IOWA CITY – It’s that time of year again.
The Project GREEN Second Sunday Garden Forums kick off in January, covering topics of interest to gardeners during free presentations at the Iowa City Public Library.
The 2015 sessions include presentations on the art of bonsai; the gardens at Brucemore in Cedar Rapids and low-maintenance perennials for Iowa gardens, on these dates:
January 11 – Bonsai Gardening
February 8 – David Morton, Head Gardener at Brucemore in Cedar Rapids
March 8 – Richard Jauron, Professor of Horticulture, Iowa State University
All Forums are held in Room A at the Iowa City Public Library and refreshments are served. Here is more about each session from Project GREEN:
John Clemens, member of Eastern Iowa Bonsai Association, will give a presentation on the shape, harmony and proportion of bonsai to express art in the form of these beautiful long-lived trees. Bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh) literally means a tree in a small pot that has been pruned and trained. The horticultural art form dates back thousands of years in Asian history. Bonsai is the “new” interest to gardeners everywhere.
Date: Sunday, January 11, 2015
Time: 2-4 p.m.
This event will be broadcast LIVE on The Library Channel, Iowa City cable channel 10.
The Gardens of Brucemore with David Morton
Date: Sunday, February 8, 2015
Time: 2:00-4:00 p.m.
David Morton, the Head Gardener at Brucemore, will give us a “tour” of gardens of Iowa’s only National Trust Historic Site. Brucemore, 26-acre, park like estate encompasses a Queen Anne-style mansion and multiple gardens – including both a formal garden and a children’s garden. Its 1910s landscape design included a variety of plants and trees.
Many of the plants seen today at Brucemore are plants used by Irene Douglas during her tenure. She was a knowledgeable gardener and enjoyed experimenting with new plant varieties and old reliable ones, as well.
Today, Brucemore’s gardeners continue her work by preserving examples of historic plant varieties while adjusting to meet the needs of the changing natural and urban environment.
Richard Jauron, Iowa State University Extension Horticulturist, will talk about Low Maintenance Perennials for Iowa gardens. All perennials require some degree of care during the year. Some require frequent attention, while others require very little care. Low maintenance perennials are the ideal plants for individuals who want an attractive garden, but have limited time to spend working in the garden. Every Friday – Horticulture Day, Mr. Jauron is a part of the “Hort Gang” on WSUI-AM radio with Charity Nebbe.
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2015
Time: 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Sunday Garden Forums are sponsored by Project GREEN and the Iowa City Public Library. The two hour forum feature speakers on a variety of topics. Each Forum will feature an hour slide or power point presentation followed by refreshments and a lengthy opportunity for discussion directly with the presenter for the day.
All Forums are free and open to the public. The programs will be televised live on the Library Cable Channel 10 and will be videotaped for checkout in the library’s non-fiction video collection. These forums qualify as education credits for Master Gardeners.
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