APRIL 2013Image courtesy Rich Larson

EDITOR: Vineetha Kartha

ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Meg Paterson

COPY EDITORS: Karen Sankman

CALENDAR: Karen Sankman

WEBSITE QUESTIONS: Jesse Davenport 602/827-8200 x312

USPS MAIL QUESTIONS: Jesse Davenport 602/827-8200 x312

Deadline is the 18th of the month prior.

Roots & Shoots, published monthly by & for

Maricopa Co. Master Gardeners, is printed under the direction of:

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

MARICOPA COUNTY OFFICE

4341 E. BROADWAY RD. / PHOENIX, AZ 85040-8807

PHONE 602.827.8200 FAX 602.827.8292

HOURS: 8:00AM-5:00PM WEEKDAYS

http://extension.arizona.edu/mg

STAFF:

Kelly Young, Assistant Agent, ANR/Urban Horticulture 602-827-8200 x319, kyoung@cals.arizona.edu

Jesse Davenport, Admin. Ass’t

602/827-8200 x312 / jmdavenp@cals.arizona.edu

Roots & Shoots In this edition: In the Spotlight MG Update Travelling Gardener Eating through a Sea of Greens And many more!! Cover by Kristen Carter

Maricopa County Master Gardeners MG CONTACT LIST: For a complete listing, see the organizational chart under MG Business on the MG Central website

NE Valley Satellite: Debbie Lyding -----------------------602-789-7377/dlyding@q.com Demonstration Gardens: Pam Perry---------------------------------602-279-6250/pamlperry@cox.net NW Valley Satellite: Marianna Hancin ---------------------623-566-1737/borderterriers@cox.net Kris Coates ----------------------------623-915-3337 Debra Martinez -----------------------623-772-5330/drmartinez57@hotmail.com Speakers Bureau: Sharon Dewey ------------------------602-827-8200 x 837/sdewey@cals.arizona.edu OFFICES: Main Office: 602.827.8200 NORTHEAST VALLEY: 480-312-5810 NORTHWEST VALLEY: 623-546-1672 University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Via Linda Senior Center PORA Office 4341 E Broadway Rd 10440 E Via Linda 13815 Camino del Sol Blvd Phoenix, AZ 85040 Scottsdale, AZ 85258-6099 Sun City West, AZ 85375 Weekdays 8:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. 9 -12:30 p.m.; Thurs. 9 -4 p.m Weekdays 9:00a.m.-Noon The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. Persons with a disability may request a reasona-ble accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Kristen Wagner, Program Coordinator, at krwagner@cals.arizona.edu 602-470-8086x311. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Exten-sion work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jeffrey C. Silvertooth, Associate Dean & Director, Economic Development & Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

Haley Paul - In the Spotlight

Having been with UA Cooperative Extension now for

three years, Haley Paul sees herself as a bridge be-

tween the community and the Master Gardeners. She

likes to match interested Master Gardeners to the

plethora of opportunities to volunteer as an educator

in school and community gardens throughout Maricopa

County. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Anthro-

pology from Washington State University and a Mas-

ter’s in Sustainability from Arizona State University.

She likes to run and have two dogs that she loves. How did you come to be interested in community gardening? I worked for an entire year on the Washington State University student-run organic farm in Pullman and I just realized that growing up in Phoenix I had no idea where my food came from! So I became connected to the land and what it provides us and never took for granted again the amount of work that goes into getting food from the ground to our plates. I want more kids and adults to understand this concept. That‟s why I am so excited to be a part of the community gardening movement in Arizona! And this time, I think it is more than just a fad. I think people see gardening as a way to provide sustenance and build community in a world. What are your work responsibilities and daily routine? I am tasked with developing a new Advanced Master Gardener training in school and community gardens . I also have been working a lot over at the Human Services Campus urban farm on 10th Ave and Jackson. We are trying to get homeless clients to work on the farm and learn job skills in the farming and landscaping in-dustry to eventually land them a job. We are also working to get the UA Phoenix Urban Research Farm at the PHX Renews site up and running. This is the project run by Keep Phoenix Beautiful and pushed by Mayor Stanton to revitalize a 15-acre vacant lot on the corner of Indian School and Central Ave. We want to eventu-ally hold monthly “U-picks” there where people could come out and harvest fresh produce. What is your favorite part of the job and the least favorite part of the job? My least favorite part of the job is that I feel there is never enough time in the day to get everything I want to get done. My most favorite part of the job is seeing all the passion and enthusiasm for urban agriculture in Maricopa County and knowing we are impacting our small corner of the world to be a better place!!! What are the current day challenges to community gardening? MAINTAINING THE HUMAN CAPITAL AND THE MOMENTUM OF A GARDEN once it is up and running. Longev-ity in a community garden is the hardest thing. How do we keep people coming back and how to we let peo-ple know that gardening is no small task - it is hard work. I think sometimes people don‟t realize how physi-cally demanding gardening can be and we are so far removed from our farming heritage that “menial labor” that must often be done is not readily accepted by some people. We have to bring back the notion of hard work and patience - I think the garden provides an excellent place to teach those values. What is the best action Master Gardeners can take today to make a difference? Let us know what you are up to when you are representing yourself as a MG! We are so excited about all the work you do and we want to be able to brag about you to potential funders, past funders, stakeholders in the community, etc. If you have an idea, let us know! There‟s not reason we can‟t implement new ideas to im-prove our community and expand our reach.

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MG Update Tour of the MCC Rose Garden and By Deb Sparrow Talk on Roses

WHO: Marylou Coffman, a long -time Master Gardener and a Consulting Rosarian in the Mesa East Valley Rose Club. Mary Lou is curator and one of three directors of the MCC Rose Garden. Each Rose Society trains volunteer Consulting Rosarians (CR). Their object is to help people grow better roses. CRs give presenta-tions on selection, pruning, planting, general rose care and exhibiting roses. They are familiar with chemical and non toxic approaches as well as Integrated Pest management. We are lucky that several CRs will be on hand for this update. The Mesa East Valley Rose Club is the oldest rose society in Arizona. Members from all over the East Valley enjoy monthly programs on Roses and their care, from planting to hybridizing. They have an annual rose show every November and welcome new members. The Rose Gardens at Mesa Community College (MCC) were installed in 1997 by the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society and MCC. It is now the largest rose garden in the desert southwest with over 7,000 roses in 28 beds. This is a very special garden. http://www.mesacc.edu/community/rose-garden/. They have their own tour of rose gardens coming up in April. If you'd like to learn more about it, see http://rosegarden.mesacc.edu/documents/MEVRS Rose Garden Tour 14 April 2013.pdf WHAT: Tour of the MCC Rose Garden and Talk on Roses Mary Lou's program will include, how to select roses and their cultivation and care, from how to choose a good place to plant roses to planting, pruning and fertilizing. This will be followed by the history of the gar-den and a tour of the garden with stories of many of the roses. Carpooling is highly recommended. Some parking spaces will be saved for us but there is limited space so please do carpool. CARPOOL SUGGESTION: People may meet at the extension office on 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix and leave by 8:20 for MCC. Public Transportation: Plan your trip here. http://www.valleymetro.org/ WHEN: APRIL 10, Wednesday morning, 9:00 am at the MCC Rose Garden Hats, sunscreen, water and comfortable shoes suggested. WHERE: at Mesa Community College on Southern, just east of Dobson. DIRECTIONS and PARKING: If you are coming from the Extension Office, go East on Broadway to Dob-son Road, turn South (right) onto Dobson road and travel to Southern Avenue (1 mile), turn left (east) on Southern and go one block to the stop light and turn right into the Rose Garden. If you are coming on the US 60, go east to the Dobson Road exit. At the stoplight at Dobson Road, turn left and go north to Southern Avenue, turn right and go east 1 block to the stoplight and turn right into the Rose Garden. Mary Lou Coffman will have parking places set aside for the Master Gardeners.

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Design Charette By Beth Kirkpatrick

Our April Design Charrette will be at the home of Gail Martelli in North Tempe from 9:00 AM until noon on Saturday, April 20th. Here is what Gail has to say about her garden:

“We have lived in our 1950s era house in a Tempe neighborhood for 25 years and our proper-ty has evolved into an eclectic variety of plantings. The front yard contains a cactus garden, trees and wildflowers, but we would like ideas for adding some foundation plants and creating a greener entryway. The back yard includes a patio area with shade sails, raised vegetable beds, a succulent area and mature citrus trees. We lost two large citrus trees from the south side of our patio and want to add new plants to create the feeling of an outdoor room. Re-cently we had a block wall installed and during construction lost some plants. The new narrow side yard is a blank slate. We are excited about hosting the charrette and are looking forward to getting design suggestions and advice from fellow master gardeners.”

In addition to having fun and helping Gail with her garden, you will earn 3 volunteer hours. If you would like to reserve a space in this Charrette, please e-mail us at designcharrette@hotmail.com or call Beth Kirkpatrick at 480-993-5141.

You are Invited By Mary Ann Garewal

To the First Ever Joint Meeting of the Maricopa County Master Garden-ers and the Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society.

1 – 4 PM, Sunday, April 21st. Desert Botanical Gardens in Dorrance Hall

The goals of the event include sharing information about the abundant exper-tise each organization has to offer and providing an opportunity to meet each other. Dr. Mark Dimmit will be giving two presentations – one on Adeniums and the second on a new Hybrid Trichocereus. Mark is a renowned expert in his field and an outstanding plant breeder. He will bring both his awesome book Adenium: Sculptural Elegance, Floral Extravagance and many won-derful plants to sell. CACSS hopes to have an assortment of new Hybrid Tricho-cereus to sell as well. Cash for small purchases will be much appreciat-ed. Checks will be accepted for purchases of $40 and above. No credit cards. CACSS will also be introducing their current Aloe Project – a collection of infor-mation about all kinds of Aloes that members have successfully grown locally in their yards. Master Gardeners are contributing a list of plants, other than Aloes, that attract hummingbirds. When entering DBG, explain that you are attending this meeting and there will not be an entrance fee. We look forward to seeing you there. If you need more information, you may contact Mary Ann at m.garewal@cox.net.

Images courtesy Mary Ann

Garewal and Helen Zinn

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Roots & Shoots

Traveling Gardener, wandering, wondering, noticing…

Victorian Garden by Linda Larson

What else could visitors expect to find at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Summer Street but a jewel of a garden? In Halifax, Nova Scotia you will find a rare Victorian Garden. This fanciful and elaborate style of garden is not often found in our modern age, but this path to the past is a grand experience. The Nova Scotia Horticultural Society was formed in 1836 to “Advance the Art of Horticulture and the Science of Botany.” Canada was highly influenced by English gardening. In 1867 the Halifax Public garden was formally established. Here you will see all the elements prized by Victorian Gardeners over 100 years ago. The Victorian age of 1837-1901 spans the reign of England’s Queen Victoria. Victorian gardens are for-mal, geometric and elegantly ordered. J.C. Loudon, described as the “father of the English garden,” coined the term gardenesque to distinguish an obviously cre-ated work of horticultural art. Gardenesque focused on shapes, color, exotic plants and a great variety of specimens. There was to be no native or natural emphasis in his idea of gardens. It was a highly creative and exciting time for garden-ing and it was an activity open to all social classes. Garden-ing was viewed as “healthy, educational, productive and deco-rative.” (history.ac.uk/ihr/Focus/Victorians/index.html) . British ships sailed plant hunters across the world who returned with exotic plants for Victorians to marvel over. Glass houses, or conservatories, became an essential element to protect these worldly treasures. Protected inside over the winter, agaves, palms, orchids, pelargoniums, and cacti were brought out into the garden each spring. A Victorian garden was, and is, high maintenance and labor intensive. New inventions were offered to assist the garden-ers in the work, including a petite spade for the ladies and the marvelous lawn mower to replace the scythe. Lawns were highly prized in Victorian times as they were the center of rec-reational activity, providing the open green space for cro-quette, lawn bowling, tennis and archery. Taking ones’ meals out of doors became fashionable, sitting in the sun a pleasure to be enjoyed. A stroll around the garden could be quite a workout as a well-dressed lady in long skirts and bone corset could be wearing 37 pounds of clothing, quite a contrast to our average three pounds today. (The Victorian Gardener, Wil-kinson). Still, for all the gardens tended during the Victorian era, few examples remain to enjoy.

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Traveling Gardener continued...

Halifax Public Garden is a marvelous one. Walking through the soaring wrought iron gates, you en-ter a glorious age of gardening. This public space encompasses 16 acres surrounded by black iron fencing and ringed by 2000 trees representing over 100 species. Floating beds of colorful annuals weave through the grass like a snake. The serpentine shape mimics the decorative scroll work in the bandstand, which marks the center of the garden. Carpet beds create “rugs” of patterned plant-ings clipped into defining shapes of color and texture. Round pin cushion beds are mounded high with uniform planting. There is a display of exotic plants brought out each spring from their winter residence, just as the Victorians did a hundred years ago. Classical formed statues of Diana, the hunting goddess (associated with wild animals and woodlands), Flora, goddess of flowers and the season of spring, and Ceres, goddess of agriculture and grain crops, stand watch along the center allée of trees. Stone urns donated by Sir William Young in 1887, which surround the bandstand, add to the formality of the setting. Lovely still after 126 years, “They were a mass-produced item with a ten-year guarantee when purchased from Austin & Seely Company in England.” (Friends of the Gar-den, Along the Garden Path blog). A pond with strolling bridges is home to resident water birds in-cluding a pair of swans and a pair of geese. Ships’ models on a pond were a popular feature in Vic-torian times. Here, a model of the Titanic floats nearby. An ornate water fountain honoring Queen Victoria’s jubilee year, in 1887, has just been restored to its sparkling glory in honor of Queen Eliza-beth’s jubilee. A large lawn area for family gatherings is nicely shaded for enjoying a relaxing after-noon. Strolling through this garden is to travel back in garden time. Our gardens today rarely include the rigid symmetry or ornate flourishes of the gardenesque style. But much remains with us thanks to the obsession of gardening discoveries made by the Victorians. Regardless of geography, we en-joy all manner of plants discovered during that time, we still create the edged planting beds, add bits of lawn and benefit from their inventions of tools. It is lovely to be reminded of another style and time when devotion to the garden generated such results. This is a beautiful garden creation and one held quite dear by this city. In 2003, Hurricane Juan did serious damage in the area. The following spring in a 24-hour fundraising campaign, residents and local business raised one million dollars to restore their beautiful garden! Each spring, true to its or-nate and decorative roots, it is artistically planned to be enjoyed by residents and visitors until winter returns each year. It is not to be missed if find yourself at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Summer Street.

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The Gardener’s Bucket List by Sheryl Stradling

If you haven't made your garden bucket list yet, it‟s high time to do so. „Tis spring, the energy runs high, the sprouts are pushing up out of the soil, the bees are busy on the trees, so let's get going! First a few pointers. We all have bucket lists, those lists of things we secretly want to do or accomplish, whether they are formal or just in the back of our minds. I first wrote mine - committed it to paper (and now of course to my iPhone) - in my early 40's, but you can do it any time that feels right. (However, don‟t forget to revise it and cross off your accomplishments!)The “big one” on most gardeners‟ lists, of course, is seeing places they write books about (i.e.,100 Places to See before You die) ., but the little ones – the ones we have for our gardens, the places we enjoy so much, and give back so much to us, are just as important. They bring us joy and give meaning to our daily lives. So let‟s talk about the little ones. We all have activities we do on annual cycles, depending on the weather, and they typically follow the seasons. But the items on a garden bucket list are outside this typical routine. They are the special things we long to do or create, and haven‟t found the time, energy or right place to do them yet. Here a few of mine. First, I want to see those native species of bees. These wonderful pollinators use my “bee houses” to live in! Not that I can convince them my real estate is better than theirs. I bought some Ma-son (Blue Orchard) bee cocoons and nesting tubes a couple of winters ago, as an experiment. I dutifully kept them in the refrigerator per instructions, to keep them cold until “spring” weather was the right temperature, but alas, I miscalculated, got them out and left them in the house for a couple of days, where they hatched and promptly died. I put the nesting tubes up outside anyway (and found another wooden house with the proper size holes drilled in it and put it up also) but haven‟t seen any bees living there yet! However, there are a lot of native bee species in the garden now. They must be living somewhere!

Another item on my list is to get my yard officially registered as a Certified Backyard Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation (http://www.nwf.org/how-to-help/garden-for-wildlife/create-a-habitat.aspx). I have all the amenities needed (water, food sources, shelter, and places to raise young). And I‟ve been working on creat-ing this for a while. Unfortunately, I had so much trouble with their website I couldn‟t complete the infor-mation and submit it successfully. On my latest contact with them, they assured me an upgrade had been done to the web forms and I should try again. But it‟s still on my list – I haven‟t gotten to it yet. The last major item on my garden bucket list is adding a meditation area such as a small labyrinth or a Zen garden. I have some space left, but it will have to be miniature at this point. A little patch of sand or small gravel, a cute rake and a couple of oddly shaped stones will work for the garden. The labyrinth would be more involved, although we have one in the neighborhood simply made from dirt mounds and stones to cre-ate the pattern. As this involves some major work and planning, it is still on my list. So that‟s my short garden bucket list. You probably already have your own and are adding to it as you read this. Hopefully, you won‟t wait too long to start. Some of my bucket list milestones already accomplished are growing a golden chain tree (Laburnun anagyroides) in my Seattle yard, luffa sponges (Luffa aegyptiaca) in my Sacramento Valley garden, as well as having my kids grow peanuts – this really paid off when my son won a bet with his new wife that peanuts didn‟t grow on trees! So make that bucket list and start doing those things now! Savor the moments in your garden when you‟re watching that new variety first blossom or your new water feature attract dragonflies, or whatever brings you joy and wonder! It‟s not too late to start and enjoy those garden marvels you‟ve been vividly imagining.

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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter

Eating through a Sea of Greens by Patricia Boyko

As spring and summer planting nears, I find myself making room in the garden, harvesting and thinning out all of the greens that have flourished through the winter rains and frost. My garden is overflowing with chard, broccoli Raab, mustard greens (wild mustard too, I eat my weeds!), kale, collards, arugula, radishes (the leaves are delicious cooked!), various lettuces, cilantro, and parsley. Here are a few delicious and versatile recipes I have created to take advantage of such abundance! Black Beans and Greens 6-10 cups chopped greens (excluding lettuces, I fill a 12qt pot of leaves from the garden and chop) 1 can black beans (rinsed) * 1 large red onion, slivered 4-6 cloves garlic, diced 1 sweet bell pepper, diced 3 roma tomatoes, diced 1/4 cup slivered almonds 1/4 cup sliced olives 1/4 tsp. red chili 1/4 tsp. cumin 1/2 Meyer lemon, juiced 3T oil Black Pepper Salt Chopped cilantro for garnish Optional: 2-3 T of chevre (goat‟s milk cheese) Optional: Sliced avocado for garnish Saute onions in oil for a couple minutes on medium/high heat (until about half done), then add garlic and the sweet pepper. Cook until the pepper is almost soft. Add to-mato, chili, cumin, almonds, olives, black beans, and lemon juice and cook until the tomatoes have just turned soft. Add greens, mix, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let sit until greens are cooked (3-5 minutes). If you prefer more well cooked greens, stir constantly and do not reduce heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Optional: For added creaminess, mix in chevre and/or garnish with sliced avocado. Top with cilantro, and serve with cooked rice, quinoa, or wrap in a corn or flour tortilla. *ITALIAN STYLE- Substitute beans with soy chorizo or a meat of your choice, add basil (and oregano and rosemary!), and more tomatoes if you like, and serve over pasta, risotto, or polenta. Quinoa Salad By popular demand, as this recipe was served in the MG Intern class in February. 1 cup dry quinoa 2-3 cups greens, sliced thin 1/4 cup chopped cilantro** 2T parsley 1 can black beans, rinsed** 1 can corn, drained** 1 large tomato, diced 1 sweet pepper, diced

Spinach Dip 3 cups chopped greens (not lettuce) 1 can artichoke hearts, well drained 1/2 cup chevre (goat‟s milk cheese) 1 tsp. brown mustard 2T lemon juice 1 clove garlic salt pepper olive oil Blanch greens to soften, drain and mix with all other ingredients in a food pro-cessor, adding salt and pepper to taste and olive oil to desired consistency. Eat with crackers, chips, or on bread!

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8

2T diced olives 1 lemon, juiced 1/4 onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely diced (for a more mild flavor, lightly saute in oil) 1/4 tsp. cumin 1T olive oil black pepper salt Heat 1 3/4 cups water to boil, add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until quinoa be-comes transparent and the germ begins to separate (about 15-20 minutes). Cool. Mix the remainingingredi-ents into the cooled quinoa. Let sit at least 30 minutes for flavors to meld.

**MEDITERRANEAN STYLE- Substitute garbanzos for black beans, diced cucumbers for corn, and up to one cup more fresh parsley for cilantro

Desert Botanical Garden—GPS Project By Lisa Dubas

I assisted the Research Department at the Desert Botanical Garden with a very large surveying project from November 2012 through February 2013. The goal of the project was to map the locations of approximate-ly 4,000 agave, cactus, and yuccas (Agavaceae and Cactaceae) in the Core Garden, the Wildflower Trail, and the Plants and Peoples of the Sonoran Desert loop during a grant-funded time-frame that ended on February 28, 2013. The volunteer and staff member surveyors utilized a survey grade GPS unit to report the location of each plant as well as its diameter and height and unique accession number (used to track all plants in the garden). When I joined the project in November, the Desert Botanical Garden staff member, Veronica Nixon, had already done a lot of background work surveying the locations of beds and pathways within the garden, and had mapped the locations of the 955 saguaros on the property. An intern for the Research Department had also almost completed mapping the Wildflower Trail. The task assigned to me at the end of November was to map all plants in the Agavaceae and Cactaceae families in the Berlin Agave Yucca Forest (see picture 1). I ended up mapping over 500 plants in that area of the garden over a two month period, as well as several hundred plants in an agave garden near the succulent gallery (see picture 2 – my areas in red circle) and in the parking area after my initial assignment had been completed. The group of volunteers and staff members, mapped over 8,000 plants before the project ended on February 28, 2013, 4,000 plants more than they had set out to map during the grant-funded period. The initial stage of the project was funded by a grant from the Institute of Muse-um and Library Services and the Research Department will continue to map the remaining plants in the Garden‟s living collection.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

April 2013 Events Calendar Submit events to Karen Sankman

Mon 1

Desert Pointe Garden Club Meeting

9 am-noon, Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Dr., Phoenix. Judy Tolbert (480) 961-1768, Desert Pointe Garden Club

Mon 1 Ask a Master Gardener

10 am-noon, Sun City Library, Bell Branch, 16828 N. 99th Ave, Sun City. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. Cherie Czaplicki or Antje Schneider

Mon 1

Scottsdale Garden Club Meeting

11:30 am-3pm, McCormick Ranch Gold Club, 7505 E. McCormick Pkwy, Scottsdale. RSVP for luncheon to Judy (480) 964-4789. Scottsdale Garden Club

Mon 1 Valley of the Sun Gardeners Meeting

6:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Orvalita Hopkins, Valley of the Sun Gardeners

Mon 1 Gardening in the Desert—Plant Selection

6:30-8 pm, Tempe Transportation Center, Don Cassano Community Room, 200 E. 5th St., 2nd Floor, Tempe. $15. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. Info/Register

Mon 1, Wed 3

Caring for Your Desert Garden

6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $60 mem/$75 non-mem. Info/Register

Mon 1 Orchid Society of AZ Meeting

7-9 pm, Arizona State Veteran Home, 4141 Herrera Way, Phoenix. Julie Rathbun (602) 843-0223. Orchid Society of Arizona

Tue 2 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Topic: Landscape Design with Jo Miller, Glendale Water Conservation Program Manager.

Tue 2 NE Valley Satellite Diagnostic Clinic

10 am-noon, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Debbie Lyding. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice.

Tue 2 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring water, gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the demo garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250

Tue 2 HOA Irrigation Management 101

5:30-7:30 pm, Peoria Development and Community Services Bldg, 9875 N. 85th Ave., Peoria. Free to the public. Info/Register.

Tue 2 Down to Earth Toastmasters

6-7:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Olivette Aviso (480) 235-5989. Down to Earth Toastmasters

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Tue 2 Sun Country Iris Meeting

7 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Ardi Kary at (480) 949-0253, Sun Country Iris Society

Tue 2 Phoenix Bonsai Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Elsie Andrade (602) 995-3870. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Wed 3 Hot Composting with Recycled Bins

6:30-8 pm, Valley Permaculture, 1122 E. Washington St., Phoenix. $15. Info/Register

Thu 4 NW Satellite Office Diagnostic Clinic

10 am-noon, 13815 Camino del Sol, Sun City West. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. Kris Coates (623) 214-2385.

Thu 4 Sustainable Water Supplies: The Life Cycle of Urban Water

5:30-7:30 pm, Peoria Development and Community Services Bldg, 9875 N. 85th Ave., Peoria. Free to the public. Info/Register.

Thu 4 What’s Bugging You? 6-8:30 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Free to Scottsdale residents. Info/Register

Thu 4 Smart Controllers 6:30-9 pm, Southeast Regional Library, 775 N. Greenfield Rd., Gilbert. Free. Info/Register

Thu 4 Arizona Herb Association Meeting

7-9 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Carolyn Hills, AZ Herb Assoc.

Thu 4 Arizona Herb Association Meeting

7-9 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix. Carolyn Hills, AZ Herb Assoc.

Thu 4 East Valley Garden Club Meeting

7-9 pm, Mesa Community College at 1833 W. Southern, Kiva Room in the basement of the Clock Tower Building. Judy Smith (480) 539-0381, East Valley Garden Club.

Thu 4 Rose Society of Glendale Meeting

7 pm, Glendale Women’s Club, 7032 N. 56th Ave., Glendale. Rose Society of Glendale, Gerry Mahoney (602) 616-3137

Fri 5 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice.

Fri 5, Sat 6, Sun 7

Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale

9 am-5 pm Fri, Sat, and 9 am-4 pm Sun, Desert Botanical Garden. Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society. Judy Braun-Brody (480) 481-8129

Fri 5

Desert Designers Meeting

10 am-noon, Pyle Adult Center, 655 E. Southern, Tempe. Marcie Brooks (623) 322-2606.

Sat 6

Arizona Herb Association Weed and Feed

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Everyone is welcome! Fun, hands-on experience. Carolyn Hills, AZ Herb Assoc

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Sat 6 Homeowner’s Tree Care Workshop

8 am-noon, Peoria Development and Community Services Bldg, 9875 N. 85th Ave., Peoria. Free to the public. Info/Register.

Sat 6 Growing Bazaar 8 am-4 pm, Urban Farm Nursery at Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. Purchase edible transplants, seeds, compost, pots and more from local vendors. Info

Sat 6

Permaculture Design Course: Drylands-Living in the Sonoran Desert

8 am-5 pm, Glendale Main Library Auditorium, 5959 W. Brown St., Glendale. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. Info/Register

Sat 6 APS Shade Tree Program

8:30 am and 10 am, Buckeye Community Center, 1003 E. Eason Ave., Buckeye. Info/Register

Sat 6 Best Plants: Shrubs 8:30-11:30 am, Desert Botanical Garden, $35 mem/$44 non-mem. Info/Register

Sat 6 Spring Fling at Home Depot

8:30 am-1:30 pm, Home Depot, 5902 W. Peoria Ave., Glendale. One intern volunteer needed, sign-up

Sat 6 Raised Bed Gardening 9 am, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix. Register or (602) 437-0700.

Sat 6 Herbs in Your Garden 10 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Superstition Mountain Master Gardeners discuss the medicinal and culinary use of herbs. Free. Info

Sat 6 Pocket and Raised Bed Gardening

10 am, All Summerwinds Nurseries. Free. Info/Register

Sat 6 Master Gardener Q&A Session

10 am-2 pm, Northwest Regional Library located in the Surprise Recreation Complex, 16089 N. Bullard Ave, Surprise, AZ. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. Lynn Rivers (623) 412-1882.

Sat 6 Roses, Fruit Trees for the Desert: Varieties and Planting

10:30 am, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix. Register or (602) 437-0700.

Sat 6 25th Annual Rose Society of Glendale Rose Show

1-4 pm open to public, Sahuaro Ranch Park, 9802 N. 59th Ave., Glendale. Free. Info

Sat 6 Scottsdale Bonsai Society Meeting

1:30-3 pm, Via Linda Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Pat Mitchell (480) 575-5649. Scottsdale Bonsai

Sun 7 Phoenix Home and Garden 15th Annual Grand Tour

9:30 am-4:30 pm, self- guided tour of several Valley gardens. $45. Info/Tickets or (480) 664-3960.

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Sun 7 Gourd Art Class 10 am- 2 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. $30 mem/$39 non-mem. Register at (520) 689-2723. Info

Sun 7 Wildflower Walk 11 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Info

Sun 7 Gardening for Night Blooms

Noon, Southwest Gardener, 2809 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. $20. Info/Register

Sun 7 Build Your Own Rain Barrel

1-3:30 pm, 2816 E. Mercer Lane, Phoenix. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. $75. Info/Register

Sun 7 Plants of the Bible Guided Tour

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about botany, history, and scripture on this slow-paced walk. Info

Mon 8 Gardening in the Desert-Heat, Cold and Other Stresses

6:30-8 pm, Tempe Transportation Center, Don Cassano Community Room, 200 E. 5th St., 2nd Floor, Tempe. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. $15. Info/Register

Tue 9 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Topic: Plant Propagation and Composting with Pam Perry.

Tue 9 Desert Sun African Violet Society Meeting

10 am, for location contact: Ann Stoetzer (623) 872-9020.

Tue 9 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring water, gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the demo garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250

Tue 9 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Topic: Plant Propagation and Composting with Pam Perry.

Tue 9 Exuberant Summer Vegetable Gardens

6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Tue 9 Arizona Native Plant Society Meeting

7-9 pm, Webster Auditorium at Desert Botanical Garden. Arizona Native Plant Society, Mike Plagens (602) 459-5224.

Tue 9 Phoenix Bonsai Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Elsie Andrade (602) 995-3870. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Wed 10 New River Gourd Patch Meeting

8:30 am-1 pm, Pioneer RV Park, 36408 N. Black Canyon Hwy, Phoenix. Arizona Gourd Society, Connie Neeley

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Wed 10 Master Gardener Field Trip

9 am, Mesa Community College Rose Garden, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. Meet at Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix by 8:20 am to carpool. Tour of the Garden and talk on roses by a rosarian in the Mesa East Valley Rose Club. Deb Sparrow .

Wed 10 Saguaro Garden Club Meeting

9:30 am, Pyle Adult Center, 655 E. Southern, Tempe. Mary Trick at (480) 829-7972.

Wed 10, 17 Home Landscape Design Basics II

6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $60 mem/$75 non-mem. Info/Register

Wed 10 Scottsdale Rose Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Eldorado Community Center, 2311 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. Michael Levitt (480) 206-3806

Thu 11 Weeders Garden Club 9:30 am-noon, Cottonwood Community Center, 25630 Brentwood Dr., Sun Lakes, AZ. Weeders Club, Pat Bunkley (480) 883-1556.

Thu 11 Tolleson Gourd Patch Meeting

2-4 pm, Tolleson Senior Center, 9555 W. Van Buren, Tolleson, AZ. Arizona Gourd Society, Debra Williams

Thu 11 Spirit of the Desert Gourd Patch Meeting

4:30-6:30 pm, Sewing Room at the Sun Lakes Oakwood Arts & Crafts Center, 24201 S. Oakwood Blvd, Sun Lakes, AZ. Sally Kiste (480) 895-7638, Spirit of the Desert

Thu 11 Edible Landscapes and Design

5:30-7:30 pm, Peoria Development and Community Services Bldg, 9875 N. 85th Ave., Peoria. Free to the public. Info/Register.

Thu 11, 18, 25, and Sat 13, 27

Growing Food: The Basics

6-8 pm on Thu, 10 am-noon on Sat, Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. Hands-on sessions at Growing Together Community Garden, 101 E. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. $99. Info/Register

Thu 11 Sprinkler Design and Installation

6-8:45 pm, Chandler City Hall, 175 N. Arizona Ave, Chandler. Free. Info/Register

Thu 11 All About Lavender 6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Thu 11 Setting Your Irrigation Timer

6:30-8:30 pm, Public Works Admin Building, 4980 S. 157th Ave., Goodyear. Free. Info/Register

Thu 11 Mesa East Valley Rose Society Meeting

7-10 pm, Mesa Community College Library, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. (480) 807-3475. Mesa East Valley Rose Society

Thu 11

AZ Rare Fruit Growers Meeting

7:30 pm, Palo Verde Room at Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. AZ Rare Fruit, Monte Palmer (480) 688-2087

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Fri 12 Tucson Nurseries Tour 7 am- 6 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $85 mem/$106 non-mem. Includes roundtrip transportation and lunch. Info/Register

Fri 12 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice.

Fri 12 Washington Garden Club Meeting

9:30 am, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Orvalita Hopkins, Washington Garden Club

Sat 13 Date Palm Tools and Offshoots Workshop

8 am, ASU Date Palm Grove, ASU Polytechnic Campus, 7127 E. Upton Ave., Mesa. Register or Deborah Thirkhill (480) 268-4165.

Sat 13 Growing Bazaar 8 am-4 pm, Urban Farm Nursery at Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. Purchase edible transplants, seeds, compost, pots and more from local vendors. Info

Sat 13 Color Theory in Landscape Design

8:30 am-12:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $75 mem/$95 non-mem. Info/Register

Sat 13 Heritage Rose Garden Volunteer Day

9 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Steve Young (602) 237-9043.

Sat 13 Phoenix Pond Society Meeting

9 am, Member home. Contact for address: Dave Nelson (480) 357-7205. Phoenix Pond Society

Sat 13 Desert Tree Care 9 am-noon, Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown St., Glendale. Joanne Toms (623) 930-3535

Sat 13 Drip Irrigation Design and Installation

9 am-noon, Desert Botanical Garden, $35 mem/$44 non-mem. Info/Register

Sat 13 Xeriscape Principles and Design

9 am-2 pm, SRP Center for Water Education at the Rose Eisendrath House, 1400 N. College Ave., Tempe. Free. Info/Register with Richard Bond (480) 350-2627. Info

Sat 13, Sun 14

Phoenix Bonsai Society Show

9 am- 5 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Free. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Sat 13 Sunrise Garden Club Meeting

9:30 am, Member home in Tempe. Contact for address: Julie at (480) 838-2414.

Sat 13 Keeping Vegetables 9:30-11 am, Desert Marigold School, 6210 S. 28th St., Phoenix. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. $15. Info/Register

Sat 13 Citrus Tree Grafting 9:30-11 am, Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. $25. Info/Register

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Sat 13 Sensational Healthy Succulents

10 am, All Summerwinds Nurseries. Free. Info/Register

Sat 13 Scottsdale Community Garden Club Meeting

10 am, Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Rd., Scottsdale, Room 527 in the Fitness and Wellness complex on the NW corner of the campus. Scottsdale Community Garden Club, Carol Stuttard

Sat 13 Concepts of Landscape Design

10 am, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix. Register or (602) 437-0700.

Sat 13 Desert Tree Care 10 am-11:30 am, Glendale Main Library/Xeriscape Garden, 5959 W. Brown St., Glendale. Info/Register

Sat 13 Master Gardener Q&A Session

10 am-noon, Avondale Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. E-mail or (623) 333-2602

Sat13 Ask a Master Gardener

10:30 am-1:30 pm, White Tank Branch Library, 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Rd, Waddell. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. Angie Tatum (623) 882-7976

Sat 13 Wildflower Walk 11 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Info

Sat 13 Landscape Maintenance Practices for Homeowners

11:30 am, Gardener's World, 3401 E. Baseline Rd., Phoenix. Register or (602) 437-0700.

Sat 13 Edible/Medicinal Desert Plant Guided Walk

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about native desert plants have fed, clothed, and healed indigenous peoples for a millennia. Info

Sat 13

Native Vegetable Gardening: Ancient Knowledge, Modern Needs

2-4 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Sat 13 How to Plan, Map, and Site Design Your Space

2:30-4 pm, Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. $17. Info/Register

Sat 13 Best Pruning Methods for Your Landscape

2:30-4:30 pm, White Tank Branch Library, 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Rd., Waddell.

Sun 14 Vegetable Container Gardening

2-4 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $30 mem/$38 non-mem. Info/Register

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Tue 16 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring water, gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the demo garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250

Tue 16 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Topic: Plant Pathology with Kelly Young.

Tue 16 Down to Earth Toastmasters

6-7:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Olivette Aviso (480) 235-5989. Down to Earth Toastmasters

Tue 16 Phoenix Bonsai Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Elsie Andrade (602) 995-3870. Phoenix Bonsai Society

Tue 16 Phoenix Rose Society Meeting

7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Phoenix Rose Society, Jeannie Cochell (602) 363-6444

Wed 17

4H Leader Training for MGs Working Unsupervised With Children

5-8 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. This training is required if you are a Master Gardener working with children unsupervised. $65 covers a comprehensive background check. Haley Paul to register.

Wed 17 Southwest Gourd Society Meeting

7-9 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Southwest Gourd, Bettie Lake

Thu 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, or May 3

Volunteer with Arizona Project WET

9 am- 2pm, Hassayampa River Preserve, 49614 N. U.S. Hwy 60, Wickenburg. Arizona WET, Ashlie Tainer (503) 349-0935 for more information and to volunteer.

Thu 18

NW Valley Gourd Patch Meeting

3:15-5 pm, Desert Oasis School, 17161 W. Bajada Rd., Surprise. Arizona Gourd Society, Cheryl Kroll

Thu 18 Yard Watering and Timer Instruction

6-8:45 pm, Chandler City Hall, 175 N. Arizona Ave, Chandler. Free. Info/Register

Thu 18 Desert Valley Orchid Society Meeting

6:30 pm, Scottsdale Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Steve Grass (602) 508-1808, Desert Valley Orchid Society

Thu 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16

Landscape for Life 6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $135 mem/$169 non-mem. Info/Register

Fri 19 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice.

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Fri 19 Harvesting and Cooking Cholla Buds

9 am-noon, Desert Botanical Garden, $55 mem/$68 non-mem. Info/Register

Fri 19 Tempe Garden Club Meeting

9:30-11:30 am, Pyle Adult Center, 655 E. Southern Ave, Tempe. Josephine Vincze (480) 917-4679, Tempe Garden Club

Sat 20

Mesa East Valley Rose Society Deadheaders

7 am deadheading, 8:30 am Society meeting, Mesa Community College Rose Garden, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. Bring gloves and pruners/shears. Training provided. Mike Cryer , Deadheaders

Sat 20 Volunteer Opportunity: Garden Maintenance

8-11 am, Glendale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, near the Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown St., Glendale. Tools and snacks are provided, but you may bring your favorite tools and gloves. Meet at the white shed on the SW corner of the library. RSVP Joanne Toms (623) 930-3535.

Sat 20 Growing Bazaar 8 am-4 pm, Urban Farm Nursery at Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. Purchase edible transplants, seeds, compost, pots and more from local vendors. Info

Sat 20 APS Shade Tree Program

8:30 am and 10 am, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix. Info/Register. Volunteer

Sat 20 Design Charrette 9 am-noon, Charrette at a north Tempe home. Reserve at Beth or (480) 275-4833.

Sat 20 Selecting and Maintaining Xeriscape Plants

9 am-2 pm, SRP Center for Water Education at the Rose Eisendrath House, 1400 N. College Ave., Tempe. Free. Info/Register with Richard Bond (480) 350-2627. Info

Sat 20 Marvelous Main Course Salads with Herbs

10 am-noon, Desert Botanical Garden, $50 mem/$62 non-mem. Info/Register

Sat 20 Ask a Master Gardener

10 am-1 pm, Sunrise Mountain Library, 21109 N. 98th Ave., Peoria. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. David Haase (623) 889-5585.

Sat 20 Desert Sun African Violet Society Meeting

10 am, Yucca Branch of Phoenix Public Library, 5648 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. Ann Stoetzer (623) 872-9020.

Sat 20 Celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day

10 am, All Summerwinds Nurseries. Free. Info/Register

Sat 20 Master Gardener Q&A Session

10:30-1:30 pm, Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice. George Salamunec

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Sat 20 Phoenix Rose Society Rose Show

1-4 open to the public, Valley Garden Center, 18096 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. Free. Phoenix Rose Society

Sat 20 Plants of the Bible Guided Tour

1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about botany, history, and scripture on this slow-paced walk. Info

Sat 20 Bonsai of Scottsdale Meeting

1:30-3 pm, Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale. Pat Mitchell (480) 575-5649. Scottsdale Bonsai

Sun 21 Wildflower Walk 11 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Info

Sun 21

Maricopa County Master Gardeners/Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society Meeting

1-4 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, Dorrance Hall. Dr. Mark Dimmit will give presentations on adeniums and hybrid trichocereus. The Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society will introduce their current Aloe project. Plants will be available for purchase. Cash please or checks for purchases of $40 or more. No credit cards. Free, when entering DBG explain that you are attending this meeting and there will be no entrance fee. Mary Ann Garewal

Sun 21 Tree Tour 1:30 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Info

Sun 21 Phoenix Chrysanthemum Society Meeting

2-4:30 pm, member home. Contact for address: George Chi (480) 248-7685. Phoenix Chrysanthemum

Mon 22 Earth Day Phoenix 11 am-1:30 pm, Cesar Chavez Plaza located on 1st Ave and Washington St. in Downtown Phoenix. Free. Info

Tue 23 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring water, gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the demo garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250

Tue 23 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Topic: Entomology 101 with Stacey Bealmear, Urban Horticulture Extension Agent in Yuma County.

Wed 24 Water Harvesting: Beyond Rainwater

6:30-8 pm, Valley Permaculture, 1122 E. Washington St., Phoenix. Free. Info/Register

Wed 24 Composting-Turning Trash Into Treasure for Your Garden

6:30-8 pm, Paradise Valley Community Center, 17402 N. 40th St., Phoenix. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. $15. Info/Register

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Wed 24, May 1

Vegetable Garden Design

6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $60 mem/$75 non-mem. Info/Register

Thu 25 Maximize Your Irrigation

6-8:45 pm, Chandler City Hall, 175 N. Arizona Ave, Chandler. Free. Info/Register

Fri 26 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic

8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or insect specimens for ID and advice.

Fri 26 Volunteer Opportunity: Garden Maintenance

8-11 am, Glendale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, near the Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown St., Glendale. Tools and snacks are provided, but you may bring your favorite tools and gloves. Meet at the white shed on the SW corner of the library. RSVP Joanne Toms (623) 930-3535.

Fri 26, Sat 27, Sun 28

Maricopa County Home and Garden Show

10 am-6 pm Fri & Sat, 10 am-5 pm Sun, Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix. $5. Info/Discount

Sat 27 Date Palm Tools and Offshoots Workshop

8 am, ASU Date Palm Grove, ASU Polytechnic Campus, 7127 E. Upton Ave., Mesa. Register or Deborah Thirkhill (480) 268-4165.

Sat 27 Growing Bazaar 8 am-4 pm, Urban Farm Nursery at Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. Purchase edible transplants, seeds, compost, pots and more from local vendors. Info

Sat 27 Vermicomposting 8:30-10 am, Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. $17. Info/Register

Sat 27 Heritage Rose Garden Volunteer Day

9 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Steve Young (602) 237-9043.

Sat 27 Designing, Installing, and Maintaining Drip Irrigation

9 am-2 pm, SRP Center for Water Education at the Rose Eisendrath House, 1400 N. College Ave., Tempe. Free. Info/Register with Richard Bond (480) 350-2627. Info

Sat 27 Compost Workshop-Weeds to Compost

9:30-11 am, Desert Marigold School, 6210 S. 28th St., Phoenix. Sponsored by Valley Permaculture Alliance. $15. Info/Register

Sat 27 Citrus Tree Grafting 9:30-11 am, Root Phoenix, 7120 N. 12th St., Phoenix. $25. Info/Register

Sat 27 It’s “Thyme” for Herbs 10 am, All Summerwinds Nurseries. Free. Info/Register

Sat 27 Wildflower Walk 11 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Info

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

Sun 28 Hot Season Gardening Workshop

Noon, 12-3 pm, Southwest Gardener, 2809 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. $35. Info/Register

Sun 28 Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society Meeting

2-4 pm, Dorrance Hall at Desert Botanical Garden. Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society . Judy Braun-Brody (480) 481-8129

Tue 30 Tuesday in the Garden

3 pm-dusk, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring water, gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the demo garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250

Tue 30 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Topic: Turf Management with Sharon Dewey, Instructional Specialist, U of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County.

Upcoming Events

May 2 Smart Irrigation Controllers

6-8:45 pm, Chandler City Hall, 175 N. Arizona Ave, Chandler. Free. Info/Register

May 4 SRP Shade Tree Workshop

8 am and 10 am, Desert West Community Center, 6501 W. Virginia, Phoenix. Info/Register

May 7 Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Final Exam and Graduation.

May 9, 16, and 23

Advanced Smartscape Class

1-6 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. $85. This course builds upon the Smartscape 101 class by offering in-depth training on irrigation design, installation and maintenance. Info/Register, Nick Pacini (602) 827-8200 ext. 306

May 11 Volunteer Opportunity: Garden Maintenance

8-11 am, Glendale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, near the Glendale Main Library, 5959 W. Brown St., Glendale. Tools and snacks are provided, but you may bring your favorite tools and gloves. Meet at the white shed on the SW corner of the library. RSVP Joanne Toms (623) 930-3535.

May 14 Setting Your Irrigation Timer

6:30-8:30 pm, Public Works Admin Building, 4980 S. 157th Ave., Goodyear. Free. Info/Register

Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,

and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.

June 22 SRP Shade Tree Workshop

8 am and 10 am, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix. Info/Register

Jul-Nov 2013

Master Gardener Training Class

9:30 am-12:30 pm every Tuesday, City of Avondale Municipal Services Operation Center, 399 E. Lower Buckeye Rd., Ste. 100, Avondale. $275. Info/Register. Applications due by May 11, 2013.