October Events

To submit a garden-related public event for the e-gardens calendar, please e-mail details to events@sperrygardens.com. Deadline is the 15th of the month prior to the event date.

Austin / Travis County
Choose from nearly 300 species of hardy Texas native plants bred to deal with Central Texas climate when you shop the Fall Plant Sale during the Gardening Festival at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Oct. 5-6. Bring your own wagon if possible, plus a reusable water bottle for free cold, filtered water. Enjoy walks and talks at several junctures, or Story Time in the Little House at 10 a.m. Festival hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Members’ private sale is scheduled for Oct. 4. Find details and admission fees at www.wildflower.org.

Celebrate Texas Native Plant Week by learning more about native, drought-tolerant plants at a special Walk and Talk on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Andrea DeLong-Amaya leads the garden walk, 5:30-6:15 p.m., then presents “Native Plants of Central Texas” in the auditorium. Find details, including a list of native plants, at www.wildflower.org.

Bring the kids to Goblins in the Garden at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Sunday, Oct. 27, 4-7 p.m. Children can wear costumes and trick or treat at candy stations throughout the gardens. Other activities include face painters, stories, crafts, a scavenger hunt and costume parade. Admission: $9 adults, $7 seniors and students, $3 ages 5-12. Find details at www.wildflower.org.

Brenham / Washington County
Mark your calendar for the 25th Annual Fall Festival of Roses at the Antique Rose Emporium, Nov. 1-3. Three days of free presentations by experts like Felder Rushing, Greg Grant, and Chris Wiesinger, plus a behind-the-scenes guided tour of 20 acres of rose breeding, led by ARE owner Mike Shoup. www.antiqueroseemporium.com.

Bryan / Brazos County
Attend the Autumn Garden Tour sponsored by Brazos County Master Gardeners Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tickets: $10, available at the Brazos County office of Texas AgriLife Extension or at any of the gardens on the day of the tour. You’ll see gardens ranging from a suburban garden to a wildlife haven. For a list of sites, visit www.brazosmg.com.

Learn about Earth-Kind landscaping at two classes offered this month by Brazos County Master Gardeners: “Earth-Kind Butterfly Gardens,” Sept. 17, with Master Gardener Suzanne Milstead, and “Earth-Kind Plants for the Brazos Valley,” Oct. 15, with Master Gardeners Nilah Wright and Autumn Harry. Classes are scheduled at Cypress Grove Intermediate School in the evening. Fee is $25 per class. Call 979-823-0129, or find registration information at www.rectrac.cstx.gov.

Corpus Christi
Celebrate autumn at Moonlight in the Gardens at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center on Oct. 25, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The annual fundraiser features edibles ranging from cooked-on-site steaks to refreshments at the Stellar Spirits bars. Entertainment includes Jupiter’s Jazz Bar and the multi-decade rock band Flashback. Individual tickets are $100 ($85 members). Reservations required. Find details about the star-studded evening at www.stxbot.org.

Attend “Fall Is for Gardening” presented by horticulturist Carol Krank on Saturday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m. – noon, at the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. She will share ideas for effectively adding landscape color that will last through fall, winter and early spring. Members free; non-members free with general admission. www.stxbot.org.

Dallas / Dallas County
Join the Celebration of Roses on Oct. 19 in the Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch, and hear an outstanding slate of speakers in council chambers. Pat Shanley of the American Rose Society presents “A Vision of Roses – A Vision of ARS.” Tom Carruth, award-winning hybridizer, will speak on “Just for the Smell of It,” and author/rosarian Stephen Scanniello tackles “The Truth About Climbing Roses: Myths, Lore, Legends and Some Facts.” The Dallas Rose Society’s Fall Rose Show and the Farmers Branch Rose Show open at noon in City Hall. Onsite free registration is in the Gussie Field Watterworth Pavilion beginning at 10:30 a.m. Parking is at City Hall, 13000 William Dodson Pkwy, with shuttles available to transport through the gardens. The bluegrass band Copper Canyon will serenade during the complimentary grilled hot dog lunch. The Celebration concludes at 4:30 p.m. but Bloomin’ Bluegrass will continue into the evening at the Historical Park. Click for flyer.

Visit six private gardens and one school garden on the Fall Garden Tour of the Dallas County Master Gardeners, Saturday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. You’ll see rain barrels, greenhouses, arbors, wooded areas, water features, shade and sun gardens, perennials, annuals, native plants, and WaterWise gardens. Advance tickets: $15. Find details at www.dallascountymastergardeners.org.

Celebrate a “Creepy Crawl-o-ween!” as scary scorpions, titanic tarantulas, and slithery snakes take their masks off and reveal their not-so-scary sides at Texas Discovery Gardens on Oct. 26, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The event is filled with educational presentations, activities, arts and crafts and more. Admission: $8 adult, $6 ages 60+, $4 ages 3-11. Find details at http://texasdiscoverygardens.org.

Enjoy the biggest pumpkin festival around at the Dallas Arboretum during Autumn at the Arboretum, now through late November. Eddie Coker presents two Columbus Day Concerts for children at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Oct. 14. Find details about the festival at www.dallasarboretum.org.

See the wonders of the new Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum during the garden’s inaugural year. This 8-acre laboratory for preschool to middle school children features 17 outdoor and indoor galleries. The amazing and innovative new garden at the north end of the Arboretum overlooks White Rock Lake. The Arboretum is issuing timed entrance tickets at present. Find details at www.dallasarboretum.org.

Fort Worth / Tarrant County
Attend “The Monarchs of Fall,” a free presentation for both children and adults, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 10:30 a.m., at the Grapevine Public Library, 1201 Municipal Way, Grapevine. Jenny Singleton, an educator, Monarch Watch volunteer, and seasoned butterfly tag wrangler, will present a program for those who want to learn about the beautiful monarch butterflies as they magically appear in North Texas the end of September. The program is presented by the Grapevine Garden Club. Call 817-410-3404 for further information.

Shop the Fall Plant Sale at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden on Oct. 12, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Please bring your own wagon to take full advantage of the assortment of trees, shrubs, grasses, groundcovers, perennials, vines and spring-flowering bulbs. Garden staff will be on hand to answer your questions. Pre-Sale for members is Oct. 20, and a Preview Class is offered on Oct. 8. Call 817-392-5534 to register for the class. Find details at www.fwbg.org.

Shop the “Plant Native, Plant Now” Sale on Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Botanical Gardens at Heritage Park, 411 Ball St., Grapevine. The event is part of the Butterfly Flutterby festivities occurring at the park the same day. Sponsors are the Grapevine Garden Club and Grapevine Parks and Recreation. www.grapevinegardenclub.org.

Mark you calendar for the Fall Festival in the Japanese Garden on Nov. 2-3 at Fort Worth Botanic Garden. You’ll stroll meandering paths of this beautifully landscaped garden as you listen to the sounds of koto music and taiko drumming. Enjoy dancers, martial arts demonstrations, tea ceremonies, bonsai and ikebana exhibits, and culinary delights. Children’s activities include face painting, Japanese games, fish painting, and more. Admission: $6 adult, $3 ages 4-12. Find details at www.fwbg.org.

Mark your calendar for Neil Sperry’s appearance at the Palace Theatre in Grapevine, 10 a.m. on Nov. 26, under the auspices of the Grapevine Garden Club. Neil will present “Texas Home Landscaping – Planning and Plants.” Find details at www.grapevinegardenclub.org.

Houston / Spring/ Harris County
Attend the 2nd Annual Sustainable Landscape Conference sponsored by Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens on Oct. 25. The theme is “A Catalyst Landscape: Taking the LEED with SITES.” As the greater-Houston area experiences an explosive wave of population growth, sustainability in energy, design, and landscaping becomes essential. This conference will introduce and outline the principles of the SITES (Sustainable Sites initiative). Location is the Big Stone Lodge at Dennis Johnston Park, 907 Riley Fuzzel Rd., in Spring. Click for flyer.

Learn about “Slow Gardening” at The Arbor Gate in Tomball this month. The schedule includes Henry Flower, “Fall Herb Gardening,” Oct. 3; Dave Whitinger, “The Suburban Farmer,” Oct. 5; Gay Hammond, “Decoding Kordes Roses,” Oct. 6; and many more. The Arbor Gate’s class schedule for October can be found at www.arborgate.com.

Louisiana
Hear some of the top garden experts in the world, along with several of Texas’ finest, at the 2013 Southern Garden Symposium in St. Francisville, La., on Oct. 18-19. This remarkable symposium features speakers like the acclaimed garden designer John Brookes of London, England, noted authors Scott and Lauren Springer Ogden, and Longwood Gardens’ curator of plants, Dr. Tomasz Anisko. Known as much for its engaging social events and historic plantation venues as for its speakers, the symposium celebrates its 25th year in 2013. The Southern Garden Symposium welcomes groups and individuals who wish to travel to St. Francisville for this special event. Find registration information at www.SouthernGardenSymposium.org, call 225-635-3738, or e-mail luciecassity@bellsouth.net.

McAllen / Hidalgo County
“Become a Backyard Habitat Steward” through hands-on training at Quinta Mazatlan this fall. The six-week intensive includes presentations throughout October and November, beginning with Carol Goolsby, “Design a Backyard Habitat,” Oct. 15; Ed Kapel, “Trees – Trees – Trees,” Oct. 22; and John Brush, “Backyard Birds and Other Wildlife,” Oct. 29. Fee: $60 for the entire six sessions. Visit www.quintamazatlan.com for full details.

McKinney / Collin County
Attend the Collin County Master Gardeners’ Bulb and Perennial Mart on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney. The bulbs and perennials offered are excellent choices for water-wise gardens. Find details at www.ccmgatx.org.

Bring the kids to Trick or Treating Along the “Dinosaurs Live!” Trail on Oct. 19, 6-10 p.m. at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney. Other activities include a costume contest, a movie (How to Train Your Dragon) under the stars in the outdoor amphitheater, and for those who dare, a trail hike through the Haunted Forest or Ghost Town. Online tickets advised, since the event sells out each year. www.heardmuseum.org.

Nacogdoches, East Texas and Points East
Attend the October lecture in the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 9, when Patty Leander of Texas Gardener presents “Goodness from the Vegetable Garden: Enjoying the Fruits – and Roots, Seeds, Leaves and Flowers – of Your Labor.” The garden lectures are held at 6:30 p.m. in the Stephen F. Austin State University Agriculture Building. Refreshments and a rare plant raffle are included. Free and open to the public. For more information call 935-468-1863 or e-mail grantdamon@sfasu.edu.

San Antonio / Bexar County
Feel romance in the air at Gardens by Moolight, the signature music event at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12, 7-11 p.m. The main stage headliner is Soul Track Mind, and the KRTU Jazz Stage features the Jeff Lofton Trio. Three more bands plus gourmet foods and beautiful gardens round out this night under the stars. Advance ticket: $15. Ticket at the gate that night: $20. Find details at www.sabot.org.

Capture the excitement of carnivorous plants in the Savage Gardens exhibit at the San Antonio Botanical Garden now through Dec. 31. Find details at www.sabot.org.

Waco / McLennan County
Bring the kids to the free Children’s Garden Fair at Carleen Bright Arboretum, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2 – 5 p.m. Kids’ fun includes crafts, worm composting, scavenger hunts and much more. Entertainment by the Hale Highland Dancers. Sponsored by the McLennan County Master Gardeners and Carleen Bright Arboretum. The arboretum is located at 9001 Bosque Blvd. in Woodway.