February brings so many gardening classes, workshops, and lectures — time to get ready for the 2017 Gardening Season!
1, Wednesday, Lecture: Challenging Gardening Sites, 7:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Annapolis Horticultural Society. St. Anne’s Parish Hall, 199 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD. http://www.anapolishorticulture.org
2, Thursday, Lecture: Finding Balance: “It’s not easy being green,” 7:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Rust Library, Old Waterford Road, Leesburg. VA. Sponsored by the Loudoun County Master Gardeners http://www.loudouncountymastergardeners.org
3, Friday, Lecture: Magnolias for the Home Landscape, noon to 1:00 pm Conservatory Classroom. Free, but must register, U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC; (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov
3, Friday, Lecture: Plants that Bully, 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
4, Saturday, Merrifield Garden Center’s free 10:00 am workshops: Creating Focal Points for your landscape (at Merrifield location); Gardening Q&A (Fair Oaks): Success with seeds (Gainesville) http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com
4, Saturday, Pruning 101, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Free but must register. Sponsored by Casey Trees; held at American Elm Nursery, 50 Marina Drive, Alexandria, VA. Indoor lesson followed by hands on lesson outside, dress for weather. http://www.caseytrees.org
4, Saturday, Garden Design Basics, 11:00 am. Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
4, Saturday, Flower and Vegetable Gardening: Starting from Seed, 2:00 pm. Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
4, Saturday, Lecture: Bananas: Botany, History, Agriculture and Future, 10:30 to noon. Free but registration required. U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC; (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov
4, Saturday, Washington Gardener Magazine Seed Exchange, 12:30 to 4:00 pm, Green Spring Gardens, register at WGSeedExchange-GreenSpring.brownpapertickets.com. Admission fee is $20 but $15 if a Washington Gardener Magazine subscriber, or a “Friends of Green Spring” member. http://www.washingtongardener.blogspot.com
5, Sunday, Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series: Rescuing Eden, 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
11, Saturday, Sustainable Landscape 1: the DIY Sustainable yard, 9:00 am to noon. Free but must register in advance. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington. E-mail: mgarlalex@gmail.com. http://www.mgnv.org
11, Saturday, Merrifield Garden Center’s free 10:00 am workshops: Houseplants with Fantastic Flowers and Foliage (Merrifield); Growing Amazing Orchids (Fair Oaks); Backyard Birds (Gainesville) http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com
11, 18, and 25 Saturdays with a snow date of March 11, Basics of Gardening, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Free but register in advance, space is limited. Taught by Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardener volunteers and staff of Prince William County, Potomac Community Library, 2201 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge, VA. http://www.pwcgov.org/grow
12, Sunday Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series: The Presidents’ Gardens, 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
13, Monday, Vegetable Gardening Part 2: Planning and Preparation 7-8:30 pm, Free but must register in advance. Burke Branch Library, 4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA. Also offered on 2/18 at Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington, in morning. E-mail: mgarlalex@gmail.com. http://www.mgnv.org
13-16, Monday through Thursday, National Native Seed Conference. All day event. Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington DC. Fee and must register; hosted by Native Seed Network. http://www.nativeseed.info
15, Wednesday, Dealing with Deer and other Mammal Pests in Your Garden, 3:00-4:30 pm. Fee and must register, Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD. (301) 962-1451. http://www.brooksidegardens.org
16, Thursday, Workshop: Plant Propagation for Beginners, 6:30 to 8:30 pm Conservatory Classroom, Free, but must register, U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC; (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov
18, Saturday, Vegetable Gardening Part 2: Planning and Preparation, 10:30 am to noon, Free but must register in advance. Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford Street, Arlington. Also offered on 2/13 at Burke Branch Library, 4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria, in evening. E-mail: mgarlalex@gmail.com. http://www.mgnv.org
18, Saturday, Merrifield Garden Center’s free 10:00 am workshops: The Magic of Night Gardens (Merrifield); Creating a Low Maintenance Garden (Fair Oaks); Outdoor Living Design (Gainesville) http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com
18, Saturday, Eco-Savvy Symposium: Cultivating Biodiversity, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
18, Saturday, Lecture: Citrus: Botany, Chemistry, History and Future, 10:30 to noon. Free, but must register, U.S. Botanic Garden, 245 First Street, SW, Washington DC; (202) 225-8333. http://www.usbg.gov
18, Saturday, Rootingdc, an all-day gardening event with many talks and lectures, 9:00 to 4:00 pm. Free but a $10 donation suggested. Woodrow Wilson High School, 3950 Chesapeake Street NW, Washington DC. http://www.rootingdc.org
18, Saturday, Planting a Native Wildflower Garden, 11:00 am. Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
18, Saturday, Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: Feeders, Plants and More 2:00 pm Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
18 &19 and 25 & 26, Saturday and Sunday, Tool Sharpening offered for fee, proceeds go to Emmanuel United Methodist Church. 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
19, Sunday, Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series: Top Ten Plants for Local Gardens, 1:30 to 2:30. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Rd, Alexandria, VA http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
21, Tuesday, Winter Gardening: Not Too Early to Start, 7:00- 8:30 pm. Free but must register in advance. Barrett Branch Library, 717 Queen Street, Alexandria. E-mail: mgarlalex@gmail.com. http://www.mgnv.org
22, Wednesday, Carolyn Mullet presents 5 Designer Secrets to Take Your Garden to the Next Level, 7:30 pm. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Beltsville Garden Club. James E. Duckworth School, 11201 Evans Trail, Beltsville, MD. http://www.beltsvillegardenclub.org
23-24, Thursday and Friday, Chesapeake Green 2017 Annual Horticultural Symposium, Fee and must register. BWI Hilton Hotel, Linthicum Heights, MD. Sponsored by Maryland Nursery Landscape and Greenhouse Association. http://www.mnlga.org
24, Friday, Green Matters Symposium, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, fee and must register in advance. Sponsored by Brookside Gardens; held at the Silver Spring Civic Center, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD. http://www.montgomeryparks.org
25, Saturday, Wintertime Pruning and why it is the best to prune (some plants) 10:00 am to noon and also offered 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Free and must register in advance. Meet outside in front of 965 N. Longfellow Street, Arlington. E-mail: mgarlalex@gmail.com. http://www.mgnv.org
25 & 26 and 18 & 19, Saturday and Sunday, Tool Sharpening offered for fee, proceeds go to Emmanuel United Methodist Church. 1:00 to 3:00. Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
25, Saturday, Discouraging Deer from Grazing in the Garden, 11:00 am. Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
25, Saturday, How and When to Prune Your Shrubs and Trees, 2:00. Free, Behnke Nurseries Garden Center, 11300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD. (301) 937-1100. http://www.behnkes.com
25, Saturday, Merrifield Garden Center’s free 10:00 am workshops: Bulbs with striking summer interest (Merrifield): Planning a Four Season Garden (Fair Oaks); Landscaping with Native plants (Gainesville). http://www.merrifieldgardencenter.com
25, Saturday, Starting from Scratch with Seeds, 10:00-11:30 am. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
25, Saturday, Crystalized Flower Workshop, 10:00-11:30. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
25, Saturday, Winter Seminar “Perennially Inspired.” 9:00 am – 3:30 pm. Fee and must register. Sponsored by the Perennial Plant Association with the Horticultural Society of Maryland; held at the Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt, 6501 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD. http://www.mdhorticulture.org
25, Saturday, Middleburg Horticultural Symposium, “The Glorious Garden.” 9:00 am – 2:30 pm. Fee and must register. Sponsored by the Fauquier and Loudon Garden Club. The Hill School, Middleburg, VA. http://www.flgardenclub.org
25, Saturday, Montgomery County Master Gardeners Spring Conference. 9:00 am – 2:30 pm. Fee and must register. University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office, 18410 Muncaster Road, Derwood, MD. http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg/locations/spring-miniconference
26, Sunday, Harry Allen Winter Lecture Series: Coping with Deer, 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Fee and must register in advance at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes. Green Spring Gardens, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring
Hillwood Museum and Garden has “Gardener’s Focus: Preparing for Spring,” a 20-minute lecture/greenhouse tour by the staff horticulturist on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 1:00 -1:30 pm. There is a limited number of tickets distributed when Hillwood opens each of these days: February 14, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, and 28. http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org
To celebrate all things George Washington (whose birth month is February), Tudor Place has reduced the admission fee to only one dollar in February! Tudor Place is Washington DC’s only historic house museum with family ties to Martha and George Washington. Highlights of the Washington Collection will be on display as part of all regular house tours and calendar programs. Learn about the relationship between the Peters of Tudor Place and Mrs. Peter’s grandparents at Mount Vernon. http://www.tudorplace.org
Margaret Roach of awaytogarden.com has published gardening books, produces a great podcast and blog, and is now delving into webinars. The “365-day Garden” is an hour-long slide talk followed by a question/answer session on Wednesday, February 8, 2:00 to 3:30 pm; and Wednesday, February 15, 7:00 to 8:30 EST. The “Seed Secrets or Everything You Wanted to Know About Seeds” is offered on February 21, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, and February 23, 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Fee and must register. http://awaytogarden.com/new-webinar-365-day-garden-margaret-roach/
