Linn County Master Gardener, Claire Smith, offered the following on upcoming events this week (March 2009) – the WMT Lawn, Garden and Home show and a presentation on daylilies:
Not your humdrum educational series, here are four exciting gardening presentations available in mid-March. The timing is perfect as now is the time to get motivated for outside endeavors.
Daylily Delights is the title of Zora Ronan, Linn County Master Gardener and daylily grower extraordinaire’s presentation on the art of selecting and growing daylilies on Wednesday, March 11th from 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Linn County Extension Office Conference Room, Suite 140, 3279 7th Ave., Marion. Zora will first focus on criteria for judging or picking the perfect Daylilies. The second part of her lecture will be devoted to All the Pretty Faces-Forms and Colors. Zora has an extensive daylily garden at her home and plans to have a garden walk in mid-July. This class is FREE and open to the public. Registration is requested. Call the Extension Office at 319-377-9839.
Linn County Master Gardeners will be staffing a booth Saturday and Sunday, March 14th and 15th at the 2009 WMT and Mix 96.5 Lawn, Garden and Home Show at Hawkeye Downs, Cedar Rapids. Horticulture information, composting advice and ISU publications will be available. Additionally, Master Gardeners will offer the following three lectures:
· New and Unusual Annuals and Perennials for 2009 is presenter Deb Walser’s lecture about adding spice to your gardens. Annual and perennial gardens are not just Geraniums, Daylilies and Hosta. Mix it up by adding unusual annuals and perennials in the same bed. Deb will introduce some of the most unusual annuals and perennials that will be in the nurseries near you this year. You will be surprised by some of the same, but in a new way. Come and get new ideas for this spring and add some spunk to your garden on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
· At 2:30 on Saturday, Becki Lynch will let you know why Ornamental Grasses have become the hot plant in the past five years. Becki will provide design tips to place these four season interest plants on your property, from large to small and sun to shade.
· Gene Frye will discuss selecting trees and shrubs for Iowa. He will discuss the why, when and how to maintain woody plants and recommend tools to use on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.