Intro to Gardening in the South

Sponsored by Leaf & Limb

• Saturday, January 31, 2026 – 9:00 am–12:00 pm

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 this 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 for both in-person and online attendance. Register online using our registration e-store (in-person program andonline program). Registration is limited and is complete when online registration is completed.

Please register by January 28 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 & Intro with Mark Weathington, Director, JC Raulston Arboretum

9:15 am

"When You Can't Grow Lilacs (and Other Favorites): Garden Substitutes That Shine in the South"
Tim Alderton, Research Technician, JC Raulston Arboretum

10:00 am

Break

10:15 am

"Common Garden Insects: Beneficials and Pests"
Bill Reynolds, Horticultural Supervisor of Research, Field Trials and Production, Juniper Level Botanic Garden

11:00 am

Ask the Experts: Open Q&A on All Things Gardening
Speakers, JCRA Horticulture Staff and Leaf & Limb

12:00 pm

Program Conclusion

"When You Can't Grow Lilacs (and Other Favorites): Garden Substitutes That Shine in the South"
Tim Alderton
Research Technician, JC Raulston Arboretum

It can be a shock for newcomers to discover that many beloved plants simply won’t thrive in North Carolina’s climate. Lilacs, delphiniums, lupines, and even some tropical favorites from further south can struggle here — but that doesn’t mean you have to go without beauty and fragrance in your garden. In this talk, horticulturist Tim will highlight the popular plants that gardeners wish they could grow in our region and introduce outstanding substitutes that flourish in the South.

Tim Alderton grew up helping at his family’s small retail greenhouse near Brookville, PA, where they specialized in annuals and vegetables. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2002 and soon after completed an internship at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA, where he first discovered the richness of southern landscapes.

In 2005, Tim moved to the Triangle and began working at Plant Delights Nursery, where he was introduced to a wide array of new plants. He joined the JC Raulston Arboretum staff in 2006, and today he brings more than 20 years of experience with the diverse palette of plants suited to the South’s hot, humid summers and relatively mild winters. Always eager to experiment with new species, Tim continues to expand his knowledge and share his passion for gardening in the region.

"Common Garden Insects: Beneficials and Pests"
Bill Reynolds
Horticultural Supervisor of Research, Field Trials and Production, Juniper Level Botanic Garden

Not every insect or invertebrate you find in the garden is cause for concern — in fact, many play vital ecological roles. But how can you tell the difference between a helpful predator and a hungry pest? Local entomologist Bill Reynolds will introduce you to the common insects and other invertebrates you’re most likely to encounter in your yard and garden, exploring their functions, ecological importance, and how they impact us — for better or for worse.

Bill Reynolds brings a lifelong passion for the natural world to his role as Horticultural Supervisor of Research, Field Trials and Production at Juniper Level Botanical Garden. Originally from central Florida, Bill has explored the connections between plants, insects, and their environments throughout his career. He earned his B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from the University of North Alabama and pursued graduate work in Entomology and Evolutionary Biology at Auburn University.

Before joining JLBG, Bill served as Curator of the Arthropod Zoo and Registrar at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, where he managed live invertebrate collections and permitting. An avid naturalist, his interests span botany, entomology, and paleontology—and his personal collections of insects, plants, and fossils reflect a lifetime devoted to discovery.

 

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 for both in-person and online attendance. Registration is available for in-person, on-site attendance in-person, on-site attendance or online attendance.

We kindly ask that you register by Wednesday, January 28 in order to receive all communications about the program prior to arriving or logging in.

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 and in person at the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC 27606.

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.