Class: Snakes of Central Texas
The Natural Gardener 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX, United StatesJoin the Austin Reptile Society with Austin Reptile Service for a fun, family friendly event about snakes in Central Texas on Father’s Day weekend. Learn how to safely identify venomous snakes, and see some nonvenomous snakes in person.
Austin Pond Society Monthly Meeting
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesThe Austin Pond Society is a nonprofit organization made up of more than 100 members dedicated to increasing awareness of water gardening and to distributing information on pond construction, maintenance, water lilies, and Koi keeping. The APS is composed of people from all walks of life and ages who are interested in backyard ponds, streams, fountains, waterfalls, Koi, goldfish, plants, and all the things it takes to make your own little bit of paradise in your own backyard.
Class: Tree Care for Homeowners
The Natural Gardener 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX, United StatesLearn about Tree Care for Homeowners with Guy Leblanc of Arbor Vitae Tree Care. Get all the info for basic care and how to restore trees after ice or storm damage.
Summer Solstice
Lakeway Garden Club Lakeway, TX, United StatesThe summer solstice in 2023 will take place on Wednesday 21 June at precisely 9:58am CT. Contrary to popular belief, the solstice is an exact moment and not the entire day. The event takes place on the first day of the astronomical summer season and marks the exact point the northern hemisphere is pointing directly towards the Sun. It also marks the longest day of the year, with the highest number of daylight hours seen in a single day in 2023. Expect at least 16 hours of daylight in the US. What is the summer solstice? The summer solstice takes place at the exact moment the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, which is when the northern hemisphere is tilted most towards the Sun. Essentially, it marks the point when the Sun’s rays hit this part of the Earth most directly. The Earth’s axis has a tilt of around 23.4 degrees, relative to its orbit around the Sun. On 21 June, the northern hemisphere is tilted at its closest point towards the sun and the southern hemisphere is tilted its furthest away from the Sun, which is why the northern and southern hemispheres have opposite seasons to one another. This means that the southern hemisphere will be celebrating its winter solstice at the same time as our summer event and vice versa. Because it is related to tilt and not orbit distance, the Earth is actually closest to the Sun (the perihelion) in January and furthest from it (the aphelion) in July. The summer solstice is not necessarily the hottest day of the year. Usually, the hottest day of the year is in July or August. This is because oceans and land masses release the heat absorbed from the longer days back into the atmosphere.
Webinar: Native Host Plants for Texas Pollinators
Lakeway Garden Club Lakeway, TX, United StatesEmbark into the fascinating world of pollinators with experts Lynne and Jim Weber, authors of "Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies" and "Native Host Plants for Texas Moths". This webinar delves beyond the beauty of blooming flowers, illuminating the vital role of native host plants in supporting the lifecycle of our local pollinators. Learn about the fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of pollinator conservation — the provision of safe havens for egg-laying and nourishing larval food sources that fuel the metamorphosis into the winged marvels we cherish. Learn practical strategies to incorporate these vital plants into your own garden, transforming it into a nurturing sanctuary for pollinators. This isn't just about beautifying your yard; it's a call to contribute to the sustainability of our local ecosystem. Join us and become an active participant in preserving Texas' diverse and remarkable biodiversity. Presented by Bee City Austin. Register online to attend this webinar.
Class: Growing Citrus in the Summer
The Natural Gardener 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX, United StatesDo you know how to keep citrus happy and healthy in the Texas heat? Attend this class and you will! Learn everything about growing citrus like lemons, limes and oranges in the summer. Also learn about common pests, watering, and fertilizing schedules with Scott Blackburn.
Learn about Bats in the Garden with Dr. Tuttle
Lakeway Activity Center 105 Cross Creek, Lakeway, TX, United StatesFor more than 60 years Dr. Tuttle has studied and photographed the world’s most amazing bats on every continent where they occur. His work has been featured in leading publications worldwide, including five articles in National Geographic. And he has spoken at most of the world’s leading institutions of science, from Harvard and the Smithsonian to the British Museum. He will show bats as cute as any panda and as strange as any dinosaur, bats worth billions of dollars annually to human economies and bats that are vital to whole ecosystems, from deserts to rain forests. He will show giant flying foxes with nearly six-foot wingspans and tiny bumblebee bats that weigh less than a U.S. penny. His photos document bats capturing insects, centipedes, fish, and frogs, pollinating incredible flowers, dispersing seeds, and coming to his hand on call. Most importantly, Dr. Tuttle will document a long history of bats proving themselves to be safe and invaluable neighbors and may even convince you to put up a bat house! You won't want to miss this free and family friendly event!
Class: Seed Saving
The Natural Gardener 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX, United StatesCome and learn how to save your own vegetable seeds to save money, preserve genetic diversity, and ensure you’ll never be without that favorite vegetable variety! Presented by Colleen Dieter.
Austin Ikebana Group Monthly Meeting
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesThe Austin Ikebana Group was founded by Isamu Taniguchi (circa 1902-1992), who started building the Taniguchi Japanese Garden when he was 70 years old. Ikebana is more than simply arranging flowers-its Japanese characters mean “giving life to flowers.” This art form has spiritual and philosophical roots, where the relationship between every flower, stem, branch, leaf, and even container expresses a balanced and harmonious nature. The feelings of the arranger play a key role as well. Members rotate leading demonstrations and workshops. Because members have trained in various schools of Ikebana, including Ohara, Sogetsu, Ikenobo, and Ichiyo, they bring a rich atmosphere of learning and growth to the meetings. This becomes a contemplative practice of expressing gentleness and elegance through the art of flower arrangement. Meetings are monthly on the first Friday at 10am.
Class: Native Plants
The Natural Gardener 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX, United StatesLearn basic design principles and how to incorporate native plants into your landscape with Colleen Dieter.
Class: Veggie 101
The Natural Gardener 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd, Austin, TX, United StatesLearn how to grow your own food. Walk through the basics from soil prep, to raised beds, to planting in the right season.