Summer Webinars Help Gardeners Grow in Knowledge June program offers landscaping designs and trough gardening information
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Scott County office is hosting the sixth annual "Growing Season" webinar series in June, July and August. Gardeners will learn about creative ideas for theme gardens, planting trough gardens, water features and conservation, attracting butterflies and bees, and growing herbs.
The three-part series, offered by the Iowa Master Gardener program, is open to all interested gardeners and features an Iowa Master Gardener and Iowa State University faculty or extension specialist presenting each of the two-hour courses. Participants are not required to have completed master gardener training to attend.
The June webinar, Design from Yard to Trough, with Iowa State University Department of Horticulture lecturer Lisa Orgler and Fayette County Master Gardener Gary Whittenbaugh, will be offered on June 17, 2015, at the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane in Bettendorf, IA starting at 7 pm. Participants will learn how to add spark to landscape designs and dive into trough planters filled with conifers and their companions. There is a $5.00 fee that is payable at the door.
"Garden design should be fun and represent the person who creates it," explained Orgler. "The theme garden design process is helpful to someone creating a garden in celebration of who they are as an artist, designer and gardener," Orgler said. Everyone taking this class will learn a simple five-step process to develop a theme from beginning to end.
"You can't have too many troughs in your garden," said Whittenbaugh who will demonstrate container gardening using troughs. "We'll use old muffin tins, cast iron pans and concrete planters for my favorite plants including conifers, hen and chicks and sedum." Whittenbaugh gives tours of his Franmara Gardens in Oelwein. As a master gardener volunteer he also speaks to groups around the state on dwarf conifers and trough gardens.
Growing Season webinars for July and August include :
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Water in the Garden. ISU Extension and Outreach horticulturist Denny Schrock along with Boone County Master Gardener Jamie Beyer, will discuss various water saving techniques to apply to the garden and how to incorporate creative water features. Water in the Garden will be held at the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, Ia on July 15, 2015 at 7 pm. There is a $5.00 fee that is payable at the door.
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Pollinators and Growing Herbs. Nathan Brockman, curator of the butterfly wing of Reiman Gardens at Iowa State, and Polk County Master Gardener Susan Appleget Hurst will educate attendees about attracting bees, birds and butterflies. They will also focus on growing, harvesting and preserving culinary herbs. Pollinators and Growing Herbs will be held at the Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, Ia on August 19 at 7pm. There is a $5.00 fee that is payable at the door.
To register for any or all of the Growing Season webinars at the ISU Extension and Outreach Scott County office, contact Amanda Heitz at 563-359-7577 or aheitz@iastate.edu. All master gardeners attending will earn two continuing education hours for each webinar.
SCOTT COUNTY EXTENSION CALENDAR
May 26, 2015 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm
May 27, 2015 Master Gardener Hort Clinic, Bettendorf Public Library, 6 pm-8 pm
June 5, 2015 Pesticide Applicator Testing, Scott County Extension, 10 am-2 pm
June 9, 2015 Master Gardener Hort Clinic, West Campus of Eastern Iowa Community College,
June 23, 2015 Scott County Extension Council Meeting, Scott County Extension Office, 7:00 pm
6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Visit our events calendar at our web site: http://dbs.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/
