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MGCEU

Imagine quadrupling the variety and amount of fruit you can grow at home! This workshop will cover practical planting techniques for fruits and berries. Space is limited. No Fee.

To get the most out of the class, download a PDF of the presentation, print it out and bring it with you! Download the PDF here.

Angela Chandler is a life-long hobby gardener. She is a Past-President of the Harris County Master Gardener Association and was the Texas State Master Gardener of the year in 2004. She enjoys teaching a variety of garden subjects and co-authors a monthly gardening article in the Houston Chronicle.

Sorry we missed you!

One of our most popular events!
We will have a huge variety of fruits including Apples, Blueberries, Figs, Grapes, Jujubes, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Plums, and Pomegranates. A limited selection of Citrus and Tropicals will also be available.

• 9am Free seminar presented by: Heidi Sheesley, Treesearch Farms
• 10:30am Fruit tree sale begins.

Heidi Sheesley, owner of Treesearch Farm, and Cisco. Treesearch Farms is a premier provider of perennials, natives, unique and unusual plants for the Gulf Coast region. Look for Heidi's weekly article in Sunday's Real Estate section of the Houston Chronicle.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Leah and Pam Gunter, Gunters Heirloom Vegetables

These vegetable varieties have been around for generations and for good reason. Their taste is second to none! Leah and Pam are experts in the growing of these traditional varieties and graciously pass along their knowledge.

We must warn you – Pam and Leah’s love for the vegetable garden is contagious. Along with their knowledge, their selection of heirloom vegetables is unsurpassed. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet them both!!

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Rose pruning made simple. Learn the how, when and where to prune to keep your roses at their best year round.

Gaye Hammond is a consulting rosarian, international lecturer and writer. She is also President of the Houston Rose Society. Gaye oversees the creation and maintenance of three Earth-Kind® trial sites in Texas and is involved in Earth-Kind® projects at ARS Headquarters in Shreveport, Louisiana.

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MGCEU

Ken Wuensche

An Overview of grape growing on the Gulf Coast will be reviewed. Insect, pests, fungal and bacterial diseases will be discussed. Grape varieties available at The Arbor Gate and elsewhere will be explained along with advantages/disadvantages of propagating by potted plants, bare rooted plants and cuttings.

Ken Wuensche holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Houston. Ken Worked for Dow Chemical from 1970-1975 and has been a residential contractor since. In 2003 Ken planted his first grapes and fermented his first wine from a wine kit. In2004 Ken picked and fermented his first crop of grapes into wine and has not missed a year since. Ken’s current crop of white Blanc du Bois grapes have been harvested and will yield in excess of one hundred gallons of wine.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Limit: 25

Tom LeRoy, Montgomery County Extension Agent Emeritus & Assistant Texas Master Gardener Program Coordinator, will conduct a hands on workshop on grafting heirloom tomatoes onto hybrid tomato rootstock! By grafting heirloom tomatoes onto a hybrid rootstock you are able to produce the quality of the heirloom with the disease resistance and vigor of a hybrid tomato. This workshop will include all the tools you need to graft a tomato yourself. Each participant will go home with a plant they grafted themselves.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Free tomato plant for first 150 people.

Let these authors of The Southern Kitchen Garden book educate and entertain you. Attendees will learn soil preparation, maintenance, fertilization, disease and insect control and variety selection. Experienced and novice gardeners alike will be entertained and informed by these two gardening gurus!!

Tom is currently the Extension Agent Emeritus for Montgomery County while Bill is a well known professional photographer and Extension Agent Emeritus for Harris County. Together, they have co-authored Vegetable Gardening for the South.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Limit: 25

Tom LeRoy, Montgomery County Extension Agent Emeritus & Assistant Texas Master Gardener Program Coordinator, will conduct a hands on workshop on grafting heirloom tomatoes onto hybrid tomato rootstock! By grafting heirloom tomatoes onto a hybrid rootstock you are able to produce the quality of the heirloom with the disease resistance and vigor of a hybrid tomato. This workshop will include all the tools you need to graft a tomato yourself. Each participant will go home with a plant they grafted themselves.

Sorry we missed you!

Got Bees? Need to know what to do next? Join Top Bar Beekeepers Dean Cook and Angela Chandler for an afternoon of bee chat. Bring your questions to solve and experiences to share. This is not a class, it is an informal meeting and discussion hosted by The Arbor Gate to provide support to our growing community of natural beekeepers. We will cover some basics like harvesting honey, cross-combing solutions, Small Hive Beetle, and winter feeding. If you aren't keeping bees yet, but are interested and curious, feel free to join the discussion.

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Learn the habitat and nesting habits and how to protect bluebirds with this popular presentation by Linda Crum. You may join the Texas Bluebird Society, and with a new membership receive a free nestbox.

Linda is a Texas Master naturalist and has monitored bluebirds in her backyard for years. She also monitors a bluebird trail at a nearby State Forest and reports all data to Cornell Laboratories, NestWatch program.

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MGCEU

Gaye Hammond

Is your landscape tired and in need of a face-lift – but you just don’t know where to start? Have you poured money into landscaping projects and then been unsatisfied with the result? Do you have a new home and are in need of developing a landscape plan? If so, this course is for you! The approach that you will learn combines techniques used by professional landscape designers with the latest horticultural landscape management practices recommended by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (part of the Texas A&M system) to provide the homeowner with a beautiful year-round landscape requiring only minimal maintenance. The class covers how to build your own design, plant and color selections and things to avoid for a successful landscape, and includes course materials.

Gaye Hammond is a master rosarian, international lecturer and writer. She is the PasT President of the Houston Rose Society. Gaye oversees the creation and maintenance of three Earth-Kind® trial sites in Texas and is involved in Earth-Kind® projects at ARS Headquarters in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Leah and Pam Gunter, Gunters Heirloom Vegetables

These vegetable varieties have been around for generations and for good reason. Their taste is second to none! Leah and Pam are experts in the growing of these traditional varieties and graciously pass along their knowledge.

We must warn you – Pam and Leah’s love for the vegetable garden is contagious. Along with their knowledge, their selection of heirloom vegetables is unsurpassed. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet them both!!

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Gourds are beautiful and practical. They have been used for centuries as kitchen and garden accessories, table decorations, and even as jewelry. There are some gourds that are truly dual purpose - young fruits can be harvested and eaten, while a few on the same vine can be allowed to grow large enough to use in crafting. Learn how to prepare beds, start, grow, and harvest gourds in your own garden and how to preserve and prepare dried gourds for crafting.

Angela Chandler is a life-long hobby gardener. She is a Past-President of the Harris County Master Gardener Association and was the Texas State Master Gardener of the year in 2004. She enjoys teaching a variety of garden subjects and co-authors a monthly gardening article in the Houston Chronicle.

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Cynthia Graham

Remedies have been pulled from gardens since time existed. Greek Physicians are quoted as saying “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” In this session we will discuss the wonderful uses and effects of the following herbs: Peppermint, Spearmint, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Cilantro, Lavender and Chamomile. Come; discover nature’s bounty that comforts your bellyache, headache, and much that ails you.

Cynthia Graham is an RN (BSN-UT Houston) with an avid interest in traditional home remedies, cultural healing practices, and mind body-disciplines. She has studied holistic practices as far away as Beijing, China and as near as San Marcos, Texas. Her practice settings include barns, campgrounds, archeological digs, schools, doctors’ offices and hospitals. Cynthia is a Certified Qi Gong Instructor and Aroma Therapist.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Mark Brann, Conroe Greenhouse

Seth Knight

Meet Mark and his extraordinary grafted vegetables, along with Professor Seth Knight for pest and disease advice.

Sorry we missed you!

One of our most popular events!

We will have a huge variety of Citrus-Grapefruit, Kumquats, Lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Satsumas, Oranges, Limequats. We’ll even have some of the more exotic tropicals like Barbados Cherry, Dragon Fruit, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Jaboticaba, Papaya, Avocado, Star Fruit and Grumichama, Macadamia and many more.

• 9am Free seminar presented by Heidi Sheesley, Treesearch Farms
• 10:30am Sale begins.

Heidi Sheesley, owner of Treesearch Farm. Treesearch Farms is a premier provider of perennials, natives, unique and unusual plants for the Gulf Coast region. Look for Heidi's weekly article in Sunday's Real Estate section of the Houston Chronicle.

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Judy Barrett

How to use the things you grow not only to make great food but also to repel pests, make your home cleaner, create great gifts and so much more.

Judy Barrett was the founding editor and publisher of HOMEGROWN: Good Sense Organic Living for Texas, which was published for 12 years as a magazine and is currently available online. She was previously the editor of The New Garden Journal and one of the hosts of the public television series, The New Garden.

Judy is the author of several gardening books including Tomatillos: A Gardener’s Dream A Cook’s Delight and How To Become An Organic Gardener in 7 Easy Steps. Her book: What Can I Do With My Herbs? was published by Texas A&M Press in the spring of 2009. Her newest book, What Makes Heirloom Plants So Great? was published by Texas A&M Press in October, 2010. Recipes From and For The Garden came out in the spring of 2012.

She is an occasional columnist on gardening for Edible Austin, ACRES U.S.A and the Harris Old Farmer’s Almanac. She writes a blog on gardening at www.HomegrownTexas.com

Judy speaks to groups about gardening across the South and Southwest regions, including garden clubs, events and nurseries, herb societies, Master Gardener and Expert Gardener training.

She holds BA and MA degrees in English from the University of Texas at Austin and has edited books on a variety of topics, including gardening, business, medicine and others.

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Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs

Herbs can be a year-round joy in your garden with just a little planning. By becoming acquainted with the growing habits and seasonal needs of your herbal choices, your garden can provide herbs for fragrance, flavor, and just sheer beauty throughout the year. Ann's informative, informal, and entertaining class will help you create your own roadmap for this most rewarding journey!

Ann Wheeler of Log House Herb Farm is consultant of fine culinary and ornamental herbs to The Arbor Gate.

Sorry we missed you!

Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs

Herbs can be a year-round joy in your garden with just a little planning. By becoming acquainted with the growing habits and seasonal needs of your herbal choices, your garden can provide herbs for fragrance, flavor, and just sheer beauty throughout the year. Ann's informative, informal, and entertaining class will help you create your own roadmap for this most rewarding journey!

Ann Wheeler of Log House Herb Farm is consultant of fine culinary and ornamental herbs to The Arbor Gate.

Sorry we missed you!

Howard Garrett, The Dirt Doctor

John Ferguson, Natures Way Resources

Howard and John will share insights on organic gardening. They will be available after the lecture to sign copies of their new book Organic Management for the Professional.

John Ferguson has over 30 years of business experience. He founded and owns Natural Waste Solutions, Inc., dba Nature's Way Resources, a Houston based composting, mulch and recycling company that specialize in high quality compost, mulch, and soil mixes. His personal garden has been featured in several gardening books, "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine and his business has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal for the quality and value of the products.

Howard Garrett received his Bachelor of Science degree in Park Administration and Landscape Architecture from Texas Tech University in 1969. By 1988 he had committed his entire career to the research, education and promotion of organic products and practices. His work also includes research on natural organic planting techniques, use of native and well adapted introductions and water saving solutions.

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Michael Shawn Kelly, Mirror Lake

Simple steps and tricks of the trade can lead to dramatic changes. Make your landscape make an entrance.

Michael Shawn Kelly is an international award-winning landscape architect, founder and owner of Mirror Lake Landscapes, Pools, & Waterfalls, and 18-year host of Houston's "Your Livable Garden" Radio Show. A Bachelor of both Landscape Architecture and Floriculture of Texas A&M University and Texas Registered Landscape Architect No. 869, Shawn has over 34 years of design and installation experience.

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Jeremy Kollaus & Chef Chris Crowder

Jeremy's extensive vegetable gardening experience coupled with Chef Chris' creativity in the kitchen, promises to be an entertaining and informative addition to our schedule. Original recipes created by Chef Chris along with Jeremy’s gardening guidance make this a must attend class. No Fee.

Chef Chris Crowder is a professional chef and long time friend of The Arbor Gate. He prepares delicious dishes for many of the Arbor Gate events and specializes in herbal recipes.

Jeremy Kollaus' low key approach to gardening appeals to the laid-back gardener in each of us. Not only an experienced vegetable gardener, Jeremy is a great cook!

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Rand Hopkins of Monrovia Nursery

A sneak preview of what's new from this industries leading nursery. No fee.

Rand C. Hopkins grew up in Houston, TX and graduated from Clear Lake High School. Upon graduation he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. where he received a Bachelor of Sciences in Natural Resources with a minor in Horticulture. Rand started working for Monrovia in 1993 in both the Dayton, Or and Visalia, Ca. locations, and over the past 13 years he has been based in Houston, TX as an outside sales representative for Monrovia. When he is not talking about plants Rand enjoys playing guitar in a local band and spending time with his wife Julie and children Sienna and Reed.

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Henry Flowers, MacAshan Gardens

Now that you've successfully grown an herb and have a bountiful supply, what can you do with it? This class will focus on the basics of how to incorporate herbs into food in a variety of different ways with a goal helping you to be creative and manipulate recipes to your liking. It will also cover some simple craft and gift ideas that will help you to take advantage of your herbal bounty.

Henry is a native Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. He holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Horticulture.
He is the 2009 recipient of the Herb Society of America's Joanna McQuail Reed Award for the Artistic Use of Herbs.

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MGCEU

Angela Chandler

Learn the value of attracting these garden pollinators to your landscape. Angela will show you their favorite blooms.

Angela Chandler is a life-long hobby gardener. She is a Past-President of the Harris County Master Gardener Association and was the Texas State Master Gardener of the year in 2004. She enjoys teaching a variety of garden subjects and co-authors a monthly gardening article in the Houston Chronicle.

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MGCEU

Dr. David Creech, Stephen F. Austin State University

Add beauty and value to any sized lawn. This is an often overlooked "layer" to your landscape.

Dr. David Creech, Professor of Horticulture, has been at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas since September, 1978. His teaching responsibilities include courses in fruit and vegetable production, greenhouse management, landscape plant materials, plant propagation, and nursery management. His effort has focused on blueberry germplasm and production studies, alternative crop/alternative technology work, crop nutrition studies, new plant introductions for the ornamental horticulture industry, endangered plant rescue, research and reintroduction, and finding sustainable solutions to environmental concerns. Dr. Creech is a contributing writer to numerous scholarly and trade publications. Dr. Creech has enjoyed numerous international consultancies since 1981 to Pakistan, Guatemala, Mexico, Nepal, Israel and China. His latest work in China collaborates with colleagues at the Nanjing Botanical Garden and has a focus on Taxodium improvement and research, nursery production and blueberry potential. Dr. Creech was President, 1991-1992, of the Native Plant Society of Texas, an 1800 member, 31 chapter organization dedicated to the conservation, selection and use of the native plants of Texas. He is currently the Director of the ten-acre SFA Mast Arboretum, an on-campus resource that has enjoyed steady growth, development, utilization and visitation since its inception in 1985. Dr. Creech?s also directs the 8-acre SFA Ruby Mize Azalea Garden which opened in 2000. The garden features over a mile of trails, 6000+ azaleas, over 200 varieties of Japanese maples and 400 varieties of camellias plus a wide assortment of companion trees and shrubs. He is also co-Director of a new 40-acre forest resource on the SFA campus, the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, only the third garden affiliated with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. He signs all his letters, "Keep planting."

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Sharing a full-day of roses is a great way to celebrate spring and we will do just that on Rose Day! The Arbor Gate is honored to host the Houston Rose Society’s annual spring rose show – where gardeners from around the state will bring the best blooms from their gardens and arrangements that they have designed to put those on display at the nursery. Expert consulting rosarians will be on hand to answer questions, share tips, make recommendations and even help with rose purchases throughout the day. Two great programs will be offered that you will not want to miss.

10:00 – “Pests and Plagues of Roses and How to Deal with Them” will be presented by Gaye Hammond, Past President of the Houston Rose Society. This program will help you correctly identify common rose diseases and the bad bugs (including chilli thrips) that sometimes plague rose gardens and the products that REALLY WORK to control those. The course material includes full-color handouts to help you recognize the diseases and pests should they show up in your own garden.

1:00 – “Roses 101” will be presented by Donald Burger, Director of the Houston Rose Society. This program covers the different types of roses and their landscape applications (e.g. identifying the right rose for the right spot), what to look for in buying roses and general rose care to make these garden work horses spectacular additions to your landscape.

The Houston Rose Society invites all Arbor Gate customers to bring rose blooms from their gardens and enter the show. Additional information on the day’s events, including details about the rose show are available on the Houston Rose Society’s website, www.houstonrose.org.

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Kathy Huber, The Houston Chronicle

In April, cool-season and warm-season flowers merge to make an impossibly long list of spring favorites. I could never pick just one.

Kathy's roots are in the South, as she shares her love of gardening with treasured favorites and new found friends.

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MGCEU

Making more out of next to nothing! Some heirloom shrubs, perennials and bulbs that are easy to propagate yourself can be a fun activity and make your gardening dollars go further. Roses, winter honeysuckle, crape myrtles, nandinas, althaea, hens & chicks, wandering jew (Setcreasea), spineless prickly pear, gardenias, etc. are local heirloom plants that are easily reproduced. Bulbs such as hardy amaryllis, crinums, rain lilies, cemetery white iris, tiger lilies can all be started dividing, saving seed or cutting up mature bulbs. Chris will be sharing recent information on bulb hunts involving cemetery white irises and liatris. Bill will share childhood memories rooting gardenia & rose cuttings among others.

Dr. William Welch is a native of Houston, TX and graduated from Lamar High School. He attended Southwestern University at Georgetown Texas for two years prior to going to Louisiana State University where he received an undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture and later his MS and doctorate in Horticulture and Extension Education. He has had a lifelong interest in gardening. Since 1972 he has served as Professor of Horticulture and currently works for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M University.

Chris Wiesinger is a 2004 graduate of Texas A&M University, where he majored in horticulture and floriculture, and was a member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. Chris founded the Southern Bulb Co. from a college project upon graduation.

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Rob Greening,

Rob will give you the tools you need for adding a new dimension to your landscape. Whether you have existing lighting or are planning installation let Rob take you through the steps.

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Cynthia Graham, RN, BSN

Landscaping with health in mind has been a part of many societies going back to ancient times. Colors, smells, textures and shade create an experience that can invigorate or calm. However, the richer use of plants was found in the remedies they provided for bleeding, bruising, headaches, bellyaches and more serious concerns. By the end of this class you will have an understanding of the deep benefits of: Witch-hazel, Willow Tree, Hibiscus, Chasteberry, Crepe Myrtle, Roses, Ginger, Cardamom, Comfrey, Mullein, Yarrow, Skullcap, Butterfly Weed, Echinacea, Purslane, and Aloe Vera.

Cynthia Graham is an RN (BSN-UT Houston) with an avid interest in traditional home remedies, cultural healing practices, and mind body-disciplines. She has studied holistic practices as far away as Beijing, China and as near as San Marcos, Texas. Her practice settings include barns, campgrounds, archeological digs, schools, doctors’ offices and hospitals. Cynthia is a Certified Qi Gong Instructor and Aroma Therapist.

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Jason McKenzie

Whatever your style, space or schedule may be, let Jason motivate and inspire you with innovative landscape design ideas.

Jason McKenzie of The Arbor Gate specializes in native Southeastern plants with focuses on reforestation of woodlands and native habitat gardening and native cottage gardens. Jason is former owner of the Pineywoods Nursery and a past chapter president of the Native Plant Society, and has traveled the southeastern U.S. collecting and growing rare and unique natives of landscape and habitat value. Working to educate, Jason speaks to many garden clubs and professional events.

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Molly Fowler

Molly combines her years of catering expertise with her wide-ranging experience as a cooking instructor to demonstrate entertaining with ease, flair and impact.

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Ann Wheeler, Log House Herbs & Chef Chris Crowder

This celebration of everything basil will bring together the plant lore of this favorite herb and the culinary lore and expertise associated with it.

Basilmania! strikes in early spring every year -- causing herb lovers to behave in a most irrational manner -- that is, we all rush to The Arbor Gate in search of this greatest of all spring and summer culinary herbs weeks ahead of the sunshine and warm temperatures they require to flourish.

This class will explore basils that may smell and taste of anise, camphor, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus-carnation, lemon, thyme, and other scents. You’ll discover that the spicy notes of many basils not usually considered culinary herbs can add unusual flavors and fragrances to quite ordinary recipes.

Join us for this festive event and experience some aspects of basil you’ve not been acquainted with before. Indulge yourself in Basilmania!

Chef Chris Crowder is a professional chef and long time friend of The Arbor Gate. He prepares delicious dishes for many of the Arbor Gate events and specializes in herbal recipes.

Ann Wheeler of Log House Herb Farm is consultant of fine culinary and ornamental herbs to The Arbor Gate.

Sorry we missed you!

Ken Wuensche

A short history of winemaking including the earliest known winemaking in Europe and the New World will be reviewed. The science of wine making/ grape growing in including the major players—Louis Pasteur, Emile Peynaud, and T. V. Munson will be discussed. Wine making in ancient times and the method of our great grandparents will be offered.

Finally, winemaking utilizing fifty years of scientific research will be reviewed. We will also discuss the equipment needed and methods of making wine at home.

Ken Wuensche holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Houston. Ken Worked for Dow Chemical from 1970-1975 and has been a residential contractor since. In 2003 Ken planted his first grapes and fermented his first wine from a wine kit. In 2004, Ken picked and fermented his first crop of grapes into wine and has not missed a year since. This year, Ken was awarded the TV Munson Cup for a while. His wine was also chosen as "Best of Show" at a noncommercial state-wide competition. Ken’s current crop of white Blanc du Bois grapes have been harvested and will yield in excess of one hundred gallons of wine.

Sorry we missed you!

MGCEU

Linda Gay

Has shade gardening been a drag for you? Have fun and enjoy creating a successful and beautiful garden in the shade. Learn how to decipher the different levels of shade and also how to amend the soil so plants grow happily in the root systems of the shade trees.

Linda received her Associates Degree in Horticulture from Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC. She moved to Houston the summer of 1979 and worked in the commercial green industry until 1985. October 1985 Linda stared at Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens and retired in May 2011. She was the director for 11 years. Linda is first and foremost a gardener, constantly manipulating soils and putting new plants in the garden, always learning and growing. She has killed plants every which way you can and this experience has made me a plant expert. After 6 months of retirement Linda was very fortuitous and landed in the coolest gardener's paradise, The Arbor Gate in Tomball, Texas.

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The gardens at The Arbor Gate are dressed out in all their finery just for this annual event. Enjoy the day strolling through our display gardens and visiting with our gardening staff and talented artists. Highlighting the day will be our Arbor Gate artisans as well as guest artists who will be displaying some of their newest works. This year's participants include: Felder Rushing, Randy Lemmon, Big Thicket Creations, Houston Llew

Randy Lemmon is the host of GardenLine on 740AM KTRH. GardenLine will be broadcasting LIVE from the Arbor Gate from 6am to 10am! GardenLine is where Houston’s Gardeners listen for expert advice on everything from aphids to zoysias. Randy is a Texas Aggie with a wealth of knowledge about gardening in Houston. Randy will be here to answer questions and sign books from 11am to 1pm.

Felder Rushing is a true Southern Garden Guru. He's a well known author of 14 gardening books, Felder lectures widely across the country. His delivery combines down-home style laced with humor, zany metaphors, and real-life anecdotes! Catch his talk on "Felder's Artful Insights" at 10am!

Houston Llew, creator of the popular molten glass on copper art collectibles known as Spiritiles, will attend Arbor Gate's Art in the Garden event May 11th from 10 to 3. Meet the artist, have your Spiritiles personally signed by Houston, and enjoy a sneak preview of his very special Summer, 2011 Spiritile debut.

Colors and nature have always been Jerrie Glidden's passion. She seeks to reflect its beauty and rainbow of colors in my paintings. As a young mother, she started her artistic training by studying oils for one year under the guidance of John Holloway.

On the last ordinary day of her life, Abby Bennett feels like the luckiest woman on earth. But everyone knows that luck doesn't last forever...

Barbara Sissel. At the heart of every crime, there’s a family…. That fact is what drives Barbara’s fiction. Her novels are issue oriented and edgy, and generally involve unraveling a mystery, but unlike a lot of crime fiction, Barbara’s novels center on families, ordinary people who are caught up, suddenly, in extraordinary circumstances. The stories are about wives and mothers, husbands and fathers, and children, the ties that bind them and the crimes that can shatter them. Her previous work includes the novels, The Last Innocent Hour (2001), The Ninth Step (2011), and The Volunteer (2011). Evidence of Life is her first book to be published by MIRA. A second as yet untitled novel will be forthcoming from MIRA next year.

Although she once lived on the grounds of a prison facility in Kentucky (a fact that might explain the nature of her writing), she now resides near Houston, Texas. An avid gardener and reader, Barbara is also the joyful mother of two wonderful sons. In fact along with writing and publishing, mothering them was also a long-held dream, and it continues to be her favorite occupation despite the fact they are grown, or so they tell her.

For more about Barbara you can visit her website here.

Lynn Herbert is the Editor and Author of "A Garden Book for Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast," which was published in January of this year. She also serves on the Bayou Bend Gardens Advisory Committee, the Houston Seminar Board of Directors, and the River Oaks Garden Club Board of Directors, among many other groups.

Margaret Cherry

Hear about & see the latest breeding of ever-popular caladiums. We'll have the latest introductions from the past 5 years to see, as well as the newest trial varieties to evaluate & vote on. Let your voice be heard - here's a chance to let the breeder know what you, the public, wants to see come to market. All your votes & comments will be compiled & added to the trial results for 2013, out of which 6-8 new varieties will be chosen. This is part of a formal field trial, that usually only large growers & university researchers get to attend - so come on out & give us your opinion!

Margaret has been involved in the nursery industry for over 35 years. Retail experience comes from being a color buyer with Cornelius Nurseries in Houston, but her "visibility" increased during her years as a color specialist for a commercial landscaper. Margaret has designed and planted beds, using over 250,000 flats of annuals a year, with extensive use of bulbs, perennials, and colorful foliage plants. Many of the color care tags on plants from Hines & Turkey Creek Farms were written by Margaret. She has also been a contributor to The Garden Book for Houston, 4th & 5th edition. Now she works for Abbott-Ipco, Inc, a horticultural brokerage firm specializing in bulbs, perennials, & European import items. In recent years, she has partnered with Mercer Arboretum, LSU, Classic Caladiums LLC, & local growers to identify the best varieties of bulbs & plants for our area, & help introduce them to the gardening public.

Tom LeRoy
Bill Adams
Jeremy Kollaus
Chef Chris Crowder

Judges will choose winners in the categories of largest fruit and best tasting fruit. Don't miss out on the fun!

Categories are:

• Best tasting small (2"diameter or less)
• Best tasting large (2" diameter or more)
• Largest ( determined by weight)
• Prettiest Single Tomato (10 ounces or more)
• Most Uniform Sample of 4 Tomatoes (any size/single variety)
• Best tasting salsa
• Best tasting marinara

Entry tomato must have been grown personally by the registrant, and not have been used in any previous tomato contest. Tomatoes may be green, white, pink, orange, or red.

Contest begins at 10am. All entries must be on table by 10am.