‘Winter Wonderings’ speaker series planned
Join the Penn State Extension Master Gardener program of Butler County at their “Winter Wonderings” webinar series. There are three February sessions: Feb. 17, 18 and 24. All sessions are held from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The cost is $10 per session, and interested participants can register online at extension.psu.edu or by phone at 1-877-345-0691. Proceeds will benefit the educational outreach of the Master Gardeners Butler County program.
On Feb. 17, John Lonsdale will discuss a wide variety of unusual and beautiful woodland plants in his webinar, “Woodland Treasures.” His presentation will highlight genera such as Trillium, Galanthus, Cyclamen, Corydalis, Podophyllum, Hepatica, Erythronium, Cypripedium, Phlox, Epimedium and Arisaema, many of which are native to the eastern United States.
These plants are suitable for a range of habitats in the garden, from dry shade to vernally moist sunlit woodland edges. Several trees and shrubs will be discussed, including native deciduous azaleas. Lonsdale will emphasize methods for propagating and growing these genera successfully, especially from seed.
He is affiliated with Edgewood Gardens, 35 miles west of Philadelphia, in Exton. He has grown a wide variety of alpine and woodland plants and bulbs for more than 40 years and is a recipient of the Alpine Garden Society Gold Merit Medal.
He regularly contributes articles to the publications of several horticultural societies, lectures widely and maintains a website, www.edgewoodgardens.net, featuring over 20,000 images of plants growing in his garden. He received his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and spent more than 35 years working in biomedical research.
On Feb. 18, small gardens will be the topic of discussion in the webinar “Small Garden Design.” Small gardens are the wave of the future, yet gardeners want the art, color, diversity and details afforded by larger gardens and landscapes. Karl Gercens explores all the avenues of paths, water features, containers, and plants that make any small garden a rich tapestry of interest and enjoyment. His passion for horticulture started at an early age while growing up on a 10,000-acre cotton plantation in Mississippi.
His experimentation with different plant types and growing methods in that region sparked an interest in new and dynamic explorations for cultivation, which ultimately led to his bachelor’s in ornamental horticulture at Mississippi State University. He then completed academic internships at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and at the Filoli Estate in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.
His professional experience in garden design evolved from practicing at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa., The Filoli Estate, Woodside, Calif., and Walt Disney World, Orlando, Fla. He currently is the East Conservatory Manager at Longwood Gardens.
The webinar series concludes on Feb. 24 with the topic, “Herbal Houseplants.”
Hey, houseplant lovers: Are you ready to up your growing game? Whether your green thumb is weathered and worn or shiny and new, get ready to branch out and step into the world of growing your own indoor herbs!
Susan Betz lets you in on a little secret: Herbs make great houseplants, full of flavor, fragrance and fun! New techniques, efficient grow lights, and herb varieties specifically bred for compact spaces offer those in urban situations a better and easier way to grow herbs indoors. Learn which herbs perform best as houseplants, how to care for them, and even how to harvest and use your homegrown herbs for culinary creations, household cleaning products, herbal teas, handmade crafts and more.
She is an author, garden communicator, lecturer and conservationist specializing in herbs and native plants. She has been actively growing and using herbs to educate the public about gardening and the natural world for over 35 years.
For more information, contact the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Butler County at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email butlermg@psu.edu.
Diane Dallos is Master Gardener coordinator with the Penn State Extension in Butler County.
