2012 Garden Tour & Plant Sale

Gwinnett County Master Gardeners

Saturday, May 19, 2012 – 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Proceeds from the garden tour and plant sale benefit the community projects of the Gwinnett Master Gardeners.  Master Gardeners will be available at each site to answer your questions and handle ticket.  Plants will be available for purchase at one of the gardens.  The location will be announced closer to tour day. Please check our website for the location.

General Information:

• Tickets may be purchased on the day of the tour at any of the three private gardens.   Tickets purchased on tour day are $20. Tickets will not be available at Harvest Farm or Parsons Elementary School.
• Please check our website before you begin the tour for any new garden tour information or possible changes.
• You may plan your route here -> 2012 Garden Tour Locations Map
• No strollers in the gardens.  Parents must hold their children’s hands.
• No pets are allowed in the gardens.
• The garden tour will be held rain or shine.
• Gardens are not wheelchair accessible.

“GARDENERS COOK!”

Includes many wonderful recipes from our Master
Gardeners and Friends.  Available in early fall, you can pre-order each
cookbook for $12 until August 1^st. After that date, the cost will be
$15.  Shipping and handling is $3.50 per book.

You may pre-order your cookbooks by sending a check for to:

GCMG Treasurer/Cookbook

Gwinnett County Cooperative Extension

750 South Perry. Street, Suite 400

Lawrenceville, GA 30046-4804

For further information, contact GCMGCookbooks@gmail.com

Southern Highlands Reserve

 

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Note:  As of February 25, a $5 fee will be assessed to all non-paid members and guests participating in field trips.  Membership must be received 7 days in advance of the field trip.  Membership dues are $15.  Guests may join the Association as a friend for $15/year.

I grew up in the 1960’s in rural America, the youngest of 4 girls whose father grew a huge garden. We planted rows of beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and potatoes. My father, being an equal rights man as he had no sons, taught his daughters to garden as he had been taught by his father, who had been taught by his father.

He was a stickler for details, such as his straight rows which made the garden beautiful every year. He would cut the potato pieces so each piece had exactly the same amount of eyes. He would hand us the bucket of uniform pieces and we would carefully place the eyes in those long rows. He would come behind us and adjust them to form regimented soldiers of potato pieces, then as gently as he tucked us in at night, he covered the potato eyes.

We hoed weeds for hours, suckered tomatoes, and hand watered until I thought my arms would fall off. It was HARD WORK! I didn’t realize until I was on my own, how good those fresh vegetables tasted. I also didn’t realize he had planted a love of gardening in me as tradition to be passed down to my own children.

I am excited to tell you there are methods of vegetable gardening that you CAN embrace while starting a tradition of love and appreciation of how vegetables grow. You can delight in your own home grown veggies and feel good about what you are eating while teaching your children how vegetables arrive on the dinner table.

Encourage your children to eat vegetables by involving them in the process of growing their own food. All you need is a bucket or two, or a bale of straw and some GOOD DIRT! You are going to be absolutely amazed at how much you can grow on your patio or outside your back door! Start a tradition with your own children or grandchildren; show them the amazing transition of one potato eye into baked potatoes on their plate!

Attend the seminar at the 15th Annual North Atlanta Home Show on “Secrets your granny didn’t share with you about growing vegetables”. On Saturday, February 11^th at 5:00 pm, I will show you how to use that bale of straw or bucket of dirt to grow a wonderful garden!

Donna Dixon welcomes any questions you have on garden topics and can be contacted at Four Seasons Nursery and Landscaping, 770-932-3313.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year – 600 of them in Georgia.  Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.  Just because you can’t see or smell radon, people tend to downplay the health effects and ignore the possibility that there might be a silent killer in their homes.  The damage is done before symptoms appear.

To purchase a Radon Test kit for $5, visit the Gwinnett Cooperative Extension office at 750 South Perry Street, suite 400, Lawrenceville 30046, or order a radon kit via mail! Just fill out the form at  http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/housing/radon/radon_test.html and send it with a check for $6.50 to the University of Georgia.

For more information on radon, radon testing and mitigation, and radon-resistant new construction, call Ines Beltran at 678-377-4010 or visit the UGA FACS radon web site at www.fcs.uga.edu/radon or call Ask UGA at 1-800-ASK-UGA1 (1-800-275-8421).

Warm seedlings and a hot cat

In the Atlanta area our last frost date is around April 15 so we have to count back to figure out when to sow seeds indoors to get a jump-start on the growing season.  Here is a seed sowing calendar to help you get plants ready for when the weather warms up.

12 Weeks before last frost
January 22

begonia, browallia, geranium, larkspur, viola, pansy, vinca

11 Weeks before last frost
January 29

Dianthus, petunia, portulaka, verbena, onions, celery, celeriac

10 Weeks before last frost
February 5

heliotrope, candytuft, primula, leek, early greens (to be planted out in the coldframe or greenhouse beds),  snapdragon, stock

9 Weeks before last frost
February 12

delphinium, chamomile,  parsley, Greek oregano, impatiens, rudbeckia, early lettuce, kale, escarole, thyme

8 Weeks before last frost
February 19

pepper (78*F), shallot, eggplant, basil, cherry tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, columbine, dahlia, phlox

7 Weeks before last frost
February 26

large tomato varieties, alyssum, cleome, salvia horminum, lavatera, ageratum, celosia

6 Weeks
March 4

zinnia, more lettuce, radicchio, marigold, aster, balsam

5 Weeks before last frost
March 11

bachelor’s buttons, agastache, sweet pea, calendula, centaurea

4 Weeks before last frost
March 18

sanvitalia, cabbage, morning glory, nicotiana,  nigella, phlox, phacelia

3 Weeks before last frost
March 25

morning glory, nasturtium, cosmos, melon, cucumber, squash, more lettuce

Be sure to read the seed packet when starting seed as some need light to germinate while others can be covered, some need at least 78* F to germinate while others only need 65* F.  By following the instructions closely you are that much closer to being rewarded with healthy, strong plants ready to beautify your landscape and provide you with wholesome homegrown vegetables.

Southern Highlands Reserve

Tour Date:   Monday, June 4, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location:  Southern Highlands Reserve, 558 Summit Ridge Road, Lake Toxaway, NC 28747

Join us for a private tour of The Southern Highlands Reserve located in western North Carolina at an elevation of 4500’.  Spring is later there, so we will enjoy cooler weather and different flora.  (The average temperature for this date is about 70 degrees!)

The Reserve’s 120 acres are dedicated to celebrating the natural history of the Southern Appalachian Highlands, and is well worth a beautiful drive with friends to just inside our neighboring North Carolina (approximate 3-hour drive – carpools will be coordinated).

The Highlands’ Core Park is home to destination gardens such as The Woodland Glade, The Azalea Walk, The Wildflower Labyrinth and Vaseyi Pond.  These are manicured display gardens planted with native species and their cultivars.  The Reserve is home to a vast array of naturally occurring native plants and one of the largest natural stands of Rhododendron vaseyi.

The Core Park is surrounded by a 100-acre natural woodland, with a change in elevation of 1000 feet in a distance of 2000 feet, featuring many waterfall and cliff communities.  There will be an optional guided walk up to the waterfalls.

Bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy a picnic on the Chestnut Lodge roof garden.  Roof gardens have long been established in Europe, but are a recent introduction to the green movement here.  Most roof gardens are really “green roofs” — planted with sedums and grasses, but this roof garden is built over the Lodge as a patio.

Garden tour donation is $10 per person.

John Turner, who spearheaded the planning design and execution of the Southern Highlands Reserve since its inception, will provide a presentation on the history and development of the area into its status as a “Reserve.”  Educational information on identifying eco-climates in your garden to ensure properly locating plants will be beneficial in using more native plants in your landscape.

Southern Highlands Reserve founder, Robert Balentine’s love of the Appalachian Mountains began long before he founded the Reserve in 2002, dating back to a boyhood spent hiking and camping in the region. After years spent immersed in the diversity of these mountains, he put his life-long passion to work to help preserve, cultivate and display plants native to the region and to advocate for their value through education, restoration and research at the Southern Highlands Reserve.

In his talk, “The Butterfly Effect: Biodiversity and the Blue Ridge,” Robert discusses the incredible biodiversity of the region, examining the symbiotic relationships between this bioregion and the flora and fauna found there. His discussion centers on the interdependence of life, sharing examples of how forces that are seemingly unrelated to the average person can come together to create mortal stresses on an already fragile ecosystem.

To hear his talk visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_zdn5oFGj8

For more information visit:  http://www.southernhighlandsreserve.org

Fall 2012 Trips to be Announced

Welcome. Join us at the 15^th Annual North Atlanta Home Show. The Cooperative Extension staff will be at the show to answer your horticultural questions; view our insect collection, or be challenged with our weed identification display. You may bring your soil samples to the show for us to forward to the UGA lab in Athens. Also, you won’t want to miss the informative seminars which will be held all three days!

Are you interested in beekeeping? What better way is there to ensure an abundance of vegetables or flowers than to have pollinating bees visit your yard? Discover how easy it is to harvest honey and manage a honey bee hive while making sure you have a prolific vegetable crop. We have an area displaying beekeeping equipment, local honey for sale, and our expert will be at the show all weekend to entice you into this fascinating hobby.

Whether you are new to gardening or an ‘old-timer’, you will want to attend one of the gardening seminars where you will learn and benefit from the presenters gardening tips and expertise. Visit our staging area to increase your knowledge of alternatives for landscape plantings and grass areas. Discover what fun it is to turn you yard into a wildlife habitat using a variety of shrubs, flowers, and feeders.

Make plans to attend the seminar on Radon on Friday afternoon. Learn all you need to know about keeping your family safe from this unseen gas. Examine our food canning display and peruse our ‘So Easy to Preserve’ book.

Check our seminar schedule below to find a topic dear to your heart. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to expand your horticultural horizons.

Venue / Location Information:

Name: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Day Hall
Address: 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE
City: Atlanta
State: GA

Event Time / Additional Information: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Contact Info: Gina Gallucci, GinaG@mindspring.com

Web site: www.metroatlantabeekeepers.org/

This course is for teachers, master gardeners, both new and experienced beekeepers, students, government employees, and others who are interested in learning about Honey Bees and Beekeeping. Its everything you need to know to get started in beekeeping with at The Complete Beekeeping Short Course sponsored by the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association. Experts, Extension Teachers, and Master Beekeepers from all over Georgia are the instructors.

The fee for the one day course is only $95.00 and includes:

* Morning coffee and light breakfast, a catered lunch, and a “HONEY” of an afternoon snack.

* First class presentations by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, UGA experts, and experienced Master Beekeepers.

* Displays of beekeeping equipment and hive products.

* A honey tasting.

* Educational materials related to the presentations.

* Goody bag of honey bee related items including First Lessons in Beekeeping by Dr. Keith Delaplane.

* Admission to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and parking are included in the cost.

*THIS WILL MAKE A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR THAT SOMEONE SPECIAL IN YOUR LIFE*

Honey Bees and Beekeeping-

In this one day beekeeping class you will learn the facts about honey bees and the fundamentals of beekeeping.

Registration:              www.beekeepingshortcourse.com/registration.htm

Photos by Margaret Bergeron, Field Trip Coordinator

Clear, cool weather only enhanced our Oakland Cemetery field trip experience on Thursday, October 20. About 45 of us gathered at Six Feet Under for a warm lunch before our adventure into the beautiful cemetery across the street. The food was excellent, the fellowship even better!

Once we entered Oakland Cemetery, we realized what a wonderful place it was to see some of Atlanta’s finest tree and plant specimens. Magnificent oak, camellia, magnolia, and dogwood complemented the wonderful blooming antique roses, rosemary, chrysanthemums and asters. Magnificent Victorian, Greek Revival, Gothic and Egyptian architecture was to be seen, as well.

Our very knowledgeable tour guide, Brooks Garcia, soon gathered us together and began to lead us on a delightful stroll through Oakland. Brooks’ first-hand knowledge of Oakland’s horticultural importance, as well as his information about the cemetery’s history and his personal stories about the “residents” of Oakland, combined for a superb adventure.

Brooks explained that in 1850 the city fathers of Atlanta established the cemetery on farmland away from the bustling center of Atlanta, and what was an old, weedy cemetery is now a story of historic restoration and landscaping beautification. Today, the cemetery is an oasis of beauty and calm in the midst of a busy urban city.

During the Victorian era, the cemetery was the rural garden for family gatherings. Featuring wide winding paths (accessed by carriages), shade trees, flowers and shrubs, the cemetery was a predecessor of public park development. Sophisticated stained glass mausoleums, sculptures, bronze urns and elaborate grave monuments all reflect an age when bereavement was extravagant.

Brooks enlightened us that his goal, along with the cemetery’s Board and other Trustees, is to maintain the Victorian era’s horticultural style. Weeping specimens were chosen when available because they reflected the sadness of the original families. We found examples in weeping rosemary, catnip, and willows.

There are lavish monuments marking prominent Atlanta families, simple headstones that read “infant,” and a memorial honoring “Our Glorious Confederate Dead.” The Historic Oakland Foundation plays an important role in preserving 19^th Century funerary symbolism, and has been awarded the Southeastern Flower Shows prestigious Legacy Garden gift for the cemetery’s horticultural significance.

Residents of Oakland include author Margaret Mitchell, golf great Bobby Jones, twenty-seven mayors, and six Georgia governors. The celebrated and humble rest together; the Christian and Jew, the black and white, the soldier and civilian, the rich and poor are at peace collectively. Beautiful trees, shrubs, flowers and herbs are enriched by seventy thousand souls. And, the best part … Brooks encouraged us to collect seed heads!

Margaret Bergeron has done a wonderful job this year in planning outstanding field trips for the GCMG. I am sure everyone joins me in thanking her for a job very well done!