Intro to Gardening in the South

Online Program Only

Sponsored by Leaf & Limb

• Saturday, February 22, 2025 – 9:00 am–12:00 pm

Due to winter weather conditions, Intro to Gardening in the South will be offered as an ONLINE ONLY program.

Registered participants, please check your email for instructions on how to join the online program.

Are you new to the Raleigh area or just starting your gardening journey? Join us for Intro to Gardening in the South, a valuable morning lecture series designed to help new gardeners thrive in North Carolina’s unique climate!

Gardening in Raleigh, NC, and the surrounding Southeastern U.S. presents both challenges and opportunities. With our hot summers, diverse soil types, and unique pest problems, gardening here requires a bit of local knowledge. This event will provide you with practical, expert advice on how to start a garden that flourishes in our growing conditions, while also offering insights that apply to gardeners across the Southeast.

What to Expect: This informative event will feature engaging talks on gardening in the South, covering everything from soil preparation to pest control to plant selection and maintenance. You’ll also have the chance to have your gardening questions answered during a Q&A session with expert speakers who understand the unique conditions of our area.

Why Attend: Whether you’re new to Raleigh or new to gardening in general, this event is designed to help you get started with confidence. You’ll learn valuable tips on how to navigate the climate, understand our ecology, and choose the right plants for your garden. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge needed to create and maintain a thriving garden in the charming place we call home.

This event is perfect for gardeners of all levels, but we encourage experienced local gardeners to join us online via Zoom to ensure there's ample space for beginners and all our new neighbors. For those unable to attend live, a recording of the session will be available on our YouTube channel shortly after the event.

Schedule    Presentations    Sponsor   

Advance registration is required. Register using our online registration store.

Please register by February 19 to allow enough time for your registration to be processed to ensure you receive the instructions to join us prior to the program.

9:00 am

Welcome with Mark Weathington, Director, JC Raulston Arboretum

9:15 am

"The Nuts & Bolts of Planting"
Bryce Lane, Teacher, Speaker and Horticulturist

9:45 am

"The Southern Palate"
Deanna Bigio, Horticulture Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension, Wake County Center

10:15 am

Break

10:30 am

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly! A Fast, Furious Look at Insects in the Garden"
Greg Paige, Director of Horticulture, JC Raulston Arboretum

11:00 am

Q&A with the speakers and sponsor

12:00 pm

Program Conclusion

"The Nuts & Bolts of Planting"
Bryce Lane
Teacher, Speaker and Horticulturist

Here is a talk that answers all the important questions about planting ornamental plants in our gardens… How big should the planting hole be? When can you plant trees, shrubs, & herbaceous perennials? When is the best time to plant? What are the best planting practices? How long should you water a newly planted tree or shrub? And so much more.

Bryce Lane earned his BS in Plant Science at the University of Massachusetts and his MS in Ornamental Horticulture at The Ohio State University before joining NC State University’s Department of Horticultural Science as a Lecturer in 1981. He served as the department’s Undergraduate Coordinator from 1987 to 2014 and taught and advised over 25,000 students, earning numerous teaching awards. Bryce retired in 2014 but continues to teach part-time.

From 2003 to 2014, Bryce hosted and produced the Emmy-winning UNC TV show, In the Garden With Bryce Lane, which focused on home gardening for all levels.

Now, Bryce gives horticulture talks, offers leadership and communication training, teaches at NC State, and leads classes at the JC Raulston Arboretum. An avid gardener, he has cultivated the same quarter-acre plot for 41 years. He and his wife of 47 years enjoy spending time with their 6 grandchildren.

"The Southern Palate"
Deanna Bigio
Horticulture Extension Agent of Wake County

North Carolina is a special state for gardening. It’s the northern border for southern plants and the southern border for northern plants. While there are many options for edible crops in North Carolina, this talk will teach you the best practices and cultivars for growing fruits and vegetables in the Raleigh area.

Deanna Bigio has a M.S. in Horticulture Science from the University of Georgia, where she researched alternative freeze protection methods in fruit crops. As the Horticulture Agent in Wake County, she develops educational programming in horticulture for both consumer and commercial audiences. She’s also the volunteer coordinator for the Extension Master Gardener volunteers of Wake County.

"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly! A Fast, furious look at Insects in the Garden"
Greg Paige
Director of Horticulture, JC Raulston Arboretum

Ever wonder what’s buzzing, crawling, and fluttering through your garden? This presentation will dive into the diverse world of garden insects, from the troublesome pests that can damage your plants to the beneficial pollinators and natural predators that support a thriving ecosystem. Learn how these critters interact with your garden and discover practical tips for managing them.

Greg Paige discovered his career goal early—creating and working in beautiful public gardens and sharing and teaching this passion with others. Prior to joining the JC Raulston Arboretum, Greg was the Director of Horticulture and Arboretum Curator for Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory in Charlotte, NC.

His 25-year career in public horticulture has involved work at some of the finest gardens in the country—Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, North Carolina; the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College; the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina; the Holden Arboretum outside Cleveland, Ohio; and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

At Leaf & Limb, we care for trees because we love our planet. If you need tree care services, advice from our Treecologists, new trees, a Piedmont Prairie, or want to learn how to heal our planet, let's chat. We are a local, family owned company, and we would love to help you! Visit our website or call us at 919-787-9551.

Cost

Free.

Registration

Advance registration is required. Registration through our online registration store.

You will receive a confirmation receipt from notify@cashnet.com when registration is completed. Details and online program information will be sent from jcraprograms@ncsu.edu the week prior to the program.

Location

Online.

Directions

Need directions? Click here.

Parking

Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.

Questions

Contact the JCRA Education Team at jcraprograms@ncsu.edu for more information about this program.