Horticulture
There have been a lot of changes in botanical names of plants recently. Sheila Croshure shared this site that has a list of the updates with the Judges Council.
Straw Bale Gardening
Our September 11 program was on straw bed gardening. Joyce Long, a Master Gardener, shared her expertise on this topic based on Craig Le Houllier’s 15 years research perfecting his technique. We then toured Mary Jo Gardill’s straw bale garden. Pictures are below.
A pdf with information on the topic is below.
Straw bale gardens can be in many sizes and varied arrangements. Mary Jo’s three straw bale gardens, which hold her tomatoes, are behind her regular beds—- up against the brick garage.
The straw is more visible in the bottom of the pictures. Tomatoes, some still green but a couple turning red, can be seen right above the straw bale.
Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers
Workshops are one way that we educate the public. At this one, the focus was on the three different types of plants that make a superb container! A chart with descriptions and examples of each was distributed, along with many more ideas to enhance their display. At the end of the session, participants were given a pot, soil, and a selection of each type of plant to design a container for their garden or porch.