27 Aug Free Fall Classes at The Natural Gardener

The fall season is right around the corner and it is the best time to garden in Central Texas, for veggies, perennials, and especially trees. The Natural Gardener has some great free classes coming up to help you get growing – organically, of course!

August 30 at 9 am – Rosina Newton, Horticulturist and Education Coordinator at The Natural Gardener and owner of bioMUNDO (newbiomundo.com), presents “Organic Vegetable Gardening 101.” Believe it or not, now is the time to plan for the fall-winter garden! This class is for beginning gardeners – or longtime gardeners from other regions of the country who have found out how challenging it is to garden in Texas. Find out how to create successful vegetable, herb, and flower gardens in Central Texas.  Learn site selection, soil preparation, fertilization and more. Rosina is a graduate of Texas A&M University in Horticulture, and has been assisting customers and serving as horticulturist at the Natural Gardener for over 17 years. She started bioMUNDO to bring more environmental and organic horticulture information to the public and professionals. This class may be slightly over one hour. This class will be interpreted for the deaf.

September 6 at 9 am – Dianne Odegard, Public Information & Training Coordinator for Bat Conservation International (batcon.org), teaches us about “Living Among Bats.” The largest urban bat colony in the world lives under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin. The history of these creatures is a charming story of how 1.5 million beasts turned into handsome princes (mostly princesses, really)! What turned a perceived horror story into a unique tourist attraction is education. Bat Conservation International, headquartered in Austin, is the organization that showed us that our Mexican Free-Tailed Bats are “gentle and incredibly sophisticated animals” BCI also taught us about all the benefits these bats provide for the citizens of our capitol city. Come find out about these unique Austin residents. Dianne joined BCI in 2005, and since then has immersed herself in bat biology, bats and public health, bat exclusion, and bat rehabilitation. She and her husband share their home with BCI’s Ambassador Bats Zoey and ZuZu, and in the summer with up to 50 native bats of seven different species. Come get batty with us!

September 13 at 9 am – Rosina Newton, Horticulturist and Education Coordinator at The Natural Gardener, presents “Natural Landscaping in Central Texas.” Are you spending a lot of time, money, and/or water to maintain your current landscape? Are you curious about native plants, xeriscaping, or maybe even permaculture, but don’t know where to start? Would you prefer a yard that is more carefree (and possibly get a rebate for it)? This class will help you get started! Learn the basics of soil building, and why this is the foundation of a beautiful and self-sustaining landscape. Get tips on designing and planting your real estate in a way that suits your lifestyle. You can start small and tackle one portion at a time, or revamp everything at once. Remember, fall is the best time to plant in Central Texas! Rosina Newton is a 1984 graduate of Texas A&M in Horticulture. She has over 30 years’ experience in horticulture and environmental education, including over 17 years assisting customers and serving as horticulturist at the Natural Gardener.

September 20 at 9 am – Dani Slabaugh of Yard to Table Gardens gives us an “Introduction to Permaculture.” What is permaculture? Co-founder Bill Mollison describes it as a "design system for creating sustainable human environments," based on close observation of nature. Such design is “ecologically-sound and economically viable” with the least amount of work. Permaculture principles can be applied to an urban apartment, a suburban lot, as well as rural acreage. Don’t miss this short introduction to permaculture principles and ethics. It will include a few examples of how it can be applied to gardening and landscaping, although it can be applied to everything. Dani Slabaugh has been an instructor for Sustainable Food Center, Urban Patchwork Neighborhood Farms, Design Build Live, and others. Through her company, Yard to Table, she helps Austinites learn about soil health, water management, and food cultivation.

8648 Old Bee Cave Road | Austin, Texas 78735 | Phone (512) 288-6113  www.naturalgardeneraustin.com