Year-long Class

"The Year in Trees and Shrubs, Etc."
Charlie Kidder, JCRA Volunteer

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  • Sunday, May 15, 2011 – 2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Inspired by J. C. Raulston and Kim Tripp's book The Year in Trees, we will look at outstanding trees and shrubs, and perhaps the occasional perennial, over the course of a year at the JC Raulston Arboretum. This will permit us to see a wide variety of plants at the times of the year when they are looking their best. We will emphasize plants that are readily available to the average gardener, and information will be provided on both their care and uses in garden design. May's topic is late spring blooms and vibrant foliage.

This course is designed for the average home gardener who is interested in broadening his or her knowledge of plants that do well in the North Carolina Piedmont. It will be especially useful to those who are either new to gardening or new to this area. Although emphasis will be on plants that should be readily available to home gardeners, we also will give a nod to some of the Arboretum's more exotic—and esoteric—plants when we see them. And by offering the course on weekends, we hope that those who work during the week will be able to attend.

Each month we will look at plants that are particularly showy at that moment. Given the vagaries of the weather and resultant bloom times, we can't reliably predict exactly which plants we will focus on during each session. However, we will also look at characteristics such as foliage and bark that provide a longer period of interest than flowers.

Monthly Topics

January 16 – Broadleaf Evergreens for Foliage and Flowers

February 20 – (Very) Early Bloomers, Plus More Broadleaf Evergreens

March 20 – Early Bloomers: Bravely Daring Freezing Nights, Blustery Winds, and Other Calamities

April 17 – Spring Explodes: Now Everyone Wants to Garden

May 15 – Late Spring Blooms and Vibrant Foliage

June 18 – The Long Hot Summer Looms, while Tropicals Kick Into High Gear (Please note this session meets on Saturday morning.)

Classes meet on January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17, May 15, June 18, August 20, September 18, October 15, November 20, and December 11. Classes begin at 2:00 PM, except in June, August, and October when we'll meet at 9:00 AM to escape some of the heat and to avoid the State Fair traffic. Class does not meet in July.

Charlie Kidder has been a volunteer at the JC Raulston Arboretum for seven years and is currently serving on the Arboretum's Board of Advisors. He is the garden leader in the Arboretum's Xeric Garden and Scree Garden, conducts Arboretum tours, and also serves on the JCRA speaker's bureau. He authors a newspaper gardening column and also contributes to the Triangle Gardener. At home, Charlie gardens on a half-acre in Cary.

Cost
Each session is $12 for Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum members, all others $15.00. Students may enroll for as many sessions as they wish. The eleven sessions are $120 for members and $150 nonmembers).
Registration
Contact Chris Glenn at (919) 513-7005 or chris_glenn@ncsu.edu to register for this class. Registration is limited to 20 people and is considered complete when payment is received. Cancellations can be made through May 6, 2011 (Friday).
Location
Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Directions
Need directions? Click here.
Parking
Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
Questions
Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this lecture.