Published: October 04, 2008 11:09 pm      

Gardening seminars offered this month

PALESTINE — The Anderson County Master Gardener Association is sponsoring two Saturday fall gardening seminars free to the public on Oct. 11 and Oct. 18, “Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants” and “Plant Propagation,” respectively.

Both will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Palestine City Library, 1101 N. Cedar St. in Palestine.

These educational programs are the first two several that will be offered in the ongoing Lynn O'Daniels Lecture Series.

O'Daniels, who lost a long and courageous battle to cancer this year, was a ACMGA member. Because of his love for gardening and his devotion to education, ACMGA has named this lecture series in his honor and his memory.

“Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants” on Oct. 11 will be presented by Nina Ellis, a Certified Master Gardener in both Anderson and Henderson counties.

A lifelong gardener, Ellis believes that it is individuals who will save our wildflowers from extinction, and for the past 25 years has been spreading the word on how to appreciate our Natives and how to save them, a news release said.

“Plant propagation” will be presented by Stephen F. Austin Mast Arboretum Research Associate Dawn Stover Parish. She has been with Mast Arboretum for 11 years, first as a graduate student and now in her present position. Her presentation will cover asexual propagation and touch on layering, cuttings, division, and twin scaling in a power-point and hands-on demonstration.

The Texas Master Gardener Association is a volunteer educational program conducted by Texas AgriLIFE Extension.