 Spring Plant Sale," February 17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., pre-sale seminar 8-8:50 a.m., Jack Brooks Park Rodeo Arena,
10 Jack Brooks Rd and Hwy 6, Hitchcock (Galveston County Fairgrounds).
|
|
MARCH
Austin: The annual plant sale/fundraiser for Sunshine Community Gardens, 4814 Sunshine Drive, Austin, will be held
March 3, 9:00 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sunshine Community Gardens are the largest community garden in Austin with the largest community garden plant sale. Available will be organically grown tomatoes (126 varieties), peppers (80 varieties), eggplants, tomatillos, herbs, natives and ornamentals, plus compost to help them all be healthy and happy. For more information, visit
sunshinecommunitygardens.org.
Tyler:
Master Gardeners at the Library, March 9, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. "Raised Bed Gardening on a Hillside" with Smith County Master Gardener Wayne Elliott. Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College, Tyler. Free and open to the public. For additional information, visit
www.txmg.org/smith
or call 903-590-2980.
Orangefield: The Orange County Master Gardeners Association will hold their Annual Bloomin' Crazy Plant Fair, March 24, 8:00 a.m.-1 p.m. at Cormier Park, 8235 FM 1442, Orangefield. All types of plants will be available, including bedding plants, Texas SuperStars, citrus, avocados, blueberries, roses, succulents, trees, shrubs and many more types. Potential vendors and attendees can find more information at
https://txmg.org/orange.
|
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 a location in Houston to be determined. For additional information, visit
http://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/ or call 713-274-0950.
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 June, July and August) at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Room of the Leander Presbyterian Church, 101 N. West St., Leander, unless there is a special event planned. Following a program and short business meeting, there is a pot-luck luncheon. To confirm the meeting place and time, please call President Kathleen Tully at 512-422-8580 or email Leander Garden Club@gmail.com.
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/.
|
Texas Gardener digital edition available-Only $19.95 per year (digital only) or $9 per year if you tack it on to your print subscription!
Same magazine as our print edition without the paper and at a better price. Fully compatible with your desktop, laptop, iPad or Tablet. Access Texas Gardener anywhere, anytime: at the office, home, vacation, even in the garden. Easy to use with robust features and fully searchable archive as long as your subscription is active. Click on this link to explore your options
http://www.texasgardener.com/Store/Products/productlisting.aspx?id=4
2018 Planning Guide & Calendar
Only $14.95 per copy (includes tax and shipping)
Make gardening easier and more enjoyable in 2018. No more keeping it in your head or, worse yet, juggling all those wrinkled, sweat-stained pieces of paper that seem to accumulate and end up lost. It's time to get organized and the perfect way to start that off is with your very own copy of the 2018 Texas Gardener Planning Guide and Calendar. No more guessing when to plant or do different activities. You will find everything you need in one simple but informative guide and calendar. Plus plenty of room to record your own planting dates, rainfall events and other data for future reference.
Here's a sample of what you will find in this information-packed guide:
- Many, many practical and timely garden tips that are for Texas - not Maine or California!
- Organic, earth-friendly tips to make your garden grow and prosper
- Lots of space to record your own activities for future reference
- Planting dates and tips for vegetables, flowers, herbs, fruit and lawns
Order today, while it's fresh on your mind. Don't forget to order copies for your gardening friends and relatives!
Easy Gardening for Texas
By Joseph G. Masabni
Only $31.94 (includes tax and shipping)
Gardening in the Lone Star State has unique challenges, but that doesn't mean you can't grow vegetables here. This new book tells what varieties are best, how to handle insect and disease problems, and how to control weeds with a minimum of work, plus detailed growing information on a host of vegetables that do well in Texas. This is the perfect guide for gardeners new to the state as well as those more-experienced gardeners looking for a handy guide of research-tested advice. 220 pages with lots of color photos! Click on this link to order
http://www.texasgardener.com/Store/Products/viewproduct.aspx?id=126.
Easy Edibles
By Judy Barrett
Only $29.75 (includes tax, shipping)
Eating fresh and eating local has really caught on! Easy Edibles: How to Grow and Enjoy Fresh Food focuses on ways to grow some of your own food without devoting a lot of space, time and work to the project. Barrett also covers how and where to find the bounty offered at local farmers markets, farm stands and pick-your-own operations. This book is the perfect gift or guide for folks new to gardening or those who have limited time and resources but still want to eat fresh! Click on this link to order
http://www.texasgardener.com/Store/Products/viewproduct.aspx?id=123
Garden Design Bible
By Tim Newbury
Only $26.59 (includes tax, shipping)
Like having your own landscape architect and contractor at your constant disposal without the cost. Whatever your desire the Garden Design Bible has a plan that you can adapt to your own space. Choose from 40 designs, or mix and match elements from several to create your own ideal garden. Over 100 color photos and illustrations. If you have the space and need inspiration and direction, let the Garden Design Bible be your guide! Click on this link to order
http://www.texasgardener.com/Store/Products/productlisting.aspx?id=1
|
|
|
|
|
