Cacti of the Desert Southwest presentation – May 21
SaddleBrooke Master Gardeners present Cacti of the Desert Southwest by Meg Quinn, Botanist and Environmental Educator on Thursday, May 21, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. in the MountainView Ballroom West.
Discover the enormous variety of cacti that are found in our region and enjoy images of their colorful flowers. Learn about pollination strategies, general ecology, plus traditional and modern uses of local cacti. Tips on gardening with cacti are included.
Pre-registration is not necessary but we do ask that you sign in upon arrival and turn in your feedback sheets upon leaving.
Ask your Master Gardener session will be from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m.
Bring any samples or pictures of your problem plants or pest issues for better analyses.
Need a house call? Sign up upon arrival and Pat Flanagan will be calling to set up an appointment for our Volunteers to stop by.
For further information please contact: Zann Wilson at 219-263-3261, [email protected]; Richard Gibson at 520-836-5221 ext. 227, [email protected]; or Terry Ellsworth at 520-836-5221 ext. 202, [email protected].
Membership opportunities
SaddleBrooke Master Gardeners are volunteers for University of Arizona Pinal Cooperative Extension. They assist the public with University research based, home horticulture information through educational programs and projects. You don’t have to be an expert gardener to become a Master Gardener volunteer; you only need a desire to learn and to help others. The next Master Gardener Training Class includes 36 hours of instruction and will be held September 22 to December 15, 2015. Classes are three hours each Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to noon for thirteen weeks at The Preserve Clubhouse. (No class Thanksgiving week.) As a Master Gardener you can help educate and advise home gardeners in your community. Most local residents are newcomers and gardeners inexperienced in the desert environment and are in great need of gardening and landscape advice. Our training will give you the skills required to identify plants and insects, diagnose plant problems, advise on plant care and give you the confidence to share your expertise with others.
A fee of $120 will be collected to cover class materials. Acceptance into this program is contingent on a commitment to be an active volunteer in the SaddleBrooke volunteer group. To apply for this program contact Kathie Griffin, SaddleBrooke Master Gardener Coordinator at [email protected].
Snowbird Gardens that need little care over summer
SaddleBrooke Master Gardeners presents: Snowbird Gardens that Over Summer Easily; an afternoon with Jacqueline A. Soule, Ph.D. on Thursday, April 16, 2015 at l:00 p.m. in the Mariposa Room at the DesertView Performing Arts Center.
Are you leaving for the summer? Do you come back to dead plants? If so, come to the SaddleBrooke Master Gardeners’ free presentation featuring Jacqueline A. Soule, Ph.D. who will discuss plants that need little care during the summer.
Jacqueline Soule is a longtime Southwest gardener and has written nine volumes on gardening in our unique climate. She has been a popular columnist for many years with weekly and monthly columns in national and local publications including The Explorer newspaper and Angie’s List magazine. She has degrees in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Botany.
Jacqueline’s garden encompasses the entire landscape around her home. She prefers working with plants that need as little care as possible. Minimal care is not her only criteria. Plants must also provide color, texture and movement in the garden. Once you learn the perfect plants to choose, you too will come home to a thriving landscape. Don’t miss out on this highly informative presentation. Jacqueline will have a variety of her books available for purchase in addition to Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert which is her most recent addition.
Pre-registration not necessary but we do ask that you please sign in upon arrival and urge you to come early for a good seat at this wonderful event as we are expecting a standing room only crowd.
Our Ask Your Master Gardener session will be open from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. so be sure and write down any questions you may have and if possible bring a sample of any problem plants or pests for better analysis.
For further information, please contact: Carol Petrakos at 520-818-3861, [email protected]; Richard Gibson at 520-836-5221 x 227, [email protected]; or Terry Ellsworth at 520-836-5221 x 202, [email protected].