RCGC Spring Symposium

Saturday, January 28, 2012

9:30 am-12:45 pm

Join us for a garden fix in the dead of winter, with two fun and informative talks and an opportunity to swap seeds and houseplant cuttings with fellow enthusiasts. Beat the winter blues and get a head start on spring.

Schedule

9:30-10:30 am: Tropical Wonders. Bristol’s Garden Center carries an amazing collection of tropical plants. Join Deirdre Hickey of Bristol’s to see a wide range of tropicals available for your indoor winter enjoyment – interesting plants which are easy to grow indoors, as well as unusual plants that are challenging but worth it – and learn how to grow and propagate them in this demo session.

10:30-11 am: Seed and Houseplant Exchange; refreshments

11:00 am-12 noon: Growing English Cottage-Garden Favorites from Seed. Mary Cropley’s lovely Pittsford garden was a big hit on the 2011 RCGC Summer Garden Tour. In this slide-lecture, beautifully illustrated with images from her gardens, Mary will discuss how she starts many perennials and annuals from seed to create this exuberant look – by direct seeding into the garden, encouraging self-sown volunteers, and starting seeds under lights – along with suggested plants and seed sources for a profusion of blooms throughout the seasons.

12 noon-12:45: Questions, exchange, refreshments

 
Fee: $15 includes both talks, the swaps, and refreshments. You are encouraged to bring seeds and houseplant cuttings to swap, but they are not required, and there will be plenty for everyone to take some home.

Tips for the Swap

Seeds you have collected (or other fresh seed that you would like to share):
Label with as much information as you can – common name; botanical name; annual, perennial or biennial; hardiness; variety; size; sun, soil, and moisture preferences; bloom time and color. At minimum, note the common name and flower color. If possible, divvy seed into reasonable small quantities in small envelopes with the information written on the envelope. If you need help with this, call the RCGC library; they can provide assistance. If you don’t have coin envelopes or other small envelopes, just bring the seeds and info, and we will have envelopes available here at the event.

Houseplants:
Bring in some good-sized pieces of those overgrown monsters you have at home or any special houseplants you are willing to share. Seal the cuttings in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel, or put ends in water in a jar. Or bring the whole plant in its pot!

Carolyn Van Ness, RCGC Librarian

The RCGC library has several books with seed-saving information.