Victoria County Master         Gardener Association

FESTIVAL IN THE GARDENS

Fall symposium, children's activities, plant sale offered at

all-day event

Aug 30, 2013

by Myra Sue Schulze/Victoria County Master Gardener

Edited by Charla Borchers Leon/Victoria County Master Gardener

PHOTO BY JEROME JANAK/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

Rosarians and Master Gardeners Mary and Jerome Janak will present "Wild About Roses" at the symposium. The Janaks have this Texas tough Peggy Martin variety, along with numerous others, in their own sprawling landscape.

PHOTO BY MYRA SUE SCHULZE/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER

Eight concurrent educational presentations and two demonstrations will be offered at the Festival in the Gardens on Sept. 14. You can see examples of most of the topics in Victoria Educational Gardens right outside and in between the Officer's Club and VEG Pavilion locations.

Master Gardeners Linda Hartman and Gloria Spell will describe and instruct how to plant colorful containers like this color bowl full of plantings for the cooler season.

A garden festival is planned, and everyone is invited.

Victoria Educational Gardens is 10 years young

The Victoria County Master Gardener Association is celebrating its 10th year of planning, designing, building and planting at Victoria Educational Gardens. We want to offer you educational opportunities, fun, food and plants - and then more plants.

So load up Grandpa, Grandma, kids, cousins and neighbors and join us Sept. 14 for an all-day festival. Most importantly, bring your yearning for nature and beauty. One of Victoria County's best-kept secrets is about to unfold before your very eyes with showcase fanfare.

Fall symposium

• Registration

You may attend a choice of five of the 10 different educational presentations, including two demonstrations from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for a mere $10 registration fee. Doors open wide for registration from 8-8:45 a.m.

Education is the primary objective of Victoria County Master Gardener's Association. So if you are smitten by the love of vegetable and flower gardening, the symposium with Victoria Educational Gardens right around you is the place to be to learn proper techniques for good gardening practices.

• Presentations

Victoria County Extension Agent Peter McGuill will give his excellent presentation on "Turf Grasses and Proper Lawn Care." Other presentations are available concurrently all day at the Officer's Club and 4-H Activity Center and include the ever-popular "Texas Superstar Plants," how to design and plant "Colorful Containers" and what to do and plant for "Attracting Birds and Butterflies."

Come on out and go "Wild About Roses," and with the fall season fast approaching, find out about "Bugs in the Garden," the basic steps in "Composting 101" and careful choices in "Fire Wise Landscaping."

All of these presentations will be given by informed, knowledgeable Master Gardeners.

• Demonstrations

The demonstrations will be held in the Victoria Educational Gardens Pavilion between the Officer's Club and the 4-H Activity Center. The mid-morning presentation will be "Growing and Using Gourds for Art" by local experts and the mid-afternoon topic will be "The Bee Lady" presented by the Hallettsville Honey Co.

For a complete schedule of topics, check out details in the side box information with this article.

If you should need assistance at the event just look for a friendly, smiling face from someone wearing a Master Gardener logo or Victoria Educational Gardens T-shirt.

Fun for whole family

• Festival

There will be fun for the whole family - and especially for children - with gardens laden with all kinds of activities designed especially for them.

Plan to decorate and plant a flowerpot, participate in face painting, pin the bee on the flower, take pictures at the plant photo booth, win at the plant walk and go on a hay ride.

You may want to browse beautiful yard art and garden furniture as well as visit vendors and food booths. Admission is free for all in the gardens the whole day.

• Fall plant sale

The Master Gardener fall plant sale will also be held that day from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. (or until sold out). With more than 1,000 plants available for sale, there should be something available for all who want to plant fall gardens.

Make note of the slightly different location from previous sales with this one being in the 4-H Activity Center Rifle Range.

Look for more details the next two weeks in this column and in the community for both "The Festival in the Gardens" and the fall plant sale.

For more information

If you are in need of more details as the date approaches, you can always call the Victoria County Extension Office at 361-575-4581. Be sure to check the flashing billboards around town as well.

If reading any of this information has stirred the imagination, continue reading this column each and every Friday and you won't miss a thing. See you at "The Festival in the Gardens" on Sept. 14.

The Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas AgriLife Extension - Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com.

SAVE THE DATE

• Sept. 14 - Master Gardener Festival in the Gardens celebrating 10 years of Victoria Educational Gardens, 333 Bachelor Drive, at Victoria Regional Airport; fall symposium, fall plant sale

SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE

$10 registration fee

EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AT OFFICER'S CLUB

• 9-9:45 a.m.: Texas Superstar

Plants

• 11-noon: Wild About Roses

• Noon-1:30 p.m.: Lunch break/free time to explore Victoria Educational Gardens and visit vendors

• 1:30-2:15 p.m.: Fire Wise Landscaping

2:30-3:15 p.m.: Colorful Containers

4-H ACTIVITY CENTER

• 9-9:45 a.m.: Lawn Care Made

Easy

• 10-10:45 a.m.: Bugs In The

Garden

• 11-noon: Composting 101

• Noon-1:30 p.m.: Lunch break/free time to explore Victoria Educational Gardens and visit vendors

2:30-3:15 p.m.: Attracting Birds and Butterflies

DEMONSTRATIONS AT VICTORIA EDUCATIONAL GARDENS PAVILION

• 10-10:45 a.m.: Growing and Using Gourds For Art

• 1:30-2:15 p.m.: The Bee Lady