Upcoming Garden Events Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count

Using Native Plants in the Ornamental Garden

Thurs, Feb 2, 11:30a; via Zoom. Sponsored by Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Presented by Lenora Larson. We’ll de-bunk the many myths surrounding native plants, then discuss garden design and horticultural strategies to civilize these potentially unruly plants. Lenora Larson is a Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener and a member of local chapters of both the Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society. For more information: https://bit. ly/31ABt1g.

The Garden Club of Shawnee

Thurs, Feb 2, 7p; at Shawnee Town 1927 Town Hall, 11600 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS. This meeting will be about house plants. As always, we will serve drinks and snacks, and nifty door prizes will be given away. Guests are welcome! Please visit our website gardenclubofshawnee.org and our Facebook page for more information.

Raytown Garden Club

Tues, Feb 7, 10a; at Connection Point Church, 10500 E State Rte 350, Raytown, MO 64138. The program scheduled will be “Adaptive Gardening, Techniques to Help You Garden into your Nineties.” Guests are always welcome. For more information please check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/RaytownGardenClub.

Mushrooms 101

Sat, Feb 11, 2p; at Year-Round Garden, 1201 NE Rice Rd, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086. Length: 1-hour (60 minutes of instruction + time for Q&A). Join us for an educational session designed for anyone interested in growing their own mushrooms. Take a stepby-step journey through the process of cultivating mushrooms from a spore syringe, including grain jar, substrate and monotub preparation. Register Online at https://www. year-roundgarden.com/mushrooms or call (816) 600-2300.

Pruning Fruit Trees Workshop

Two workshops, one on Feb 18 and one on Feb 26, 1-4p both days; at Turkey Creek Trees located near Meriden, KS. The pruning workshop will be a hands-on demonstration of proper fruit tree pruning techniques. Proper pruning increases fruit production and helps maintain healthier trees. Other topics such as planting, protecting your new trees from wildlife damage and disease issues will also be discussed as well. Cost is $50/ participant. Space is limited to 10 participants/ day. To get more information regarding registration or the workshop please email chris@ turkeycreektrees.com.

Olathe Garden & Civic Club Meeting & Flower Arranging Workshop

Tues, Feb 21, 1-2:30p; at Grace Church, 11485 S Ridgeview Rd, Olathe KS. *Free to attend and open to the public, Club membership not required.* Please join us for our monthly club meeting and flower arranging workshop! Flowers will be provided, please bring your own vase or other small vessel.

Paola Spring Symposium

Sat, Feb 25, 9am-3:30pm; at the Lighthouse Church, 1402 E 303rd St, Paola, KS 66071.

“Garden Design with Maintenance in Mind” will be presented by the Marais des Cygnes

Extension Master Gardeners. The $45 tickets will be sold online only. Don’t delay, as we always sell out early! Presentations include Stacie Campbell discussing how to match your garden’s design and your maintenance abilities. Are weeds your nemesis? Lenora Larson shares how to win the weed wars. Brad Guhr from Dyck Arboretum debunks the myth of native plants requiring little or no maintenance and Kevin Nelson considers maintenance strategies for the aging gardener. Here is the link to register: https://tinyurl. com/MdCEMGGardenSymposium

Leawood Garden Club

Tues, Feb 28, 10:30am; at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS 66206. For more info, visit the group’s Facebook page. Laura Dickenson, an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian is scheduled to speak on “A measure at Hand.” A Winter Bake Sale will be another highlight of this month’s meeting.

Healthy Yards Expo

Sat, Mar 11, 9a-2p; at Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS. Local businesses, non-profits, city and county departments will offer seminars and tips helping make greener choices. Johnson County residents get one free soil test, compliments of Johnson County Stormwater Management and Johnson County K-State Extension. For more information on the Healthy Yard Expo, visit www.johnson.k-state.edu or call 913715-7000. This is a free event.

Flower, Home & Garden Show

Sat, Mar 25, 10a-4p; at Heritage Event & Arts Center, 109 Delaware St, Leavenworth, KS. Leavenworth County Master Gardeners will be making presentations throughout the event. www.heritagecenter-leavenworth. com; 913-682-2122

Garden Obsession | Kansas City Garden Symposium

Sat, Mar 25, Rockhurst University. The Kansas City Garden Symposium presented by Gardeners Connect. We bring to the stage the best in local, regional and national garden experts and talent to educate and inspire gardeners of all skill levels. “Garden Obsession” is all about the gardens and plants that entice, beguile and make gardeners obsess. Three speakers. Six presentations. Lunch. Gift bag. A day of gardening delight you won’t want to miss. For details and to sign up, visit GardenersConnect.org/symposium.

Kansas City Rose Society

Sat, Mar 25, 10am; at the Loose Park Garden Center. “Aphids, Japanese Beetles, and Rose Midge: How to Identify and Control Rose Pests,” by Dr. Raymond A. Cloyd: Professor and Extension Specialist in Horticultural Entomology/Plant Protection, Department of Entomology, Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS). After the program, all are encouraged to join Dana Flemming, KC Parks Landscape Technician/Head Rosarian, in the Laura Conyers Smith Rose Garden to learn about the organic products used there and to learn how to plant a bare root rose bush.

Promote plant sales, club meetings, classes, and other gardening events for FREE! Send details to: elizabeth@kcgmag.com. Deadline for publishing in the March issue is February 5.

Join birders around the world counting the bird population at the Great Backyard Bird Count starting Friday, February 17th through Monday, February 20th, 2023. The data collected serves as important information to scientists observing the changes in bird behavior possibly due to climate change. Anyone can participate by counting the bird species and numbers in your own back yard or at your bird feeders. Your data should be reported using the GBBC web site, an e-Bird app or a Merlin app (all free downloads).

Surveying as a group is much more fun! Come join other birders for the 13th year of this event at the Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, MO 64131 on the following days and times for a one-mile hike along Indian Creek Trail:

Saturday, February 18th at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday, February 19th at 3:00 p.m.

Monday, February 20th at 9:30 a.m.

Meet at the Trailside Center Building to begin; be sure to dress for the weather that day including footwear suitable for hiking; bring binoculars if you have them. All levels of birders are welcome. This event is hosted by the Osage Trails Chapter of the Missouri Master Naturalists. A day event may be canceled if weather is very intolerable.

Questions: Sara at (816) 356-6986.

To read more about the Great Backyard Bird Count: https://www. birdcount.org/.