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Greetings!
May's in full bloom at Texas Discovery Gardens! Come out for a picnic, try your hand at garden photography, or enjoy a class or workshop.
We are also excited to move up our annual Butterfly Plant Sale to May 16. See details and a timely garden tip below.
Happy Gardening,
The staff at Texas Discovery Gardens
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May Events
 Our Annual Butterfly Plant Sale is back!
When: May 15 and 16, 2009
Member's Preview Night: Fri., May 15, 4 pm to 7 pm
Sat., May 16, 10 am to 2 pm.
Become a member to save 10 % and shop a day early!
Enjoy our large selection of hard-to-find butterfly host and nectar plants. We grow them here, giving you the benefit of organic plants that are used to Dallas summers. Help us make 2009 the Year of the Butterfly and plant your own butterfly garden with our selection! You're welcome to bring your own cart to help you transfer your plants to your car.
 2009 Bonus: Since it takes shrubs and trees longer to propagate, we have ordered a few specialties just for you. Look for gems like native kidneywood at our Plant Sale.
You can also buy SEASONS Liquid Compost at the sale. Bring an empty gallon container to fill and help us cut down on waste this Plant Sale!
Liquid compost, sometimes called compost extract, is a nutrient-rich, biologically active product made from traditional composting methods and innovative processing methods that capture all of the benefits of compost, and convert it into an easy to apply, concentrated solution. SEASONS Liquid Compost is produced by Preservation Tree Services.
Find out what else we have available online with our 2009 Plant List. Note: Some quantities are limited.
Before the sale ... Enjoy our second annual Native Plant Safari! Find details on our Website under "Public Workshops." Registration/fee required. It's a two-hour guided tour that shows you established plants and how to care for them. Details here.
Other May Events
Backyard Birds Garden Walk When: May 9, 10 am to 11 am
Discover the colorful native birds that may visit your backyard. Join us as we tour the Gardens and look for local birds (including, if we're lucky, hawks and egrets). Garden Walks are free with paid garden admission. $3/adults; $1.50/children 3-11; $2/seniors 60+
Modern Victory Gardens Workshop When: May 30, 9 am to noon
Summer is on its way, and our veggie gardens will soon face hot, dry weather. In the pre-summer installment of The Modern Victory Gardens, gardeners will learn how to beat the heat and keep their vegetable plants growing and healthy. Topics include organic gardening basics, which vegetables thrive in the heat, mulching and soil essentials, companion planting, and watering techniques. Remember: your summer vegetables require different watering and fertilizing techniques from your winter crop.
Registration required. $25/$20 for members.
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May Gardening Tip: The Dirt on Poison Ivy
We like our native plants at Texas Discovery Gardens, but we won't mind if you remove this one from your yard. It's time for a refresher on what to do with that bane of hiking and outdoor play: poison ivy.
What does poison ivy look like? For starters, it's not an ivy at all. It's a master of disguise. Toxicodendron radicans is in the sumac family. It grows as a shrub and as a vine. It will crawl up trees or fences or sprawl across the ground. Poison ivy mimics a lot of other plants, especially when it's young, but look for groups of three leaves throughout the plant. If there are five anywhere, it's probably Virginia Creeper, a harmless groundcover.
Am I immune to poison ivy if I've never gotten a rash? Probably not. Very few people are completely immune. You don't build up immunity, either. It's actually the opposite. The more you touch poison ivy, the more likely you are to get a rash. Poison ivy produces a sap, urushiol, that irritates skin. Things that brush up against poison ivy--like pets--can transfer urushiol to you. Keep an eye on pets and children if you're out hiking or playing in a natural area. The rash itself is not contagious.
Oops. I think I'm standing in some right now. If you do touch poison ivy, you may have up to 15 minutes to wash it off before it irritates your skin. Wash the area in cold water and poison ivy soap, or use alcohol or mineral oil. Hot water opens up your skin's pores and increases the likelihood of irritation.
How do I remove poison ivy from my yard? Never use power tools, even (especially) if you think you're immune. Trust us on this one. And never, ever burn poison ivy. You will irritate your lungs and most likely require a trip to the emergency room.
Wear gloves and long sleeves and remove poison ivy by hand. You don't have to kill the plant first. The dead plant, roots and all, will still contain the irritant. If you use tools, wash them down with alcohol. Wash clothing after contact.
Once you're done, plant something a little friendlier, like passionvine or honeysuckle. No gloves required.
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In Cultivation ...
We have a special offer from our friends at Calloway's Nursery. Print out this coupon and use it at your nearest Calloway's.
Calloway's: success in the garden made fun and easy. Visit any Calloway's Nursery in Dallas/Fort Worth and enjoy the season's beautiful blooms and enticing fragrances.
Play in the dirt: volunteer at Texas Discovery Gardens! Plant Sale volunteer training is coming up. Talk to Blake Morgan, Program and Volunteer Manager, to sign up. We also always welcome new EarthKeepers volunteers to assist with children's programming. Talk to Blake if you're interested in teaching butterflies, bugs and botany to local children.
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