ET spring garden conference Saturday

The 14th East Texas Spring Landscape and Garden Conference will be Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Tyler Rose Garden Center. This popular all-day program provides both green and brown thumbers with practical and interesting gardening information specific for East Texas conditions.

Registration is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. The program starts at 8:30 a.m. and the conference concludes at 3:30 p.m. Registration is $15 which includes lunch.

Topics and speakers will be:

-- "Attracting Birds and Butterflies," Mary Wilhite, 8:45 a.m.

-- "Rainwater Harvesting," Billy Kniffen, 9:40 a.m.

-- "Growing Azaleas in East Texas," Steve Brainard, 10:50 a.m.

-- "Protecting Trees from Stress and Injur y," Jim Bohlmann, 12:40 p.m.

-- "Herbs from the Landscape to the Kitchen," Patsy Besch, 2 p.m.

Plants not only bring beauty to our surroundings, but they are both food and home to some of the most beautiful creatures - butterflies and birds. Wilhite, co-owner of Blue Moon Gardens in Edom, will share some of the best plants for attracting and keeping these visitors to their home landscapes.

Tall, abundant and beautiful trees are an essential part of the East Texas environment, and one of the most discouraging things is to have a prominent landscape tree die or become severely disfigured. Bohlmann, certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture, will share tips for keeping trees healthy by avoiding stresses that affect the health of valued trees.

East Texas is blessed with a climate and soils that support the cultivation of one of the most beautiful blooming landscape plants - azaleas. The recent drought presents challenges to growing azaleas, and Brainard, former president of the Azalea Society of America and current Parks Development superintendent for McKinney, will speak on how to successfully grow azaleas in various landscape conditions.

Besch, Smith County Master Gardener, has a passion for herbs and enjoys sharing both how to grow herbs and use t hem in the kitchen. Her talk will focus on herbs which make both great landscape plants and essential culinary staples.

The drought of 2005-06 also made East Texans aware of their dependence on water to maintain yards and gardens. County Extension agent Kniffen, a statewide expert on rainwater harvesting systems, will provide basic information on how to capture rainwater for use in your landscape.

During breaks, commercial exhibitors will display lawn and garden plants, products and equipment.

The conference is sponsored by Texas Cooperative Extension - Smith County, the Smith County Environmental Horticultural Committee and the Tyler Parks and Recreation Department.