Contents

• Herb Garden Dedication
• A Texas Native Herb: Purple Coneflower

SUMMER GARDENING

by Pam Libby

Late spring and early summer is hard to predict in Houston. It's possible that we will have some wonderful days, before that period of endless heat begins and , of course, there is still much work to do. But before we begin thinking about work, let's stop a little and smell the roses.

I've seen some beautiful gardens lately and one thing I've noticed, many people are changing their landscaping style to make room for a small greenery enclosed nook or garden room where one can sit in privacy. This area can be a place of meditation, or one where the whole family can get together and enjoy a meal or some peaceful time together. The garden itself should be able to provide that center of peace. Perhaps that is why so many people today are looking for a place of respite from the hectic world and our gardens could be just the place!

An area such as this can be created through shrubbery, gates, arbors, pergolas or lattice work Little paths can take you from one garden room or environment to another. Ponds or reflecting pools are very soothing and sitting near a source of water can be cooling on a summer's day.

This type of landscaping, new to the American scene, has been popular in Europe and Asia for generations, if not centuries. Some people add statuary, shells, tiles, topiaries, beautiful reproductions of ancient pots and other vessels. In England, I've seen "garden follies" which look like old Roman or Greek ruins. They can be quite elaborate in their gardening in England. I've also seen giant mazes made from hedges planted more than a hundred years ago. These really tend to be impractical for American gardens. Most of us do not have the land nor the gardeners necessary to maintain them. However, plantings in the form of small spirals made of germander or other small hedge plants could give character to a little space in the garden, as can formal herb gardens with their intricate patterns. Most importantly, there should be a place to sit, it could be as informal as a large rock or it could be one of the beautiful benches that are available today. This is a far cry from the gardening ideals of just a few years ago, the wide swath of lawn bordered by scrubs. I invite you to look around your gardens and imagine that special place just for you.

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From Your President

by Mary Lynn Randall

For the last few years Tom LeRoy and I have talked about having some kind of celebration honoring the Master Gardener volunteers who put in many more hours per year than are required to retain the status of Master Gardener. Finally, the Board decided that there was budget enough to expend the funds for a celebration this year. So we are having a dinner and Garden Party, All of you should have received your invitation and questionnaire regarding this affair. If you have not, please call the Extension Center (281 -855-5600) and talk to Stephanie. I hope all of you filled yours out and returned it by April15 to make a reservation. See you there, Saturday, May 30, from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m.

This is the time of year when we are all working to renew our gardens. As I have been in a high rise for nine years, I have learned a lot about container gardening. I will be teaching a seminar on Container Gardening at the May Symposium on May 3. For those of you not attending, I list below what I consider the most important things to remember when gardening in containers outside and successfully making it through our Houston summers.

KINDS OF CONTAINERS: Plastic containers help retain moisture in extreme heat. Terra-cotta containers will wick moisture away from roots. Either line the terra-cotta container with plastic (I use bags), or buy glazed ones.

SIZE: Larger containers better protect roots from baking on the sides of the container.

DRAINAGE: Make sure all containers drain easily. If using a tray or saucer under the pot, lift the pot with a layer of rocks or other material to make sure the pot still drains. Do not let the pot sit in a saucer of water for any length of time.

SOIL: Most potting soils need to be altered for outside containers. Potting soils will pack too tightly and not allow enough porosity. Add pearlite, sand, mulch or other medium to increase porosity. The soil should not become hard packed when dry.

WATERING: Outside containers must be watered far more than a normal garden bed. In the cooler months a watering schedule of every other day may be sufficient. However, as the temperature increases, twice a day watering, (sometimes more) will definitely be needed.

FERTILIZING: Container plants need more fertilizing than normal garden beds. Packaged potting soils do not supply any food for the plant. A slow-release fertilizer added at the initial potting will bring immediate food. But you will need to add more fertilizer than the instructions recommend, as the frequent watering leaches the fertilizer quickly. I add 4 Month Slow-Release Fertilizer every two weeks during the summer months.

I hope these tips will help you to have success with your Container Gardening in our challenging Houston summers.

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FROM THE ORCHARD

by Yvonne Gibbs

Gee folks, it's been a quiet month. We've done a few things out in the orchard. We have thinned the peaches. This looks like a great year for peaches.

We've had one working session on the grapes. We have planned a whole new planting of named figs. We've also fertilized the stone fruits and the citrus. A great tip for the citrus, for those who have them, you can use 15-5- 10 (like fertilizer you use on your lawn) and it is great for them. It gives them what they need and it's what we use in the Orchard.

Everything in the orchard is blooming, pawpaws, mayhaws, jujubes, persimmons, and of course, all the peaches. The early pears are already fruiting. In fact, there is a lot to see out in the orchard. Why not come out and take a self-tour? It is incredible what you can grow on an acre of grass.

Things to come: New planting of thornless berries.

The table grapes are already fruiting and the muscadines will be along soon. We'll have more to report next month on our April 14, meeting. That meeting will be a hands on meeting about grafting and propagating.

Something new: William Adams and Tom LeRoy, Extension Center Horticultural Agents, now have a horticultural column in the Houston Chronicle.

We have lots of new things planned for the rest of the year and lots of fun too! Come out on Tuesday mornings to work in the orchard and learn all about fruit growing on the gulf coast.

Hope to see you in the orchard!

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NEWS FROM THE FLOWER GARDEN

by Frances Robeson

I confess to my fellow Master Gardeners, that it was very hard for me to write anything for this newsletter issue. My own garden kept calling me to come outside and plant. It took all of my willpower to resist. At this time of year I want to be outside every minute. Even after dark I find myself meandering among the beds, trying to think of more white or silver plants that would increase my viewing pleasure at night. In the morning hours, coffee cup in hand, I am out there planning new color combinations.

My future garden dreams are refueled each Tuesday when I work in the display gardens and observe our latest successes. What questions do I need to ask myself in order to apply it to my own garden? What seed do I need to order to plant his coming fall and winter? These are the thoughts that come to mind as I work among such beauties as Rudbeckia Irish Eyes, a "Green-eyed Susan." It was ravishing on the last day of March growing tall next to the Child's Garden tepee. I definitely want to grow this!

And the sweet peas! With a reputation for being so difficult here these seemed almost effortless. They were marvelous combined on the tepee with sugar snap peas. The snaps grew first but by the end of March had been overtaken by their beautiful cousins. What a great thing to try next year in combination, first the snaps to eat and then the sweet peas to enjoy. We ate the sugar snaps as we worked and cut sweet pea blooms for later enjoyment at home. Sweet peas and sugar snaps I must have in my garden too, next year.

For long term blooming nothing beat the calendulas. They bloomed and bloomed. We cut them and cut them. They bloomed even more. I had a hard time finding calendulas in nurseries last fall. I need to remember to plant seed. They come up so quickly. But in the fall as in the spring there are so many things demanding attention. I forget to plant everything I had planned.

In front of a nice stand of bluebonnets we had a gorgeous planting of California poppies. A pretty combination, but one I will not try to duplicate in my garden, not enough room. I have some of the California poppies now, but bluebonnets I will leave to the Highway Department and to our display gardens. They need space. A most endearing sight all through the gardens has been the little violas, scattered here, there and everywhere throughout the beds. I want to encourage them to do this in my beds too. These are the result of several years of planting I will keep planting them too until they become this much at home with me.

The rose, "Nearly Wild," is still considered a success after blooming almost constantly for four years despite a few bouts with blackspot.

Treatment has always been administered by John Poole who has been the guardian of these rose bushes. They show their appreciation by blooming beautifully afterward. I have a 'Nearly Wild' myself, rooted and given to me by Wen Sherrill, a fellow Master Gardener classmate of the class of Fall '93. I am going to move it to a more prominent location in front of a purple Loropetalum. Pink and purple should be a pleasing combination against my front fence.

One of gardening's greatest pleasures to me is to find an obscure plant in a seed catalog and then to see it come to life and bloom. Two of these have been Bupleurum and Agrostemma. Both have been a part of Bill Adams' cut flower trials.

Bupleurum graffiti is grown for its green and gold foliage. Thompson and Morgan says that it is very like a Euphorbia in flower yet has leaves like a Eucalyptus. When we planted it several months ago I thought it was one of the most unpromising plants I had ever seen as it flopped on the ground. It is a beauty now. It will according to the catalog grow in full sun or fairly shaded areas.

I was drawn to Agrostemma or 'Corn cockle' for its romantic name. I could imagine it growing wild among the cornfields of Europe. and I always intended to plant it someday. I was happy to plant it in the display garden. It did look as I had envisioned it, waving in the breeze on its delicate looking stalks with its white and soft purple blooms that look somewhat like poppies. It looked very fragile, but it was surprisingly sturdy and did well as a cut flower. I will plant some of these myself next fall.

And so goes the cycle of the garden,; the imagining, the planning, the planting, the pleasure, and the remembering.

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HERB GARDEN DEDICATION

by Barbara Ownby

The Harris County Master Gardeners Association will open the new Herb Garden to the public on the morning of May 20, 1998 with a festive dedication at 10:00 a.m..

The beautifully constructed garden features nine sections with herbal themes. Included are selections of herbs for shade and crafts. Other sections of the garden feature native and "Tex-Mex," medicinal, and Western culinary herbs.

A "Mediterranean" garden features thymes and lavenders. Scented geraniums, unusual variations of rosemary and salvias and a group of Eastern herbs planted in the "Feng Shui" style complete the garden.

Join us for the dedication of this garden. Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay, well-known herb enthusiasts, and authors of Southern Herb Growing will be our guests.

Remember the date:

Wednesday, May 20, 1998 at 10:00 a.m.

Location:

Harris County Agricultural Extension Service #2 Abercrombie Drive 77084

(For directions, call 281-855-5600)

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A Texas Native Herb: Purple Coneflower

by Carol James

Few plants have caused such a sensation recently as Coneflower- 'Echinacea- spp. "This Texas native is a tough and cold hardy perennial that also is reputed to have health benefits. Echinacea purpurea , commonly known as Purple Coneflower, has a natural range from extreme Northeast Texas; Georgia to Michigan and may have naturalized elsewhere. There are nine species of Echinacea, four of them finding their home in Texas, in addition to the E. Purpurea, there are:

E. pallida "Pale Purple Coneflower" is found in the piney and post oak woods and prairies in Texas.

E. sanguinea , a rose-pink to pale purple form of Purple Coneflower, which naturalizes in the sandy prairies and pine barrens of East Texas.

E. angustifolia, "Black Sampson" ranges in North Texas, West Texas and the Edwards Plateau.

Purple Coneflower is the most well known and most widely planted of the species. Plants range in height from 3 to 4 feet and produce flowers 4 to 6 inches across. The petals are reddish purple and the center is orange (which turns a brownish color). The leaves are 2 to 3 inches long, medium green and toothed or smooth according to variety. Varieties of E. purpurea include:

'Alba' - Creamy white flowers

'Bright Star' - Red to rose flowers

'Magnus' - Very showy with broad flat pink petals around a brown cone (chosen as perennial plant of the year for 1998.

'White Luster'- White petals around an orange cone

'White Swan' - White flowers with a deep orange cone

Coneflowers thrive in a sunny location with well-drained fertile soil and they arc also cold hardy to -35 degrees (USDA Hardiness Zone 3).

Plenty of sun and heat do not bother them. They find their home in sunny borders, herb gardens or cottage gardens.

Plants may be propagated from seed, or root division (E. purpurea being most successful). Seeds germinate best between 70 and 75 degrees. For E. purpurea try dry pre-chilling (one to three months at 40 degrees). Sow seeds 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. Seeds germinate in 10 to 20 days. Plants can also be purchased at local nurseries in 4" size or gallon. Ryan Nursery located at 2116 fry road, will have several varieties of Purple Coneflower including the 1998 perennial of the year Echinacea purpurea variety 'Magnus" later this season. Call for information the number is 281-492-1035.

Coneflowers bloom from May until September. To lengthen the flowering period cut off faded flowers and/or leave on as the season ends, they attract many birds. They also attract butterflies and make wonderful cut flower arrangements.

There are very few pests that bother Purple Coneflower leaf spot fungus can sometimes be a problem as well as caterpillars. Use BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) to control caterpillar infestations,

(Although it may not be safe for butterfly larva).

Medicinal Lore:

Purple Coneflower was widely use by Native Americans: The Plains, Kiowa and Sioux Indians used it as an antidote for snake bites, stings. toothaches, sore throats, colds and cancers.

Coneflower roots are used extensively in Europe as a blood purifier for support and stimulation of the immune system,.to reduce the severity of colds and flu. Both the roots and above ground parts of E. angustifolia and E. purpurea are used in modern herbal preparations, tinctures, and powdered root capsules are available in health food stores and some supermarkets.

Allow plants to grow 3 or 4 years before harvesting roots. Harvest roots in the fall after flowering. Allow roots to dry and grind into a powder.

Since the dried powder is unstable it's best to make an alcohol tincture. Make a tincture by covering washed, dried and chopped root with 100 proof vodka in a clean glass jar. Allow it to seep for two weeks at room temperature, shaking the container daily. Usually 30 to 60 drops in water, tea or juice is about right. As with any herbal medication consult with your health care provider before using.

Coneflower is a wonderful addition to any garden for both its beauty, attractiveness to butterflies, and birds and its medicinal value.

(Note from the Editor, this article is for entertainment use only, check with your physician before using herbal medications.)

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Raised Beds From Razed Buildings

by Jim Glynn

The Houston metropolitan area has available a vast amount of a resource that is often overlooked. This material has a myriad uses, one of which is very dear to the hearts of gardeners: it makes excellent, inexpensive raised beds. Chances are that you won't have to go very far from your dwelling to find a suitable cache of this wondrous stuff. What am I talking about? I'm talking about concrete rubble. Old sidewalks, parking lots, and slab foundations can take on new life and even enhance the beauty of your garden.

As most Harris County gardeners can testify, raised bed construction for adequate drainage is crucial to successful gardening here in the "malarial swamps." Such construction does, however, involve a lot of trade-offs between expense and durability, ease of maintenance and aesthetics, etc. Concrete rubble bed construction has advantages and disadvantages like any method, but I've concluded that for my gardening situation it is almost ideal. These beds are cheap, durable, attractive and help to alleviate a significant urban pollution problem. The method does present certain difficulties, though, chiefly its labor intensity.

Like many neighborhoods, mine was blessed with a large pile of erstwhile pavement left over from sewer reconstruction. The pieces mostly averaged about a foot wide and four inches thick. My wife and I spent about a half hour loading these chunks-o-concrete into the back of our truck, and then we had the bulk of our material for a bed of about twenty-five feet in circumference and one foot in height. We arranged the pieces in a single row on the ground, in a pleasing kidney shape, and stuck them together with a small amount of mortar. Then we added two more rows, secured with more mortar. We found that the irregularity of the "stones" presented some challenges in fitting them together snugly, but nothing we couldn't handle. It was actually fun and very satisfying to see our faux stone wall take shape. One must stand very close to it to detect its true nature. We have received many compliments on its beauty from our neighbors. The total labor was about six person-hours (expended on Labor Day, appropriately enough) so if you are more comfortable spending money than time, this may not be for you.

We used three forty-pound bags of mortar mix at about $2/bag to construct 25 ft. of 12 in. bed, for 24¢/ft. An 8 in. bed (probably a more common height) would cost about 16¢/ft. This is almost comparable to the cost of recycled wood or home-treated wood beds without their durability disadvantages. We can't be absolutely sure how long this bed will last, but I'd say it's fair to class it along with brick or concrete block in the "very long time" category. Conceivably, one could cut corners and use even less mortar than we did (or even no mortar) to further lower the cost. One fellow (on the rec.gardens newsgroup), said that he simply used soil to mortar his concrete chunks, preferring the "softer" wall which allows him to grow native plants in the cracks. Certainly this may be preferable for some gardens in Harris County, but in mine it would be inviting an invasion of Bermuda grass into my beds, so I'll pass.

This bed appears to be very stable, excellent at retaining soil, and perfectly impervious to weeds. A unique feature that many organic gardeners will appreciate is that the numerous nooks and crannies (yes, my wife assures me that there are both nooks and crannies, although I'm not clear on how to distinguish them) make excellent toad habitat.

It remains to be seen whether settling will introduce instability later, since we did not build a foundation, but we are guessing (OK, hoping) that we built it small enough to avoid that problem. That is, I wouldn't recommend building a bed forty feet long this way. It would make better sense to break it up into smaller sections.

Several people have raised the question of soil toxicity or hyper alkalinity from broken concrete. I was concerned about this too, at first, since the broken edges do erode a bit and release dust. I found out with a little research (consulting Material Safety Data Sheets posted on the Internet) that this material, known as "concrete masonry" is chemically inert and that the only hazard associated with it is silicosis from dust inhalation while grinding or sawing it, so I think it's safe.

By now you may think that concrete rubble is a dream come true, but I'm sure some readers anticipate the downside as well. It's a lot of work. If you don't have access to a truck, it may not be practical for you, but there is hope: some road construction crews will gladly deposit rubble in your driveway if you but ask. They avoid the trouble and expense of dumping it at a recycling facility and you get your building materials delivered free. You probably won't have an optimum selection of sizes this way, but you can use the larger pieces for footpaths or break them up with a sledgehammer.

I found that I expended more energy mixing the mortar than toting the concrete pieces. If you've never done it, be aware that it does take some skill and sweat. The art of mortar mixing and application is a bit beyond the scope of this article. It's something you really have to develop a feel for. Note, too, that I haven't included the capital costs of the tools-shovel, trowel, wheelbarrow or other mixing container-so if you have to buy these, it may not be so practical for you. If you can borrow them, chances are the person lending them to you can give you some pointers.

There are a few safety issues to consider. Mortar mix is very caustic, so I recommend wearing gloves, long sleeves, and safety glasses while you mix it. Follow the directions on the bag for curing. Many concrete chunks will have protruding pieces of re-mesh or even re-bar. These can generally be easily removed by bending until they fatigue and snap, or in stubborn cases you can get around this hazard by careful orientation of your "stones." Just be careful and you won't draw any blood! Oh, and I was very thankful for my steel-toed safety boots as the day wore on.

If you're skeptical of my aesthetic claims, or just curious, then give me a call and I'll gladly give you a tour of our garden. As I write this, I'm in the middle of another concrete masonry bed project, one with an adjoining patio.

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Coordinator's Corner

by Debbie Mendietta

I'm Debbie Mendieta and I was recently hired as the as Master Gardener coordinator. I've been a Master Gardener since 1995 and I'm currently serving my second term on the Board of Directors. It's been an easy transition since I know many of you and the ones I don't, have been nice enough to come and introduce themselves.

By now some of you have received a phone call from a Master Gardener asking questions about what kind of volunteer work you are doing. This is to help me compile a report I will be submitting to A & M letting them know all the hard work you are doing. My other big project is organizing the publication room.

I have put up a wall calendar in the phone room listing the special events the Master Gardener's are involved in and a sign up sheet when volunteers are needed. If you have a project and need help finding volunteers, let me know.

My regular work days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. My phone number is 855-5635. Feel free to call me, if I can be of any help to you.

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MERCER ARBORETUM AND BOTANIC GARDENS

22306 ALDINE WESTFIELD • HUMBLE, TEXAS 77338. (281) 443-8731

New at Mercer!!!

Master Gardener Mornings

Just for you! We will be scheduling Master Gardener Mornings on Saturdays once a month. The sessions will begin with a short lecture or slide show about the plant collection or project for the day, followed by a morning spent working alongside Mercer's professional staff. After a study lunch (bring a brown bag), those who choose to may stay and work longer.

This program is being developed for those who are interested in the Master Gardener Program and recent graduates in need of service hours.

Saturday, May 9 - Louisiana Iris - Groom After Bloom
Mercer Staff Greg Harmison, Linda Gay and Dr. Pat Duncan.

Saturday, June 6 - Crinum Collection - Lilies, Labels, and TLC
Mercer Staff - Al Fried and Dr. Pat Duncan.

Typical Schedule:
8:00 AM - Orientation and training
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Field work (4 hours credit)
12:30 PM Study lunch (bring your own)
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Field work optional

If you plan to attend, please call Mercer Arboretum at (281) 443-8731 to sign up. Specific questions should be directed to Nellene Harvey, Volunteer Coordinator.

While reservations are not required (drop ins welcome), handouts may be limited to those who register.

Pat Duncan, Ph.D. Director
Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Garden
22306 Aldine Westfield Road

Mercer Arboretum Presents A Perennial Plant Symposium:

"Growing Perennials on the Gulf Coast"

Friday, June 12, 1998 , 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 PM

.

Registration Fee: To be determined, but will include a box lunch.

SCHEDULE

8:00-8:45 Registration

9:00-9:15 Welcome by Dr Pat Duncan, Mercer Director and Linda Gay, Asst Dir.

9:15-10:00 The Perfect Place: Designing With Perennials - Dr. Duncan

10:00-1100 Dr. Dave Beattie

11:00-12:00 Dr. Allan Armitage

12:00-1:00 Lunch Book signing /Plant/ Sales

1:00-2:00 Perennials: The Best of The Best - Linda B. Gay

2:00-4:00 Greg Grant

2:45-3:00 Break With Refreshments

3:00-4:00 Q & A Panel Discussion With Speakers

More information will be sent to you from Mercer shortly. When you receive the brochure, please register as soon as possible as the spaces available will be limited.

Call "MAAC" (Mercer Arboretum Advisory Committee if you need further information, (281) 443-2207.

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News From The Speaker's Bureau

Karen Breneman and Anne Brown would like to thank all those who attended the meeting for the Master Gardeners on March 23 at the Harris County Extension Center. Several very good suggestions were made regarding slide presentations and will be put to use beginning immediately. Anyone who has an interest in working with slides, scripts and/or learning about the presentations now available should contact Karen or Anne.

The Speakers' Bureau is still in need of people who want to make presentations to groups. This is an excellent way to get information to the public and help the Master Gardeners at the same time. If you are currently doing presentations and are not a member of the Speakers' Bureau, we still need to know about you since the Master Gardener program receives credit from the state for the volunteer work that is being done by Master Gardeners. Please let us know what you are doing and where.

Starting in July and August there will be increased requests for speakers by garden clubs, civic organizations, and continuing education groups.

It is difficult to fill all of these requests because the Speaker's Bureau simply does not have enough people to go around. You can choose how many programs you do, the day and time, subject, and this is a great way to use the knowledge that you have gained from the Master Gardener classes and your telephone time and personal experience with gardening.

Lee Garmon has prepared an excellent slide presentation titled "An Old World Garden Where the New World Began" for the Speakers' Bureau. This presentation is complete with 56 slides and a full script and gives the history of the 10 acre Elizabethan garden on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. Thank You, Lee!!

We are still searching for information on the slide presentation, "Native Plants". This has been missing for almost a year and we really need to locate this presentation since the two available are incomplete, (one has only a mix of slides without identification or script). Please, if you know where this slide presentation is, return it to the Master Gardeners.

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Down The Garden Path....

Rich Boettler, M.G. of the class of 1996 is reaping the benefit of his education by teaching a continuing education course in Landscape Gardening at Bellaire High School Campus.

Ask Karen Breneman about her recent trip to the Amazon. I'm sure she will have lots of big stories and great pictures upon her return.

Tom and Gloria Robb are heading out to the Black Sea area, starting in Rome, Italy. Hope they have a great time!

The Spring MG Class has finished and many thanks go to Coordinator Joan Gisler, and her helpers: Anne O'Neil, Ken Dorman, Johnnie Duirn, Kapila Patel, Linda Carson and Patti Unick. Anne O'Neil has agreed to head up the Fall 1998 MG Class. She has already enlisted the help of Mary Ann Wagner, as well as others.

It is always nice to see Ann Kon Gup at the Extension Center, whether it's with her Home Economics Group or the MG's. She is always spreading good cheer.

Did you catch the article in the Houston Chronicle about MG Suzanne Longley Morton? It really was a nice touch.

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A Note From The Editor....

If you would like to submit an article to the Urban Dirt newsletter, please contact the editor, Pamela Libby, by placing the article in her box at the Extension Center. You can also suggest items about yourself or fellow Master Gardeners for publication . For more information call Pam at home: 937-8437.

When you send articles that you have typed, please do not add a lot of special fonts or formatting. I will be glad to accent your article with these additions, if you include a separate note with your preferences.

Also, don't add pen or pencil marks to your typed copy. I scan typed copies and these marks interfere with the reproduction of the text. Another problem is tinted background paper. White paper always turns out crisper. Of course, the above does not apply to hand written articles, which I always retype. I do appreciate those who have taken the time to type their articles.

The next issue will be for the July -August 1998 and must be submitted by June 1, 1998. All articles submitted after that date, will not be included in the newsletter, unfortunately there are no exceptions.

This will be enforced starting with the July issue.

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MAY/JUNE MEETING SCHEDULES

MAY: 5/19/98

Executive Board 5:30 p. m.
Dessert and Coffee 6:30 p. m.
General Meeting 7:00 p. m.

SUBJECT: "Cut Flower Gardens"
Speaker: Dr. Dr. William Welch, Texas A&M University

JUNE: 6/16/98

Executive Board 5:30 p. m.
Dessert and Coffee 6:30 p. m.
General Meeting 7:00 p. m.

SUBJECT: "Antique and Miniature Roses"
Speaker: Mike Schoope, Rose Emporium

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MG PHONE DUTY

March/April

"A thank you for those who served on the line of duty."

Mondays: Ruth V. Gonzolez, Pat Schaper, Jo Ann Pinkerton, and Frances Starck.

Tuesdays: Katie Gian, Cindy Blair, Nancy DeMarco, Jerry Norman, Linda Barry, and Pam Barineau.

Wednesdays: Jane Marsh, Reanna Tice and Donna Cox.

Thursday: Loretta White, Lorean Isken, Teddy De La Cruz, and Ria Brewer.

Fridays: Greg Wilson.

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HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

#2 Abercrombie Drive
Houston, Texas 77084
Phone (281) 855-5611
Fax # (281) 855-5638

SLATE OF OFFICERS:

President......................................... Mary Lynn Randall

First Vice President..........................Joe Thompson

Second Vice President......................Barbara Shepard

Secretary..........................................Debbie Mendieta

Treasurer..........................................David Parish

Directors..........................................Margaret Mason, Barbara Ownby, Martha Brem, Glen Graves and Eileen Whitwill

ANCILLARY POSITIONS:

Advisor & County Extension Agent Horticulturist .....Tom LeRoy

Harris County Extension Agency Secretary................Stephanie Gebhardt

Editor Urban Dirt.......................................................Pam Libby

Gulf Coast Fruit Study Group....................................Yvonne Gibbs

Membership...............................................................Tom Robb

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HARRIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENER ASSOCIATION

STANDING/SPECIAL COMMITTEES:

Membership...........................Tom Robb

Telephone Committee.............Dee Jeffries

Hospitality..............................Mary Jean Wilkinson

Greeting Committee................Frances Robeson, Mary Ann Wagner

Newsletter...............................Pam Libby

Bulk Purchases........................Bob Heinicke

EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH

Speakers Bureau.......................Karen Breneman, Ann Brown, Judy Michaels, Patty Rode

Cylinder Gardening...................Glenn Graves

Dialysis Center.........................Katherine Curry

Master Gardener Classes..........Tom LeRoy with Volunteer Coordinators

FUND RAISING

Tomato and Pepper Sale............Mary Lynn Randall

May Symposium........................Buzz Busby, Barbara Shepard

Seminars....................................Bill Adams,Tom LeRoy

EXTENSION CENTER GARDENS AND GREENHOUSE

Greenhouse.................................Billy Duncan

Vegetable Garden........................David Parrish

Flower Gardens...........................Frances Robeson

Herb Garden................................Barbara Ownby

Orchard.......................................Yvonne Gibbs

AUDIT .......................................Louis M. Jacobs

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