P L A N N I N G   A H E A D

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Calendar of Events


by Terry Tanner,
Master Gardener

FEBRUARY 2003
2/5 - Horticultural Seminar. 8:00am to 2:30pm. Maricopa County Extension Office, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Admission: $45.00. Contact: Marylou Coffman at cggleg@aol.com or 480-926-3064.

2/14 thru 2/16 - 8:00am - 5:00 pm daily. Language of Flowers February Flower Show and Chocolate Tasting. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 Hwy 60, Superior. Living display of plants and their blossoms designed to interpret the Language of Flowers. Also, sample decadent Bernard Callebeaut gourmet chocolates from Belgium. Chocolate samplers available. Tasting tickets for chocolate are $1 each or 6 for $5. Flowers and chocolates at the Arboretum -- now that's amore!

2/20 thru 2/21 - Tenth Annual High Desert Gardening & Landscaping Conference. Cochise County Master Gardeners Association. Topics: Gardening in the Desert, Turf Grass, Principles of Landscape Design, Utilization of Grey Water, Propagation of Native Plants, and Ergonomics for the Gardener. Price: $70 for both days, $45 for one day and includes breakfast and lunch. Closing reception on Friday, door prizes, exhibits, and vendors. Registration required. Address: Windemere Hotel 7 Conference Center, Sierra Vista. Contact: Joyce Williams at jwilliam@ag.arizona.edu, phone 520-458-8278.

MARCH 2003
3/1 - World Desert Fair. 11:00am - 3:00 pm. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 Hwy 60, Superior. Foods, crafts, and entertainment from deserts around the globe. From the prickly pear pads of the Sonoran Desert to the pomegranates of Central Asia, the Arboretum features plants from deserts all over the world.

3/8 - Wildflowers Arizona. 9:00 am. Wildflower Symposium co-sponsored by Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs, Columbine Garden Club and the Desert Botanical Garden. How to collect and grow wildflowers from seed, and a tour of the Desert Botanical Garden's new wildflower trail. Admission: $25.00 includes Breakfast, Lunch & Entrance to Gardens. Reservations required. Contact: Elin Doehne at Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs at doehnee@aol.com. Location: Dorrance Hall, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona.

3/8 - Desert Foothills Trees and Pruning. 9:30 am until 12:30 pm. Kathleen Moore, Instructional Specialist, Maricopa County Extension, Botanist, Certified Arborist. Seating limited. Call Carefree Town Hall to make reservations. Most seminars will be held in the Town Council chambers in Carefree Town Center. Participants will be given maps and directions. Open to the public at no charge. Speakers will have visuals and provide handout materials. A number of books on desert plants and landscape will be available for sale. Registration required. Address: Carefree Town Center, Carefree, AZ. Contact: Pamela Slate at pameladaz@aol.com, phone 480-488-3686.

3/14 thru 3/16 - Spring Plant Sale. Desert Botanical Garden. "One-stop-shop" with the largest variety of desert-adapted plants available in one location. Garden volunteers and horticulturists answer questions and professional landscape designers available. Used Book Sale with proceeds benefiting the Desert Botanical Garden Library. (Book donations for the sale are accepted at Garden Admissions. Please, no magazines except Arizona Highways.) Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona

3/14 thru 3/30 - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm daily. Annual Spring Landscaping Festival & Plant Sale. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 Hwy 60, Superior, AZ. Thousands of drought-tolerant plants for sale, ranging from shrubs, vines, trees, cacti and succulents. Horticulturists on hand to answer questions and lead tours of the Demonstration Garden each weekend day.

3/21-3/22 - "Growing Awareness" Youth Gardening Conference. Come join us as we celebrate the diversity of youth gardens in the Southwest. The conference will be held in Tucson, Arizona. Full Registration: $115/$130. Friday Only: $65/$85. Saturday Only: $65/$85. Full registration fee includes: educational sessions and meals planned for 3/21 and 3/22. Contact: Sandra Saad at (520) 626-4086 or ssaad@ag.arizona.edu.

3/22 - 7:00am - 3:00 pm. Welcome Back Buzzards. Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 Hwy 60, Superior, AZ. Join us as we welcome back our returning flock of resident turkey vultures who migrate here from parts south. We open early to catch the birds as they sun themselves on Magma Ridge and wait for the warm air currents to rise. The birds then catch the air spirals as they search for carrion. After vulture watching, go on an escorted bird walk. A vulture will be on hand, as well as animals, birds, and reptiles that have been rescued and are being rehabilitated. Cake and refreshments round out the celebration.

3/22 - Landscape Watering by the Numbers. 9:30 am until 12:30 pm. Donna DiFrancesco, Author, City of Mesa Water Conservation Office will be presenting. Participants will meet on the stage of the Amphitheater for this outdoor seminar. Seating is limited, so call Carefree Town Hall to make a reservation. Most seminars will be held in the Town Council chambers in Carefree Town Center. Participants will be given maps and directions. Open to the public at no charge. Speakers will have visuals and provide handout materials. Books on desert plants and landscape will be available for sale. Registration required. Location: Maricopa County. Address: Carefree Town Center, Carefree, Arizona. Contact: Pamela Slate at pameladaz@aol.com, phone 480-488-3686.

3/22 thru 4/13 - Garden Art Exhibit and Auction. Local artists present sculptures made from metal, clay, stone and tile throughout the Gardens. Art is open for bid in a silent auction process. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona.


Maricopa County Master Gardener Volunteer Information
Last Updated January 25, 2003
Author: Lucy K. Bradley, Extension Agent Urban Horticulture, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County
© 1997 The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension in Maricopa County
Comments to Maricopa-hort@ag.arizona.edu 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040,
Voice: (602) 470-8086 ext. 301, Fax (602) 470-8092