May
2
7:00 PM19:00

Board Meeting on Zoom (conference call)

Get involved. Learn about MGAWC and community projects. Find ways to help.

Participate in person at the U of M-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) or participate in a conference call

Seeking individuals or a team to handle various Volunteer Engagement activities such as:

  • Follow up with enthusiastic recruits and build on their interests

  • Contact people interested in various areas and get them connected to the right person or activity

    • Refer those interested in Stewardship Saturdays to Marion and send them a reminder email before the third Saturday

    • Find out who wants to invite members to their gardens for a garden walk in July or August and then organize and publicize the event

    • Invite people interested in the newsletter to write an article and send it to Nancy

    • Determine who is interested in organizing a field trip for the members

    • Invite people to attend a board meeting to get involved and stay involved

  • Follow up with non-member guests at monthly meetings and invite them to become members, send them a reminder about a few upcoming meetings to see if they return

  • Keep a lookout for regularly attending members who stop showing up at meetings and send a card or make a call to let them know they were missed

  • Prepare an up-to-date membership directory

  • Interview members and write short articles for the GrowInfo newsletter

  • Seek out new members and introduce them to the group

Contact board@mgawc.org to learn more

Most years, the board usually meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June, starting at 7 or 7:30 PM.

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May
9
7:30 PM19:30

Dean Krauskopf, Ph.D., with Science Updates for Gardeners

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 pm Announcements

8:00-9:00 pm Science Update for Gardeners

Dean Krauskopf, Ph.D., retired host of The Gardening Show on News/Talk 760 WJR, will put weather conditions into a broader context, share the latest information about the top problems he expects gardeners to deal with this year, and provide links to accurate information you might use or pass on to others. He will also answer your gardening questions.

Dean retired from MSU as the Integrated Crop Management Agent for Southeastern Michigan. He taught many Master Gardener training classes, often spoke at Growing with Master Gardeners, and is the inspiration for MGAWC's Dean Krauskopf Award for volunteer contributions to community education. His doctorate in horticulture is from North Carolina State University.

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Jun
6
7:00 PM19:00

Board Meeting on Zoom or conference call

Get involved. Learn about MGAWC and community projects. Find ways to help.

Seeking individuals or a team to handle various Volunteer Engagement activities such as:

  • Follow up with enthusiastic recruits and build on their interests

  • Contact people interested in various areas and get them connected to the right person or activity

    • Refer those interested in Stewardship Saturdays to Marion and send them a reminder email before the third Saturday

    • Find out who wants to invite members to their gardens for a garden walk in July or August and then organize and publicize the event

    • Invite people interested in the newsletter to write an article and send it to Nancy

    • Determine who is interested in organizing a field trip for the members

    • Invite people to attend a board meeting to get involved and stay involved

  • Follow up with non-member guests at monthly meetings and invite them to become members, send them a reminder about a few upcoming meetings to see if they return

  • Keep a lookout for regularly attending members who stop showing up at meetings and send a card or make a call to let them know they were missed

  • Prepare an up-to-date membership directory

  • Interview members and write short articles for the GrowInfo newsletter

  • Seek out new members and introduce them to the group

Contact board@mgawc.org to learn more

Most years, the board usually meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June, starting at 7 or 7:30 PM.

View Event →

Apr
11
7:30 PM19:30

Native Plants & Detroit Wildflower Nursery, EIC Multi-Purpose Room

  • Environmental Interpretive Center on U of M Dearborn Campus (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Returning to the Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) on The University of Michigan Dearborn campus

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 pm Announcements

8:00-9:00 pm Native Plants & Detroit Wildflower Nursery, www.detroitwildflowernursery.com

Founder and co-owner of Detroit Wildflower Nursery (with his dog Mako), Mitchell Swindell grows and sells native plants of Michigan and the Great Lakes region. When we return to in-person meetings in April, Mitchell will talk about native plants, the nursery, plant recommendations and installation best practices.

As his interest in native plants grew, Mitchell wondered why was it so hard it was to buy weeds. Now he has on online business and hosts shoppers by appointment at his home on an acre in Farmington Hills, southeast of Orchard Lake and 12 Mile. The 2024 season runs May 4 to October 27 with weekday appointments during lunch and 5-8 PM and weekend appointments between 9 AM and 1 PM.

For Mitchell, gardening with native plants is more than just gardening. It's about creating habitat and restoring balance. The Detroit Wildflower Nursery website, www.detroitwildflowernursery.com, helps gardeners shop by categories: pollinator favorites, host plants, edible, bird feeders, deer-resistant, sun to part sun, shade to part shade, dry to medium soil, wet to medium soil, height, bloom time and plant type (wildflowers, grasses, trees & shrubs, groundcovers & vines).

Prices are $3.50 for cost-effective plugs, $7 for landscape-ready plugs, and $12 for one gallon mature plants with established root system.

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Apr
4
7:00 PM19:00

Board Meeting on Zoom (or conference call)

Get involved. Learn about MGAWC and community projects. Find ways to help.

Participate in person at the U of M-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) or participate in a conference call

Seeking individuals or a team to handle various Volunteer Engagement activities such as:

  • Follow up with enthusiastic recruits and build on their interests

  • Contact people interested in various areas and get them connected to the right person or activity

    • Refer those interested in Stewardship Saturdays to Marion and send them a reminder email before the third Saturday

    • Find out who wants to invite members to their gardens for a garden walk in July or August and then organize and publicize the event

    • Invite people interested in the newsletter to write an article and send it to Nancy

    • Determine who is interested in organizing a field trip for the members

    • Invite people to attend a board meeting to get involved and stay involved

  • Follow up with non-member guests at monthly meetings and invite them to become members, send them a reminder about a few upcoming meetings to see if they return

  • Keep a lookout for regularly attending members who stop showing up at meetings and send a card or make a call to let them know they were missed

  • Prepare an up-to-date membership directory

  • Interview members and write short articles for the GrowInfo newsletter

  • Seek out new members and introduce them to the group

Contact board@mgawc.org to learn more

Most years, the board usually meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June, starting at 7 or 7:30 PM.

View Event →
Mar
14
7:30 PM19:30

March Membership Meeting on Zoom -- Marvelous Mason Bees

7:20-7:30 PM Optional early login

7:30-7:45 PM Actual start at 7:30 PM with announcements

7:45-8:45 PM Meet the Mason Bee, Our Powerful Pollinator

A far more powerful pollinator than the well-known honeybee, our native mason bees make a welcome addition to any yard or garden. This program looks at the nuances of the mason bee life cycle.

Just about everyone knows about the benefits of honeybees as plant pollinators, but we have a native bee that is 50 times more powerful and a fraction of the work to keep near your garden. Meet the Mason Bee! This one-hour educational program will take a closer look at these gentle pollinators, share tips and tricks for attracting them to your yard and provide educational insights into how to maintain a healthy colony.

A naturalist and educator for almost 20 years, Laurel Zoet has worked for the Michigan DNR, the Huron-Clinton Metroparks, West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation, and non-profit nature centers. In 2013 she started her freelance nature education business, Nature on the GO! LLC, to travel throughout the state of Michigan teaching about Michigan wildlife and ecology at schools, libraries, scout troops, and senior living facilities. In March of 2017, Laurel and her husband Mitch opened the Wild Birds Unlimited nature shop at the Green Oak Village Place Mall in Brighton, Michigan, as a way to connect people to nature through the hobby of backyard bird feeding. Laurel teaches in-store nature education programs every month while also offering community outreach programs to local garden clubs, churches, libraries, Audubon groups, and more.

When teaching outreach programs, Laurel donates her speaker fee towards funding Wild Bird’s Unlimited “Birds in the Schoolyard” program which provides bird feeding stations, feeders, and bird food for Livingston County teachers to place outside classroom windows.

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Mar
7
7:00 PM19:00

Board Meeting on Zoom (conference call)

Get involved. Learn about MGAWC and community projects. Find ways to help.

Participate in person at the U of M-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) or participate in a conference call

Seeking individuals or a team to handle various Volunteer Engagement activities such as:

  • Follow up with enthusiastic recruits and build on their interests

  • Contact people interested in various areas and get them connected to the right person or activity

    • Refer those interested in Stewardship Saturdays to Marion and send them a reminder email before the third Saturday

    • Find out who wants to invite members to their gardens for a garden walk in July or August and then organize and publicize the event

    • Invite people interested in the newsletter to write an article and send it to Nancy

    • Determine who is interested in organizing a field trip for the members

    • Invite people to attend a board meeting to get involved and stay involved

  • Follow up with non-member guests at monthly meetings and invite them to become members, send them a reminder about a few upcoming meetings to see if they return

  • Keep a lookout for regularly attending members who stop showing up at meetings and send a card or make a call to let them know they were missed

  • Prepare an up-to-date membership directory

  • Interview members and write short articles for the GrowInfo newsletter

  • Seek out new members and introduce them to the group

Contact board@mgawc.org to learn more

Most years, the board usually meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June, starting at 7 or 7:30 PM.

View Event →
Feb
8
7:30 PM19:30

February Membership Meeting on Zoom --

7:20-7:30 PM Optional early login

7:30-7:45 PM Actual start at 7:30 PM with announcements

7:45-8:45 PM The Xerces Society and the Connection of Pollinator Habitat and Our Communities

Join us on Zoom to learn about The Xerces Society and the Connection of Pollinator Habitat and Our Communities with Detroit pollinator conservation specialist, Stefanie Steele. 

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is the largest invertebrate conservation organization in the world, with over 85 staff across the U.S. Join Stefanie to learn about the diversity of work Xerces is doing and take a closer look at community pollinator projects in Detroit and initiatives across the greater Great Lakes / Midwest region. 

Stefanie Steele is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist for Urban and Small Farms. Based in Detroit, she provides technical assistance, planning, and education on incorporating pollinator and other beneficial invertebrate habitat in small urban agricultural areas and community gardens in historically underserved communities. Her work supports projects including the Xerces Habitat Kit Program, People’s Garden Initiative, and conservation programs through the USDA Farm Bill.  

Stefanie earned a master’s degree in biology from Portland State University where she studied cavity nesting bees and wasps and completed a multi-year study of solitary bees in Portland’s urban core and their floral use. Since graduating, she has worked on research projects studying diverse bee communities and building her knowledge of the taxonomy and ecology of native bees. While in Portland, OR, Stefanie worked with several urban gardens, orchards, farms, and restoration areas to help incorporate pollinator habitats. Originally from Cincinnati, she is excited to be working with urban communities in the Midwest on staff with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, About the Xerces Society | Xerces Society.

  • History / background of the Xerces Society

  • Overview of Xerces Programs - Protecting Pollinators, Conserving Endangered Species, Reducing Pesticide Use and Impacts, Outreach Education / Communication

  • Regional projects and programs overview 

  • Local projects and opportunities overview

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Jan
11
7:30 PM19:30

January Membership Meeting on Zoom -- The Art of Flowers

7:20-7:30 PM Optional early login

7:30-7:45 PM Actual start at 7:30 PM with announcements

7:45-8:45 PM The Art of Flowers

Join MGAWC members for a visual flower fix to start 2024 together.

Artists over the centuries and across cultures have depicted flowers for a number of reasons, not least their inherent beauty. Georgia O'Keeffe painted flowers close up and large to get even busy people to notice them. Other artists used flowers symbolically. Flowers can speak of love, transience or death. This presentation looks at a wide variety of flowers in art.  

Wendy Evans was raised among the museums of London, England.  She has advanced degrees from Oxford University in England and Wayne State University in Detroit.

She taught Art History at Wayne State University and elsewhere and is a long-time volunteer at the Detroit Institute of Arts.  She gives presentations on a variety of art subjects in libraries, senior centers, country clubs and to many groups around Michigan. She gave an invited lecture on American Art at the Anhui Sanlian University in Hefei, China.

Wendy received the United Way Community Services Heart of Gold Award, the DIA Volunteer Council Distinguished Service Award, the 2014 Birmingham-Bloomfield Cultural Arts Award and a 2015 Esteemed Women of Michigan award from the Burnstein Community Clinic.

Known  for her English accent and crazy socks, Wendy loves to share her passion for art with audiences. More at www.art-talks.org.

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Nov
9
7:30 PM19:30

November Membership Meeting -- CCC History

  • Environmental Interpretive Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 PM Announcements

8:00-9:00 PM Phil Naud talks about the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) on its 90th anniversary

More trees were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in Michigan than any other state, a total of 485 million! When the work started, Michigan had lost 70% of its forest to logging operations. Mr. Naud will discuss life in a CCC camp and the work done by enrollees in Michigan.

Phil Naud has a master’s degree in history with a focus on American history and material culture studies. For the last two years, Phil served on the board of directors of the CCC Legacy, the successor organization to the National Association of CCC Alumni. He has worked with many museums, state and national parks giving living history interpretations of the CCC.

Related articles:

Civilian Conservation Corps (history.com)

The CCC in Michigan

Currently, MGAWC members meet in-person at the Environmental Interpretive Center on The University of Michigan-Dearborn campus April-June and September-November. MGAWC meets on Zoom January-March.

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Oct
12
7:30 PM19:30

October Membership Meeting -- Rouge River Revived: How People Are Bringing Their River Back to Life

  • Environmental Interpretive Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 PM Announcements

8:00-9:00 PM John Hartig, PhD, talks about his most recent book

Rouge River Revived | University of Michigan Press (umich.edu)

From Amazon and U of M Press: The Rouge River is a mostly urbanized watershed of about 500 square miles populated by nearly 1.4 million people. While not geographically large, the river has played an outsized role in the history of southeast Michigan, most famously housing Ford Motor Company’s massive Rouge Factory, designed by architect Albert Kahn and later memorialized in Diego Rivera’s renowned “Detroit Industry” murals.

In recent decades, the story of the Rouge River has also been one of grassroots environmental activism. After pollution from the Ford complex and neighboring factories literally caused the river to catch on fire in 1969, community groups launched a Herculean effort to restore and protect the watershed. Today the Rouge stands as one of the most successful examples of urban river revival in the country.

Rouge River Revived describes the river’s history from pre-European times into the 21st century. Chapters cover topics such as Native American life on the Rouge; indigenous flora and fauna over time; the river’s role in the founding of local cities; its key involvement in Detroit’s urban development and intensive industrialization; and the dramatic clean-up arising from citizen concern and activism. This book is not only a history of the environment of the Rouge River, but also of the complex and evolving relationship between humans and natural spaces.

Prologue – John H. Hartig and Jim Graham
Chapter 1. The Setting: An Urban Watershed – Alan Van Kerckhove
Chapter 2. First Peoples of the Rouge River – Kay McGowan
Chapter 3. Putting the Rouge to Work – Nancy Darga
Chapter 4. Henry Ford and the Rouge River – Brian James Egen and John H. Hartig
Chapter 5. Rouge River Restoration: Revival of an Urban River – Annette DeMaria, Noel Mullett, and John H. Hartig
Chapter 6. The Need for Green Infrastructure – Cyndi Ross
Chapter 7. Rouge River Citizen Science – Sally Petrella
Chapter 8. Environmental Education: Realizing Bill Stapp’s Vision – Sally Cole-Mish 
Chapter 9. The Rouge River Reborn: From Wen to Wonder – Orin G. Gelderloos, Dorothy F. McLeer, and Richard A. Simek 
Chapter 10. Reconnecting with Our Home Waters: Rouge Offers Growing Number of Recreational Opportunities – Kurt Kuban 
Chapter 11. Rouge River Champion – Jim Murray – John H. Hartig
Chapter 12. Reflections – John H. Hartig and Jim Graham

Related links:

Rouge River Revived | University of Michigan Press (umich.edu)

Great Lakes Moment: Rouge River Revived | Great Lakes Now

Currently, MGAWC members meet in-person at the Environmental Interpretive Center on The University of Michigan-Dearborn campus April-June and September-November. MGAWC meets on Zoom January-March.

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Sep
14
7:30 PM19:30

September Membership Meeting -- Growing Geophytes

  • Environmental Interpretive Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 PM Announcements

8:00-9:00 PM Nick Speth, Manager of Gardens & Grounds at the Henry Ford Estate, Fair Lane, will talk about Growing Geophytes (bulbs, tubers, corms, and rhizomes)

As the Manager of Gardens and Grounds at Fair Lane in Dearborn, Nick is responsible for directing seasonal workers and volunteers in taking care of the gardens and grounds of the estate. He designs, installs, and manages the Cutting Garden, Tribute Garden, Trail Garden, and Vegetable Garden. Additionally, he uses the estate’s greenhouse to overwinter plants and grow seeds for use in the gardens and plant sales. Nick has a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies which allows him to bring a unique historical approach to working in the gardens at Fair Lane, where he enjoys opportunities to interact with visitors.

Currently, MGAWC members meet in-person at the Environmental Interpretive Center on The University of Michigan-Dearborn campus April-June and September-November. MGAWC meets on Zoom January-March.

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Jun
8
7:30 PM19:30

MGAWC Membership Meeting at the Environmental Interpretive Center

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 pm Announcements

8:00-9:00 pm Kyle Kandilian’s Presentation on Native Gardening, an update on native gardening for humans and poultry and dogs and bugs and …

After years of personal and professional native gardening, Kyle has growing insights on successful strategies for various stakeholders

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May
11
7:30 PM19:30

Asian Maples: Good, Better & Best with Dennis Groh

7:00-7:30 pm Optional Social Time

7:30-8:00 pm Announcements

8:00-9:00 pm Asian Maple Musings

At the Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) on The University of Michigan-Dearborn campus, MGAWC members will learn about Asian Maples from Dennis Groh, a garden enthusiast since childhood, and an avid plant collector for more than 40 years. A voracious reader with an extensive library of books on plants, Dennis has been blessed to be able to network over the years with generous and knowledgeable plant mentors. He has traveled the world to study plants and talk with those most knowledgeable about growing them. His contacts in the horticultural world have grown along with his plants. Dennis does all he can to advance knowledge in the horticultural field. A scientist by profession, he brings an incisive perspective to his gardening, asking "why" and demanding explanations for "how," supported by facts.

Dennis and his wife, Carole, have developed an amazing and stunning plant collection in their 1-acre garden. Photographs of their garden have been featured in the Detroit Free Press, the American Conifer Society magazine, and in Adrian Bloom's publication "Gardening with Conifers."  In 2005, Rebecca's Garden (HGTV) filmed a segment on the Japanese Maples grown in their garden. 

Dennis has lectured on conifers, fall color, rhododendrons and azaleas, woody plants, and Japanese gardens in an attempt to pass on his mentors’ legacy of plant knowledge and to help others avoid his mistakes.

Class Description: In Japanese, Sho Chiku Bai (松竹梅) can be literally translated into pine (松), bamboo (竹), and plum (梅) and has special significance in Japan as New Year symbols of good fortune. It has also evolved into a common quality rating system where Bai is good, Chiku is better, and Sho is best.

Over the last 40 years, Dennis has planted, grown, and observed over a hundred different cultivars of Asian maples in his garden. Some have survived all 40 years; a few only lasted a year or two before requiring removal. A couple of untypically cold winters have also helped to “thin the herd” of survivors. The latter were expensive lessons. In this presentation, Dennis will share his successes and failures and offer some insights and suggestions. His comments will also include input from other knowledgeable Asian maple growers in the Midwest. The information presented would probably be classified as anecdotal evidence by agricultural extension organizations; however, you can decide for yourself, based on the information and rationale, if what he shares might help you avoid some expensive disappointments.

View Event →
Feb
2
7:00 PM19:00

Board Meeting on Zoom or conference call

  • Environmental Interpretive Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Get involved. Learn about MGAWC and community projects. Find ways to help.

Seeking individuals or a team to handle various Volunteer Engagement activities such as:

  • Follow up with enthusiastic recruits and build on their interests

  • Contact people interested in various areas and get them connected to the right person or activity

    • Refer those interested in Stewardship Saturdays to Marion and send them a reminder email before the third Saturday

    • Find out who wants to invite members to their gardens for a garden walk in July or August and then organize and publicize the event

    • Invite people interested in the newsletter to write an article and send it to Nancy

    • Determine who is interested in organizing a field trip for the members

    • Invite people to attend a board meeting to get involved and stay involved

  • Follow up with non-member guests at monthly meetings and invite them to become members, send them a reminder about a few upcoming meetings to see if they return

  • Keep a lookout for regularly attending members who stop showing up at meetings and send a card or make a call to let them know they were missed

  • Prepare an up-to-date membership directory

  • Interview members and write short articles for the GrowInfo newsletter

  • Seek out new members and introduce them to the group

Contact board@mgawc.org to learn more

Most years, the board usually meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June, starting at 7 or 7:30 PM.

View Event →
Dec
8
6:30 PM18:30

December Volunteer Night

  • Environmental Interpretive Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Evening activities to be determined.

Historically, MGAWC has celebrated another year of gardening, learning and volunteering with a meal--banquet hall, restaurant or potluck--as well as some combination of music, games, other entertainment, gift exchange or door prizes, and/or awards for volunteer service plus a group photo.

A new or returning volunteer to take on organizing and executing the evening would be greatly appreciated.

View Event →
Dec
1
7:00 PM19:00

Board Meeting on Zoom or conference call

  • Environmental Interpretive Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Get involved. Learn about MGAWC and community projects. Find ways to help.

Seeking individuals or a team to handle various Volunteer Engagement activities such as:

  • Follow up with enthusiastic recruits and build on their interests

  • Contact people interested in various areas and get them connected to the right person or activity

    • Refer those interested in Stewardship Saturdays to Marion and send them a reminder email before the third Saturday

    • Find out who wants to invite members to their gardens for a garden walk in July or August and then organize and publicize the event

    • Invite people interested in the newsletter to write an article and send it to Nancy

    • Determine who is interested in organizing a field trip for the members

    • Invite people to attend a board meeting to get involved and stay involved

  • Follow up with non-member guests at monthly meetings and invite them to become members, send them a reminder about a few upcoming meetings to see if they return

  • Keep a lookout for regularly attending members who stop showing up at meetings and send a card or make a call to let them know they were missed

  • Prepare an up-to-date membership directory

  • Interview members and write short articles for the GrowInfo newsletter

  • Seek out new members and introduce them to the group

Contact board@mgawc.org to learn more

Most years, the board usually meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June, starting at 7 or 7:30 PM.

View Event →
Nov
10
7:30 PM19:30

November Membership Meeting -- Great Soil -- Zoom

7:15-7:30 pm Optional early login

7:30-7:45 pm Actual start at 7:30 pm with announcements

7:45-8:45 pm Great Plants Start with Great Soil

MSU Extension Educator Jaden Gimondo will talk about soil, what it is, how Michigan soils were formed, what a soil horizon is, and what factors influence the makeup of our soils. This presentation will explain soil pH, why it is important to gardeners, and how it affects plants. Jaden will explore how you can test your soil pH or send soil samples to a lab for testing. She will also cover how to modify soil pH so that plants can grow their best!

Jaden Gimondo received her bachelor’s degree in Horticulture at Oklahoma State University and holds a master's degree in Horticulture from Iowa State University where she focused on organic fertilizer use in containerized herb production. She brings commercial greenhouse crop production experience to MSU with interests in nutrient management, biological control, and greenhouse technology. Based out of Tollgate in Novi, Jaden provides support to the SE Michigan commercial greenhouse floriculture industry.

Zoom details sent to members in email this morning.

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Oct
13
7:30 PM19:30

October Membership Meeting at EIC: Insects that Call Our Gardens Home

Thursday, October 13, 2022

7:00 PM           Optional social time

7:30 PM          MGAWC announcements & resource sharing

7:45 p.m.          Insects that Call Our Gardens Home

David Lowenstein, PhD, is the Consumer Horticulture Supervising Extension Educator. He is based out of Clinton Township. Before joining MSU, Dr. Lowenstein worked managing invasive species and doing integrated pest management (IPM). He has a BA in Biology from City University of New York’s Lehman College, an MS in Entomology from the University of Wisconsin, and a PhD in Ecology/Evolution from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

David Lowenstein PhD (msu.edu) & Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Links to some of Dr. Lowenstein’s articles published this year are below:

Bark shedding from trees during summer - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Consider a flowering bee lawn to help pollinators - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Identification Guide to Boxwood and its Lookalikes - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Keep watch for the invasive box tree moth in 2022 - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Spring fertilization of garden fruits - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Scab-immune apple varieties are worth a try - Gardening in Michigan (msu.edu)

Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) on the University of Michigan-Dearborn Campus

The Environmental Interpretive Center is located on the corner of Fair Lane Drive and Monteith Boulevard. The address for the University of Michigan-Dearborn is 4901 Evergreen Road.

             About the EIC | University of Michigan-Dearborn (umdearborn.edu)

 Parking is available in the nearby Monteith Parking Structure plus parking lots. Pre-pandemic parking was free in the evening. Please check signs for any changes on campus.

 Maps & Directions | University of Michigan-Dearborn (umdearborn.edu)

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Sep
8
6:00 PM18:00

Taylor Conservatory Visit, Membership Meeting

We are going to meet at the Taylor Conservatory at 6:00 pm and view their gardens and enjoy being with our gardening friends and sharing our summer gardening successes and failures.

They are located at: 22314 Northline Road, Taylor 48180  at the corner of Pardee and Northline (down the road from the Growing Great Gardens site on Northline between Telegraph Road and Allen Road). In case of severe weather (thunder and lightning) we will have to cancel. https://www.taylorconservatory.org/

The parking at Taylor Conservatory is ample. You can access the lot from either Pardee or Northline.

Bring your own water.

If there are any members who volunteer at the gardens we would love to have you come and share your experiences working there.  Looking forward to seeing everyone. See below a few of their etiquette rules.

 

The Conservatory, a 1/3 rd scale replica of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle in Detroit, is a gateway to beautiful gardens. An open-air conservatory is the only one in Michigan and filled with season displays of flowers from May to October.

GARDEN ETIQUETTE

The TCF Gardens provide a peaceful, serene and safe haven for those who visit and for the creatures that make this place their home. You can help protect the Gardens by following these simple steps. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation, to keep TCF Gardens safe and beautiful for future generations.

·         Do not climb, sit or stand on the Conservatory structure, terrace walls or garden sculptures.

·         Refrain from picking or collecting flowers, fruits seeds or vegetables unless permission is given by TCF staff.

·         Smoking is prohibited (including e-cigarettes),

Please dispose of trash in waste and recycling containers.

·         Personal use photography is allowed as long as there is not a scheduled event. Walkways, flower and tree beds cannot be blocked or disturbed.

·         Professional/Commercial photography requires a permit and must be requested prior to visit.

·         Do not hang on tree limbs, walk in garden beds, or throw mulch or gravel.

·         Active sports and games — including rollerblading, skateboarding, use of scooters or bikes are not permitted on the Terrace or Masco pavilion.

·         Picnics must be booked in advance to avoid conflicts with our scheduled events. 

·         Leashed dogs are permitted on the grounds, except during scheduled events. During scheduled events, only licensed service animals are permitted on Garden grounds.

·         So visitors may enjoy the peace and serenity of the gardens; do not play radios, MP3 players or other types of amplified sound or noise makers unless prior permission has been received from TCF staff.

·         Use Garden benches or chairs for resting. Do not stand on benches.

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Jul
30
10:00 AM10:00

Garden Tour of Kyle Kandilian's Home Garden, Livonia

One of MGAWC’s favorite returning speaker, Kyle Kandilian invited MGAWC members to tour his home garden in Livonia.

In late July, the morning to early afternoon timing should show off the sun plantings in the front for maximum insect activity. The golden rod and the pollinators are an important part of Kyle’s first private garden. Kyle’s enthusiasm for eco-friendly plantings has spread to some of his neighbors. Park on the street along areas withOUT native plantings that gardeners may want to view.

This is a rain or shine garden visit. Dress for the weather. The garden includes mulch paths and shady areas with some seating available. If you choose to bring refreshments to share, there will space on patio/yard furniture.

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May
12
7:30 PM19:30

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants & Gardens with Marilee Benore, PhD

Master Gardener Association of Wayne County Membership Meeting on Zoom

TOPIC: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and Gardens: Gardens in Spain and France, and the New Program at U Michigan Dearborn

SPEAKER: Marilee Benore, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, UM Dearborn

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Certificate | University of Michigan-Dearborn (umdearborn.edu)

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