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Dear Friends,
Here is the 151st issue of our weekly gardening newsletter for Houston, the Gulf Coast and beyond. We really appreciate all of our readers hanging in there with us, sharing stories and inspiring us in so many ways.
Thanks so much!
This newsletter is a project of The Lazy Gardener, Brenda Beust Smith, John Ferguson and Mark Bowen (John and Mark are with Nature's Way Resources). We also have a great supporting cast of contributing writers and technical specialists who will chime in and tweak away regularly. We would love to keep receiving your input on this newsletter . . . . comments . . . . suggestions . . . . questions. . . .Email your thoughts to: lazygardenerandfriends@gmail.com. Thanks so much for your interest.
Please or sign yourself up to receive this newsletter by clicking the "Join Our Mailing List" link just below. We will never sell or share our mailing list to protect the privacy of our subscribers.
Enjoy!
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GREAT LANDSCAPE TREES . . . AND FLOWERS . . .
AND A CHANCE FOR GARDENERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GMOs
BY BRENDA BEUST SMITH
One often-late-to-realize problem with heavy rains such as we've had over this past winter is tree-kill. Roots become soaked and die. Trees sometimes die quickly. Other times they die from the inside out. New leaves continue to appear for sometimes years after the inside of the tree is totally dead. Some signs you can watch for:
* bark flaking or stipping off, especially vertical breaks
* lost bark isn't replaced by new bark
* black ants and other insects appearing from beneath the bark
* dead branches primarily on one side of the tree
* small branches sprouting from the base of the tree (which normally doesn't have these)
If you do have to replace a tree, remember this is a longterm investment. Choosing native trees is always a good idea. They're already acclimated to this area, and should be better able to handle our erratic weather patterns.
Two good suggestions just arrived via email:
* DRUMMOND RED MAPLE. Beverly Logan recently lost a 60-year-old oak. Joshua Kornegay of Joshua's Native Plants (www.joshuasnativeplants.net) recommended a native drummond red maple, left below. Super idea with a bonus. This month they discovered it was harboring three monarch coccoons that have since hatched. These are wonderful shade trees with spectacular fall color. They can reach 40-60 feet eventually and attract a myriad of birds.
The drummond red maple tree sketches below right are from Texas A&M's "Trees of Texas" website - a resource you should bookmark right this minute so I'm including it in its entirety. (http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/TreeDetails/?id=7)
* ALWAYS HAPPY TO PROMOTE THE DIRT DOCTOR'S free emailed newsletter, and in this one, "Dirt Doc" Howard Garrett recommends one of my personal favorites, the fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), above right. Another great wildlife-attractor, fringe trees don't get as tall, or provide as much shade, as the drummond red maples. But they have spectacular lacy white flowers March-June. East Texans call these natives old man's beard. Others call them summersweets, snow flower and graybeards among other names. These reach about 15-20 foot (or taller). And there are new dwarfs on the market too.
(Pictures from Howard's Fringe Tree Newsletter
SPEAKING OF PUTTING IN TREES AND OTHER NEW PLANTS . . .
Two great special note community-benefitting sales are coming up with great-for-this-area plants that will attract local butterflies, hummers and other birds:
SAT., APRIL 2: WHITE OAK GARDEN SPRING PLANT SALE, 9am program by HEIDI SHEESLEY, 10am-2pm (or sell-out) sale. White Oak Conference Center, 7603 Antoine Dr., nnmd.org
If you've never heard Treesearch Farms' Heidi Sheesley speak, try to go. She is truly one of this area's most valuable garden resources and her Treesearch has had a major impact on getting super-hardy, carefree varieties introduced into the nursery trade here.
For example, here are three of the plants the White Oak sale will be offering:
 Left to right, Meyer lemon, May Night salvia and fuzzy Bolivian sage.
MEYER LEMON. Considered the world's gourmet lemon. Fruit is sourest in August, and sweetest in January. Although it bears heavily November through April, the tree is everbearing - flowers and fruit are present on the tree at the same time. 10' tall and 8'-10' wide with heavy crops year after year. Allowed to ripen on the tree, the rind turns golden. Meyer tolerates temperatures down to 29 F. If Meyer freezes to the ground in hard freeze (every 20 years) it will grow and produces again in 18 months. The tree is believed a hybrid between Citrus limon, (lemon), and C. reticulata, (mandarin orange). Butterflies love the flowers!
'MAY NIGHT' SALVIA (Salvia nemorosa). Outstanding salvia with compact growth, profuse deep purple flower spikes and a tolerance for heavy clay soils. Foliage is evergreen in winter - very cold hardy! Blooms nearly year round. Dead head occasionally. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds love 'May Night'. Deer and rabbit resistant. 12''-16'' high including the flower spikes. Full sun to partial sun.
FUZZY BOLIVIAN SAGE (Salvia oxyphora). We love this new salvia's performance! It has glossy, black- green heavily corrugated leaves and clusters of hairy, rich pink tubular flowers, each with a large lip designed for hummingbirds! Normally reaches 3'x3' before going dormant in the winter. Hardy zones 8a to 10b at least. Prefers morning sun and afternoon shade. Responds well to pruning to maintain fullness. Blooms May/June through first frost. Hummingbirds & Butterflies!
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THE COCKRELL BUTTERFLY CENTER is one of our best resource for learning how to attract butterflies to our home gardens.
SAT., APRIL 9: HMNS COCKRELL BUTTERFLY CENTER SPRING PLANT SALE 8am-noon (or sell-out), garage 7th level, Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. 713-639-4629,
 Left to right, Tithonia, Cestrum diurnum and Ascleplas virdis.
Among three of the best-for-us plants they'll be offering are: * TITHONIA. Also called Mexican sunflower or torch, this is one our past annuals that's suddenly becoming a perennial if the winters are warm enough. Full sun. GORGEOUS! Great for cutting. 3 1/2" wide flowers on strong branching plants with velvety dark green leaves. * CESTRUM DIURNUM. Many of us are already growing the beautiful orangish-blooming ornamental shrub/tree, Golden Gestrum (Cestrum aurantiacum). This is a lower-growing, upright shrub white version. Full sun to part shade. * ASCLEPIAS VIRIDIS. A native milkweed also known as green antelopehorn), the rose or purple center hues of flowers attract monarchs. Blooms late spring through summer. Brenda's LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER
column is based on her 45+ years as the Houston Chronicle's Lazy Gardener.
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JOHN'S CORNER
Book Review: The Hidden Half of Nature
"The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health", David Montgomery and Anne Bikle, W.W. Norton and Company, 2016,
ISBN: 978-0-393-24440-3
This book explores the role of microbes in a healthy landscape and in healthy bodies. It starts out describing their efforts to build a garden in poor soil at a home they bought in Seattle. I smiled more than once as he described his wife's attempts to improve the soil that he called "Dead Dirt" for their garden.
He describes fertile soil as the link between geology and biology, a mix of weathered rock fragments and decaying organic matter. He explains in an easy to read and understand manner the role of microbes in soil and plant health.
Next, he reviews the history of how our understanding of microbes and soils work to provide a healthy garden for our plants. This is followed by an explanation of why and how microbes and plants work together, to produce the symbiotic relationship that underlies plant health and soil fertility.
From this basis, he explains how the human microbiome (from our stomach and intestines to our skin) works to protect us from disease. It was amazing the similarities between microbes in the soil and plant health and microbes in and on our bodies and human health.
This book is a great start for anyone whom wished to improve his or her garden and his or her health.
Note:
David R. Montgomery is a Professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he leads the Geomorphological Research Group and is a member of the Quaternary Research Center. His wife Anne Bikle is a biologist and environmental planner.
In 2008 Montgomery received a MacArthur Fellowship for his book, "Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations" and won the 2008 Washington State Book Award in General Nonfiction.
Montgomery's 2012 book, "The Rocks Don't Lie: A Geologist Investigates Noah's Flood" explores the relationship between catastrophic floods in the distant past, flood legends, "Noachian flood geology", and geologic discovery over the past several hundred years.
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NOTED GMO RESEARCH SCIENTIST
REVERSES ORIGINAL STANCE ON SAFETY
Dr. Thierry Vrain to speak Tuesday on horticulture
engineering at Houston Museum of Natural Science
When Dr. Thierry Vrain looks at "The Dangers of GMOs" - his lecture topic Tuesday at the Museum of Natural Science - he's speaking from both sides of the issue.
Ten years ago, Dr.Vrain retired from his lifelong career as a research scientist for Agriculture Canada. For much of that time, he was the designated scientist charged with assuring the pubic that genetically engineered crops and foods were safe.
Today Dr.Vrain is on the opposite side of the discussion of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, a now 40-year-old technique.
Dr. Vrain is, a genetic engineer, soil biologist and plant pathologist. His change of position, he says, evolved after researching numerous published studies mostly from Europe researchers. In his Tuesday lecture, Dr. Vrain will delve briefly into the complex scope of existing GMO technology in laymen's terms, but mostly he will explain the antibiotic properties of the herbicide that is sprayed on GMO crops and its active ingredient glyphosate.
He says: The immense success of this technology means billions of pounds of this herbicide are sprayed everywhere but particularly in agriculture and forestry. This explains the surprising levels of residues in most of our processed food containing cereals and soy and corn, in the meat of all animals and humans fed RoundUp Ready foods or chemically dried cereals and many other food crops .
The overwhelming pollution of our food system and our whole environment by this molecule is alarming. It is an endocrine disrupter at parts per billion while the EPA tolerates 10 to 100 parts per million in many food items.
Glyphosate is antibiotic - it kills all bacteria at 1 part per million. A diet containing many contaminated foods will result in a damaged microbiome, the community of bacteria that each one of us walks around in our intestine.
This immense community of 100 trillion cells somehow is very involved with the well being of many of our organs. It is well established that a damaged microbiome results in all manner of chronic illnesses from autism and alzheimer to liver and kidney failure, and many other symptoms. The corporations have fed regulating agencies fraudulent studies from hired scientists paid for by Industry grants that determined that the molecule glyphosate has little if any toxicity."
Dr Vrain's lecture is a commentary of the latest scientific studies showing the chronic toxicity to all life forms including some humans, of the herbicide RoundUp. He says: "The GMO controversy and paranoia is misguided, the focus should be on the pollution of our food with this patented antibiotic.
TUES., MAR. 29: THE DANGERS OF GMOs
by DR. THIERRY VRAIN,
Rice Media Center At 7 pm
Directions & Parking
Rice Cinema is located in the Rice Media Center on the Rice University campus, inside of entrance 8, University Blvd. at Stockton Dr., (first building on the right hand side after you enter campus).
Parking @ RICE
Parking for most events at the Rice Media Center is by paid credit card in West Lot 1 (Alice Pratt Brown) and now Moody Lot (next to Tudor Field House and across from the new Moody Center for the Arts that is under construction). West Lot 5 is also open as a paid visitor lot.
This lecture is hosted by the Organic Benefits Alliance of Houston,
Urban Harvest, Anume and Rice Media Center with sponsorship from MicroLife.
The links below further explain Dr. Vrain' positions on GMO research and applications:
www.facebook.com/thierry.vrain
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVolljHmqEs
OHBA is sorry for the change of venue as it was cancelled by the Museum of Natural Science.
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WEEKLY GARDENING EVENTS &
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALENDAR
TO SUBMIT AN EVENT FOR THIS CALENDAR, PLEASE NOTE.
Events NOT submitted in the EXACT written format below may take two weeks or longer
to be reformatted/retyped. After that point, if your event does not appear, please email us.
Submit to: lazygardener@sbcglobal.net
If we inspire you to attend any of these events, please let them know you heard about it in
THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER
TUES., MAR. 29: 'TEXAS TUFF' LANDSCAPE PLANTS - BLOOMING AND BEAUTIFUL by SANDRA DEVALL, 6:30-8pm, Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Free but reservations requested: galv3@wt.net; www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston
TUES., MAR. 29: THE DANGERS OF GMO's by DR. THIERRY VRAIN, 7 p.m., Rice Media Center (see event related article above). WED., MAR. 30: GROWING GREAT TOMATOES & SUMMER VEGETABLES, 10am, Museum of Natural Science Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. $45. 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.SAT., APRIL 2: WHITE OAK GARDEN SPRING PLANT SALE, 9am program by HEIDI SHEESLEY, 10am-2pm (or sell-out) sale. White Oak Conference Center, 7603 Antoine Dr., nnmd.org
SAT., APR. 2: ROSES IN THE LANDSCAPE by GAYE HAMMOND, 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. Free. myenchanted.com SAT., APRIL 2: MEMORIAL NORTHWEST LADYBUGS GARDEN CLUB PLANT & TREE SALE, 9am-2pm, Memorial Northwest Community Center, 17440 Theiss Mail Route Road, Spring, Free. mnwhoa.org
SAT, APR. 2: BRAZORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE, 8am-noon, Brazoria County Environmental Education Station, 799 E. Hospital Drive at CR 171, Angleton. txmg.org/brazoria. SAT., APR. 2: HOUSTON ROSE SOCIETY SALE, 9am-3pm. St. Andrew's Church Bazaar, 1819 Heights Blvd.houstonrose.org
SAT., APR. 2: GROWING GREAT TOat, April 2. Urban Harvest's Growing Great Tomatoes & Summer Vegetables. 9:30am, Museum of Natural Science Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. $45. 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
SAT., APR. 2: DAYLILIES & OTHER PLANTS SALE, 10am, St. Andrews Episcopal Church's Spring Bazaar, 1819 Heights Blvd. at 19th St. Free. Houston Area Daylily Society event. 281-448-4153.
SAT., APR. 2: HOW TO ADD COLOR TO YOUR SHADE GARDEN. 10:15-11am. Cornelius Nursery, 2233 S. Voss Rd. Free. corneliusnurseries.com/events.
SAT-SUN, APR. 2-3: HOUSTON ORCHID SOCIETY ANNUAL SHOW & SALE, Sat., 9am-5pm; Sun., 9am-4pm, Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. Free. houstonorchidsociety.org
SUN., APR. 3: RESTORING NATURE THROUGH PERMACULTURE series Part 1 by PERMACULTURE GUILD OF HOUSTON, noon, Japhet Creek Community Classroom, 4466 Billy Street. $238. 713-880-5540; urbanharvest.org
MON., APRIL 4: GROWING HIBISCUS by MARTI GRAVES, 10am, Amegy Bank Building, Community Room, 28201 SH 249, Tomball. Free. Tomball Garden Club event. tomballgardenclub@gmail.com
WED., APR. 6: GARDENERS BY THE BAY ANNUAL PLANT SALE, 9:30am-noon, University Baptist Church, 16106 Middlebrook Dr. 281-474-5051; gbtb.org
WED., APR 6: CYPRESS CREEK DAYLILY CLUB PLANT SALE AT "EGGSTRAVAGANZA," 9:30am-6:00pm, Klein United Methodist Church, 5920 FM2920, Spring
THURS., APR. 7: FINIALS AND FOLLIES: A LOOK AT ARCHITECTURAL GARDEN FEATURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD by DARRIN DULING, 9:30am, Municipal Utility Building #81, 805 Hidden Canyon Dr., Katy. Free. Nottingham Country Garden Club event. nottinghamgardenclub.org
FRI., APR. 9: XPLORING CREATIVITY by LILLIAN RICO, 10:15am, White Oak Conference Center, 7603 Antoine Drive. Free.
SAT., APRIL 9: HMNS COCKRELL BUTTERFLY CENTER SPRING PLANT SALE, 8am-noon (or sell-out), garage 7th level, Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. 713-639-4629, hmns.org
SAT., APR. 9: TIME TO TALK HERBS by HENRY FLOWERS, 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. Free. myenchanted.com
SAT., APR. 9: ORGANIC GARDENING FOR CITY LIFESTYLES, 9:30am, Museum of Natural Science Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. $45. 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org.
SAT., APRIL 9: CULTURE AND CARE OF PALMS, by O.J. MILLER, 9-11:30am, & THE FABULOUS FRAGRANT FRANGIPANI (PLUMERIA), by LORETTA OSTEEN, 1-3 pm, Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Free, but reservations required for each: galv@wt.net; www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston
SAT., APR. 9: FLOWERS FROM PROVEN WINNERS. 10:15-11am. Cornelius Nursery, 2233 S. Voss Rd. Free. corneliusnurseries.com/events.
TUES., APR. 12: PLANT PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES WORKSHOP by MONTGOMERY COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS, 9am. Extension Office, 9020 FM 1484 (Airport Rd.), Conroe. Free. Woodlands Garden Club event.
thewoodlandsgardenclub.org
WED., APR. 13: ORGANIC GARDENING FOR CITY LIFESTYLES, 9:30am, Museum of Natural Science Moran Hall, 5555 Hermann Park Dr. $45. 713-880-5540 or www.urbanharvest.org
THURS., APR. 14: ADDING A BUTTERFLY GARDEN: DESIGN, PLANTS and MORE by MARK BOWEN, 7:30 pm, L.G.I. Lecture Hall, McCullough Jr. High School, 3800 S. Panther Creek Dr., The Woodlands, Free. 281-210-3925
THURS, APR. 14: ROSES ON FORTUNIA ROOTSTOCK by DON ADLONG, 7:30pm, Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion, 1500 Hermann Drive, Houston 77004. Free. Houston Rose Society event. houstonrose.org THUR., APRIL 14: GRAFTING PECAN TREES, by HERMAN AUER, 1:30-3:00pm; LOCATION: 7851 Winding Trail Street, Santa Fe, TX 77517. Free, but reservations required: galv@wt.net; www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston THURS., APR. 14: GROWING HERBS IN THE GULF COAST REGION by Ed Drier, 10am, Clear Lake Meeting Room, 5001 Nasa Parkway. Harris County Master Gardeners. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu FRI.- SUN., APRIL 15, 16, 17: KINGWOOD GARDEN CLUB HOME & GARDEN TOUR 10am-4pm Fri. & Sat.; noon-4pm Sun. kingwoodgardenclub.org
SAT., APR. 16: ATTRACTING BUTTERFLIES TO POLLINATE YOUR GARDEN by NANCY GRIEG, 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. Free. www.myenchanted.com
SAT, APRIL 16: HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS SPRING PERENNIAL PLANT SALE. Overview 8am, Sale 9am-1pm. 3033 Bear Creek Drive. Free. hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/pubSales.aspx; 281-855-5600
SAT., APRIL 16: TAWNY (RASPBERRY) CRAZY ANT: MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR HOMEOWNERS, by PAUL R. NESTER, Ph.D. 9am, & OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION by RANDY BRAZIL, 1-2:30pm, , Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Free, reservations: galv@wt.net;
SUN., APRIL 17: 2016 HIBISCUS SHOW & PLANT SALE, 1-4pm, Bellaire Community Center, 7008 S. Rice Blvd, Bellaire. Free. Lone Star Chapter/American Hibiscus Society event. Free. lonestarahs.orgMON., APR. 18: OPEN GARDEN DAY & PLANT SALE, 8:30-11am, Genoa Friendship Garden,1202 Genoa Red Bluff Rd. Free. Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2 event. hcmga.tamu.edu TUES., APR. 19: MILLENNIAL GARDENING by DEE NASH, 10am, St. Basil Hall, 702 Burney Road, Sugar Land. Free; Sugar Land Garden Club event. Sugarlandgardenclub.org
TUE., APRIL 19: RAIN WATER HARVESTING, by Tim Jahnke, 6:30-8pm, Galveston County AgriLife Extension, Carbide Park, 4102 Main, La Marque. Free, reservations required: galv@wt.net; www.aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston
THURS., APR. 21: NEW DWARFING ROOTSTOCK FOR CITRUS by DR. ETHAN NATELSON and BEST CITRUS VARIETIES & THEIR RELATIVES -- SHARE WHAT YOU GROWN AND WHAT YOU KNOW by DR. BOB RANDALL, 6:30pm, Harris County AgriLife Center, 3303 Bear Creek Dr. Free. Gulf Coast Fruit Study Group event. 281-855-5600.SAT., APR. 23: PECKERWOOD GARDEN OPEN DAY, 10am-3pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; info@peckerwoodgarden.org
SAT., APR. 23: ORGANIC SOLUTIONS TO PESKY INSECTS by ANDY CHIDESTER, 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. Free. www.myenchanted.com SAT., APR. 23: HOUSTON ROSE SOCIETY ANNUAL ROSE GARDEN TOUR, 11am-5pm. houstonrose.org
SAT., APR. 23: OVERVIEW OF PERENNIALS by HEIDI SHEESLEY, 8am, & PERENNIAL & PEPPER SALE, 9am-1pm, Campbell Hall, Pasadena Fairgrounds, 7600 Red Bluff, Pasadena. Free. Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2. hcmga.tamu.edu
SAT.-SUN, APR. 23-24: HERITAGE GARDENERS 50TH ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE & SPRING GARDEN TOUR, noon-4pm Sat; 1-5pm Sun. Start (plant sale): Marie Workman Garden Center & Briscoe Gardens, 112 W. Spreading Oaks, Friendswood. Garden Center free; tour $10 advance; $12 day of tour. facebook.com/FriendswoodHeritageGardeners
SUN., APR. 24: SPACE CITY HIBISCUS CHAPTER SHOW & SALE. 1-4pm, East Harris County Activity Center, 7340 Spencer Highway, Pasadena. 281-844-4296; spacecityahs.org. TUES., APRIL 26: HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS OPEN GARDEN DAY AND SEMINAR: HERBS-GROWING & USING, 9-11:30 am, 3033 Bear Creek Drive. Free. Details: http://hcmga.tamu.edu/Public/docs/2016-hcmga-open-garden-days.pdf 281-855-5600 SAT., APR. 30: FAIRY GARDEN SEMINARS, 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. $10/reservations: myenchanted.com
SAT., APR. 30: GARDEN CONSERVANCY HOUSTON OPEN DAY & PECKERWOOD GARDEN PLANT SALE, Houston. Garden Conservancy event. 10am-4pm. $7/garden; $40/All Day pass. peckerwoodgarden.org/garden-conservancy-houston-tx-open-day-2/, 979-826-3232; info@peckerwoodgarden.org or frankbrowniii@hotmail.com
SAT., MAY 7: 2016 HIBISCUS SHOW & PLANT SALE, 1-4pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, 702 Burney Rd., Sugar Land. Free. Lone Star chapter/American Hibiscus Society event. Free. lonestarahs.org
SAT., MAY 7: MINIATURE CONTAINER GARDEN WORKSHOP, 10-11am, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 E 11th. Pay for supplies use. 713-861-5702; buchanansplants.com/events SAT., MAY 7: CHAPPELL HILL GARDEN TOUR & PLANT SALE, 10am-4pm, 9060 Poplar St., Chappell Hill. Chappell Hill Garden Club event. 979-836-2554; 713-562-6191. SUN., May 8: Peckerwood Garden MOTHER'S DAY Open Day, 10am-3pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; info@peckerwoodgarden.org SUN., MAY 8): Peckerwood Garden Open Day. Tours 10am-3pm. 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. Register: peckerwoodgarden.org/, 979-826-3232; info@peckerwoodgarden.org
TUES., MAY 10: GROWING PLUMERIAS, 7:30pm, Cherie Flores Garden Pavillion, Hermann Park Conservancy, 1500 Hermann Dr. Free. Plumeria Society of America event. theplumeriasociety.org
FRI., MAY 13: NIGHT SOUNDS - TWILIGHT WALK THROUGH THE GARDEN by DEBBIE BANFIELD, 10:15am, White Oak Conference Center, 7603 Antoine Dr. Free. Houston Federation of Garden Clubs event. houstonfederationgardenclubs.org
SAT., MAY 14: SUCCULENT MAKE AND TAKE, 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. Reservations: myenchanted.com SUN., MAY 15: TROPICAL FRUIT TREES WITH DANY MILIKIN OF EDIBLE EARTH RESOURCES, 2-3pm, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 E 11th. Free. 713-861-5702; buchanansplants.com/events
SAT., MAY 21: FRIENDS OF PECKERWOOD GARDEN dAY, 10am-3pm tours, 20559 FM 359 Road, Hempstead. $10. Garden Conservancy event. peckerwoodgarden.org, 979-826-3232; info@peckerwoodgarden.org
SAT., MAY 21: HERB LORE WITH DANY MILIKIN OF EDIBLE EARTH RESOURCES, 10-11am, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 E 11th. Free. 713-861-5702; buchanansplants.com/events SAT., MAY 21: TOMATO & SALSA CONTEST judged by BILL ADAMS , 10am, Enchanted Forest, 10611 FM 2759, Richmond; 2pm Enchanted Gardens, 6420 FM 359, Richmond. www.myenchanted.com SAT., MAY 21: SPACE CITY HIBISCUS CHAPTER SHOW & SALE, 1-4pm, Nessler Center, Wings of Heritage Room, 2010 5th Avenue, Texas City. 281-844-4296; spacecityahs.org. SUN., MAY 22: CELEBRATION OF DAYLILIES OPEN HOUSE, 9am-5 pm, Payne's in the Grass Daylily Farm, 2130 O'Day Road, Pearland, Free, 281-485-3821, cell 713-419-6661. Paynesinthegrassdaylilyfarm.com
SAT., JUNE 4: BUTTERFLY GARDEN WORKSHOP FOR KIDS, 10-11am, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 E 11th. Free. 713-861-5702; buchanansplants.com/events
SAT., JUNE 11: PLUMERIA SOCIETY OF AMERICA SHOW & SALE, 9:30am-3pm, Bay Area Community Center 5002 Nasa Road One Seabrook. Free. theplumeriasociety.org
SAT., JUNE 11: EDIBLE LANDSCAPING WITH DANY MILIKIN OF EDIBLE EARTH RESOURCES, 10-11am, Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 E 11th. Free. 713-861-5702; buchanansplants.com/events TUES., JULY 12: GROWING PLUMERIAS, 7:30pm, Cherie Flores Garden Pavillion, Hermann Park Conservancy, 1500 Hermann Dr. Free. Plumeria Society of America event. theplumeriasociety.org
TUES.-SUN., JUNE 14-19: WORLD BROMELIAD CONFERENCE XXII, Show and Plant Sale 9am-5pm Fri. & Sat.; 9am-noon Sun., Westin Galleria Hotel, 5060 West Alabama St. Bromeliad Society/Houston, Inc./Bromeliad Society International event. www.bsi.org SAT., JULY 23: PLUMERIA SOCIETY OF AMERICA SHOW & SALE, 9:30am-3pm, Fort Bend Country Fairgrounds 4310 Texas Highway 36, Rosenberg. theplumeriasociety.org
TUES., OCT. 11: GROWING PLUMERIAS, 7:30pm, Cherie Flores Garden Pavillion, Hermann Park Conservancy, 1500 Hermann Dr. Free. Plumeria Society of America event. theplumeriasociety.org
If we inspire you to attend any of these events,
please let them knowyou heard about it in
THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS NEWSLETTER!
TO SUBMIT AN EVENT FOR THIS CALENDAR, PLEASE NOTE.
Events NOT submitted in the EXACT written format below may take two weeks or longer
to be reformatted/retyped. After that point, if your event does not appear, please email us.
Submit to: lazygardener@sbcglobal.net
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Green Job Opportunities at Nature's Way Resources
Inside Sales: duties include providing customer service, gardening advice and sales assistance. This is a part time position.
Horticulturist: duties include customer service, providing planting recommendations and helping to maintain our plant nursery.
For more information please email jobs@natureswayresources.com.
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THIS NEWSLETTER IS MADE
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ABOUT US
BRENDA BEUST SMITH
WE KNOW HER BEST AS THE LAZY GARDENER . . .
. . . but Brenda Beust Smith is also:
* a national award-winning writer & editor
* a nationally-published writer & photographer
* a national horticultural speaker
* a former Houston Chronicle reporter
When the Chronicle discontinued Brenda's 45-year-old Lazy Gardener" print column a couple of years ago, it ranked as the longest-running, continuously-published local newspaper column in the Greater Houston area.
Brenda's gradual sideways step from Chronicle reporter into gardening writing led first to an 18-year series of when-to-do-what Lazy Gardener Calendars, then to her Lazy Gardener's Guide book and now to her Lazy Gardener's Guide on CD (which retails for $20. However, $5 of every sale is returned to the sponsoring group at her speaking engagements).
A Harris County Master Gardener, Brenda has served on the boards of many Greater Houston area horticulture organizations and has hosted local radio and TV shows, most notably a 10+-year Lazy Gardener run on HoustonPBS (Ch. 8) and her call-in "EcoGardening" show on KPFT-FM.
Brenda recently ended her decades-long stint as Production Manager of the Garden Club of America's BULLETIN magazine. Although still an active horticulture lecturer and broad-based freelance writer, Brenda's main focus now is THE LAZY GARDENER & FRIENDS HOUSTON GARDEN NEWSLETTER with John Ferguson and Mark Bowen of Nature's Way Resources.
A native of New Orleans and graduate of St. Agnes Academy and the University of Houston, Brenda lives in Aldine and is married to the now retired Aldine High School Coach Bill Smith. They have one son, Blake.
Regarding this newsletter, Brenda is the lead writer, originator of it and the daily inspiration for it. We so appreciate the way she has made gardening such a fun way to celebrate life together for such a long time.
JOHN FERGUSON
John is a native Houstonian and has over 27 years of business experience. He owns Nature's Way Resources, a composting company that specializes in high quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. He holds a MS degree in Physics and Geology and is a licensed Soil Scientist in Texas.
John has won many awards in horticulture and environmental issues. He represents the composting industry on the Houston-Galveston Area Council for solid waste. His personal garden has been featured in several horticultural books and "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine. His business has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of their products. He is a member of the Physics Honor Society and many other professional societies. John is is the co-author of the book Organic Management for the Professional.
For this newsletter, John contributes articles regularly and is responsible for publishing it.
MARK BOWEN
Mark is a native Houstonian, a horticulturist, certified permaculturist and organic specialist with a background in garden design, land restoration and organic project management. He is currently the general manager of Nature's Way Resources. Mark is also the co-author of the book Habitat Gardening for Houston and Southeast Texas, the author of the book Naturalistic Landscaping for the Gulf Coast, co-author of theBayou Planting Guide and contributing landscape designer for the book Landscaping Homes: Texas.
With respect to this newsletter, Mark serves as a co-editor and periodic article contributor.
Pablo Hernandez is the special projects coordinator for Nature's Way Resources. His realm of responsibilities include: serving as a webmaster, IT support, technical problem solving/troubleshooting, metrics management, quality control, and he is a certified compost facility operator.
Pablo helps this newsletter happen from a technical support standpoint.
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Travel Tip
Give your readers some helpful weather tips for their upcoming vacation. Make sure to explain the tips, give your best advice and tell them how they will benefit from it. Don't forget to include a fun image to make your newsletter more appealing.
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| COUPON: Nature's Way Resources. 50% off pomegranates, pears and antique roses.
(Offer good for retail purchases of this product (101 Sherbrook Circle, Conroe TX). Expires 04/31/16.
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