Seed Exchange 2017 Speakers Announced

Here are the speakers for the upcoming Washington Gardener Seed Exchanges 2017. Seed Exchange attendees trade seeds, exchange planting tips, hear expert speakers, and collect goody bags full of gardening treats. For more information on the exchanges and how to register, go here.

Saturday, January 28 at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Small Footprint Gardening: Small Gardens --Big Harvests

Speaker: Kim Roman is a Square Foot Gardening Certified Instructor

Even if you have a large plot of land, there are several reasons to grow your veggies using a small-space, high-intensive gardening method: less work and maintenance, no tilling, less water use, easier to protect from weather, pests and critters, extended growing seasons, etc. We will explore Square Foot Gardening, squash arches, container gardening, Back to Eden gardening, Hügelkultur, table top gardening and more.

   Speaker: Kim Roman is a Square Foot Gardening Certified Instructor, trained by SFG creator, Mel Bartholomew and currently serves as the SFG Foundation’s Public Relations Director. In addition to SFG, Kim loves to teach other methods of small-space, organic vegetable gardening and works with schools, churches, homeless shelters, nursing homes, refugee centers, etc. to help them plan and implement their garden projects. Based in Glen Burnie, she’ll travel to your location for talks, classes, lunch & learns or consultations. Contact: sfgkimroman@yahoo.com or find her on Facebook at Square Foot Gardening 4 U. 

And

Growing a Cutting Garden from Seed

Speaker: Drew Asbury, Head Grower, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

Every garden needs flowers! One of the most rewarding and easiest ways to add color and flowers to your garden is to grow cut flowers from seed. Over 200 cultivars of cut flowers are grown in Hillwood’s cutting garden and the great majority of these are started from seed each spring. This talk will focus on which cut flowers are the most productive in Hillwood’s cutting garden and the different techniques used to sow them. 

    Speaker Drew Asbury is the horticulturist and volunteer manager at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. He joined Hillwood in 2012 and is responsible for the greenhouse complex, the cutting garden, and the horticulture volunteer program. Drew graduated from the Longwood Gardens professional gardener training program in 2006 and is currently working on his Master’s degree in landscape design from George Washington University.

Saturday, February 4 at Green Spring Gardens, VA:

Native Seed Collecting and Sourcing

Speaker: Sara Tangren, UMD Agent Associate

Sara will share her experiences with growing native plants from seed. Seed sourcing and plant growth requirements will be discussed, along with the basics of seed collection and post-harvest handling. She will also discuss the importance of local ecotypes.

   Sara Tangren is an Agent Associate for the University of Maryland Extension, where she teaches native plants and sustainable landscaping for the Master Gardener program.  She received her Ph.D. in Natural Resources from the University of Maryland in 2001.  Her areas of specialization include plant biogeography, native landscaping, plant propagation, the native plant and seed industry, native meadows, and rare plant conservation.  She established the first native gardens at the University of Maryland Arboretum & Botanical Garden in 2006, where she continues to volunteer.

And

Winter Sowing: Following Mother Nature’s Way to Get a Head Start on Your Spring and Summer Garden

Speaker: Linda L. Jones, owner, Elements of Nature

This presentation will focus primarily on winter sowing basics and techniques.  You will learn in-depth information on which seeds are the best candidates for winter sowing and which ones are best left for spring and summer planting.  The cost-saving and time-saving benefits of winter sowing will help you to jump start a healthy, productive garden by letting mother nature do most of the hard work for you.  

   Linda is a certified Maryland Master Gardener and has been happily gardening for over 25 years.  During the past six years she has been a frequent lecturer and gardening advisor on a variety of gardening topics throughout Maryland in public and private settings.  Her gardening expertise is in herbs, flowers and gourds.  Her love of gardening inspired her natural skin care line, HomeGrown Beauty Essentials, as well her collection of nature-inspired gifts, garden art and accessories. She is an avid seed collector and delights in growing flowers, gourds and herbs and sharing their seeds with friends and fellow gardeners.  In her words, “Teaching and lecturing about nature’s abundant miracles brings me great joy as I can share with others a knowledge of something that in some way may enhance the quality of their life."  Linda can be contacted at  – ElementsofNatureUSA.com, P.O. Box 1958, Clinton, MD; Lindajones20735@gmail.com or 

Linda@elementsofnatureUSA.com.

For more information on the exchanges and how to register, go here.