January Calendar of Triangle Programs



Pruning programs will be offered twice in January:
at NCBG on Jan. 24, and by the Duke Garden Forum on Jan. 20.

North Carolina Botanical Gardens
100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC.
http://reg.abcsignup.com/view/view_month.aspx?as=5&wp=184&aid=NCBG

Plant Ecology
Sat.,  Jan.10,  1- 4 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan 10, 17, 24, 31 (incl. weather: Feb 7); 1–4 p.m.
Ecological relationships at the organism, population, community, and ecosystem levels are examined, using examples from the rich and diverse North Carolina flora. Students will learn about nutrient and energy cycling within ecosystems, as well as about current threats and trends for the conservation of ecosystems. No prerequisites. $125 ($115 Members). 

Winter Flora Sun., Jan. 18, 1:45 - 4:45 p.m. Sundays, Jan 18, 25 Feb 1, 8, 1:45–4:45 pm (Inclement weather date: Feb 15) This course is designed for a broad audience as well as for students who are enrolled in either of the Garden’s certificate programs. Field trips and exercises provide experience in the use of identification keys and recognition of winter and early spring native plants in a natural setting. Enjoy discovering that many trees and shrubs are easily recognized when not covered with leaves! No prerequisites. Fee: $130 ($115 NCBG members). Fee includes copy of May and Tom Watts, Winter Tree Finder. Rare Plant Ecology and Conservation Tues., Jan. 20, 1- 4 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays, Jan 20, 22, 27, 29; 1–4 p.m. (incl. weather: Feb 3) From the tops of the Smoky Mountains to the coastal dunes, North Carolina is home to many rare plant species, each with its own story. The primary focus of this course is on rare plants of North Carolina with additional examples from the southeastern United States. Through lectures, discussions, and the study of selected flora, this course examines the causes of plant rarity, conservation strategies, and the ethics of conservation. No prerequisites. $125 ($115 Members). The Do’s and some Don’ts of Pruning Sat., Jan. 24,  1 - 4 p.m. Participants will be instructed on the different types of pruning equipment and safety, the best pruning techniques, and the proper time to prune. The primary focus will be on, but not limited to, trees and shrubs. Pruning is a beneficial horticultural practice for the overall health of plants, as well as stimulating new growth and flowering. $20 ($15 Member) Native Plant Studies Networking Session Sat., Jan. 31,  10:00 a.m. - noon Nancy Easterling, NCBG Director of Education; Steph Jeffries, Forest Ecologist; David McCloy and Jim Schmidt, NPS Graduates Join current, past and interested students for an informal networking session led by the NPS Advisory Committee student representatives. This will be an opportunity to have dialog with students and student advisors and support the certificate experience and ultimate graduation. This session is a prerequisite for the Independent Study Design Short Course. Free, but pre-registration required.

JC Raulston Arboretum

Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum
4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC.

http://jcra.ncsu.edu

Plantsmen's Tour: "Stop and Smell the Roses—Evergreen Roses"
Tues., Jan. 6, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Mark Weathington, Director 
The rose family is filled with more than your typical garden roses. Evergreen rose relatives abound in the landscape. We'll take a look at some of the best for gardens. Free for members, $5.00 for nonmembers.

Friends of the Arboretum Lecture: "Adventures in Plant Breeding from the Deep South to the 45th Parallel"
Wed., Jan. 7, 7:30 - 9 p.m.  
Ryan Contreras, Ph.D., Oregon State University
Free for Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum members, NC State University students (with ID), and Department of Horticultural Science faculty and staff, all others $5.00.

North American Rock Garden Society Piedmont Chapter Lecture: "Woody Winter Wonderland"
Sat., Jan. 17, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Brienne Gluvna Arthur
Free for North American Rock Garden Society (Piedmont Chapter) members and Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum members, otherwise $5.00. 

Aphrodisiac plants program and book signing will be
 Jan. 27 at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

420 Anderson St., Durham, NC.

http://gardens.duke.edu/events.  Please call 919-668-1707 to register.

 

Organic Vegetable Gardening: Winter

Tue., Jan. 20, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Course meets for 4 sessions; Class series: 3 Tuesdays, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday field session - Jan. 31, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Andy Currin, avid vegetable gardener and Duke University campus horticulturist

Winter allows you time to slow down in the garden, evaluate the season and plan for next year. This class will focus on winter season strategies, including sowing of winter cover crops and extending your growing season with cold frames and other techniques. Class includes indoor discussion and outdoor practice in the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden. Class textbook is included for those beginning this series.

Garden Soils Class:  "If You Build It, They Will Come: Understanding and Improving Garden Soils"
Sat., Jan. 24, 8:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.

Bryce Lane, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Emeritus and Lecturer Emeritus, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University
As gardeners, we spend most of our time thinking "above ground". We ruminate about plants, combinations, color, texture, and about light exposure, water, temperature and climate. Gardening success is equally dependent on what is going on below ground. A scientific understanding of soil chemistry, biology, physics, and fertility makes a good gardener a "master" gardener! This class will help us understand basic soil principles, and how we can use that understanding to improve our garden soils, properly prepare garden beds, reduce fertilizer inputs, compost, and maximize growth in our gardens.

Durham Garden Forum: The Dynamics of Pruning

Tue., Jan. 20, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Learn about the internal engineering of plants and how pruning can assist a tree.

Instructor: Kevin Lilley, division manager, Landscape Services Department, City of Durham. Forum members free with annual membership; $10 per meeting for non-members payable to the Durham Garden Forum. For membership information, please email durhamgardenforum@gmail.com. No pre-registration necessary.

 

Plants with Benefits: Aphrodisiacs
Tue., Jan. 27,  7 - 9 p.m.
Are some plants aphrodisiacs, or is that just a myth? Garden expert and plant detective Helen Yoest takes us on a romp through history, lore and ethnobotany. She explores a roster of 45 plants to uncover how they got their "hot" reputation, and what modern science has to say about it. Discover which common garden plants and favorite edibles have that "something extra," and why. Helen’s latest book, “Plants with Benefits,” is filled with lush photography, growing tips, and recipes for preparing teas, potions and tasty treats for your pleasurable use. Helen’s book, "Plants with Benefits: An Uninhibited Guide to the Aphrodesiac Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & Veggies in Your Garden," will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.

Zoom In: Winter Botanizing
Sat., Jan. 31,  1 - 3 p.m.; Snow date: Feb. 7
Instructor: Robert Thornhill, local plant ecologist
Explore plants from a “Zoom In” perspective. In this outdoor lab you will look at the architecture of a plant, learning what makes each unique. The winter season is a beautiful time to identify plants. They are pared down to their essence and you can enjoy the bark and twig colors, the buds holding next year’s growth, and the seeds remaining from the previous growing season.
Join us to examine the structures, identifying features and wonder of the winter landscape.