Master Gardeners present 8th annual conference
Chris Wiesinger, "The Bulb Hunter" is keynote speaker

Chris Wiesinger

Come and help us celebrate the arrival of spring gardening in East Texas on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:00 pm at the Cain Center in Athens, TX. That's when the Henderson County Master Gardeners come together to share what they do best: Share what they have to offer with the community and each other. The offerings are bountiful in this 8th annual Spring Conference.

Our keynote speaker is Chris Wiesinger, the Founder and President of Southern Bulb Company.

An article entitled "The Bulb Hunter" in the March issue of Southern Living begins this way: "Some things have to be done while you are still young, and before you realize they are probably nearly impossible."

At the age of 27, Chris not only set out with a truck and a shovel in search of heirloom bulbs that had survived the heat and humidity of the old south; he started a bulb nursery at a time when virtually all of the bulb breeders in the world are Dutch. "What keeps me going, " he says, "is the thrill of the hunt." As with any hunt, the `hunted' changes with the season, but always the focus is on rare and heirloom bulbs. Chris has wonderful stories about how and where he finds these bulbs, his protocol for asking permission and the interesting people he has met along the way.

We first met Chris in our free fall educational workshop and asked him to return for this event, as soon as the standing ovation ended. Further inforhand mation on Chris can be obtained from his website, www.southernbulbco.com. Bulbs and art work from Southern Bulb Company will be available.

Come early. The evening will start with a plant sale and auction. Many of these special plants have been carefully nurtured and grown throughout the winter by Master Gardeners especially for this event.

The gardeners will be on to discuss their culture and offer advice on their care and placement in the garden. This annual plant sale has become an important part of our celebration and you may find yourself conducting your own hunt for that one special plant.

Any tiller of the soil knows that good nourishment is an essential part of growth and survival. We have chosen Sadler's Catering of Jacksonville to provide our gourmet meal this year. Sadler's catered our Christmas Master Gardener dinner in 2007 and we look forward to "digging into" their succulent fare once again.

This conference brings together Master Gardeners from Henderson and surrounding counties and those interested in learning more about what is happening when "the sturdy seedling with arched body comes shouldering its way and shedding the earth crumbs."

Come early to fully participate in the camaraderie of this exciting annual event. Drawing for door prizes will be held throughout the evening.

Tickets are $20.00 each and may be purchased at the County Extension Office, East Texas Arboretum or from any Henderson County Master Gardener or intern.