First Tuesday in the Garden - 'Bringing the Tropics to Tyler' | Environment

Released by Smith County Master Gardeners:

The Smith County Master Gardeners are hosting ”First Tuesday in the Garden” next Tuesday, April 3rd at noon in the IDEA Garden at the Tyler Rose Garden. This program is free, open to the public, and about an hour long. The I.D.E.A. Garden is located in the southeast corner of the Rose Garden with ample parking available outside of the southeast gate. In case of inclement weather, the lecture will be moved inside the Rose Center.

This month’s topic is “Bringing the Tropics to Tyler.” Yes, some tropical plants must be treated as annuals here in zone 8 but the color and beauty they bring are worth it. There are many palms that grow very well here and can be a lovely addition to your garden or around a pond or pool. Palm varieties include Silver Queen, Sago, Mexican Fan, Windmill Palms, and Date Palms. Other plants include Giant Crinums, Lilly of the Nile, Pride of Barbados, Passion Vines, Bougainvilleas, and Perennial Hibiscus. Citrus fruit trees for our area include Satsuma and Clementine Oranges, Grapefruits, Lemons, Limes, and Kumquats.

The “First Tuesday in the Garden” programs continue monthly through the middle of the summer. Lectures for the coming months will include  presentations on roses, herbs and landscape design. The Master Gardeners work hard to make these presentations both entertaining and educational. They encourage anyone interested in East Texas landscapes to attend.

The Master Gardeners are a volunteer organization of Texas AgriLife Extension. They are people from all walks of life who enjoy and are dedicated to teaching others about gardening, plant diseases and pests. Additional information can be found at the Smith County Master Gardener’s website, scmg.tamu.edu or the Texas AgriLife Extension Service website, easttexasgardening.tamu.edu.