Leaf it to this guy ...

Henderson County Master Gardeners will hold their 13th annual Spring Conference on April 11 at the Cain Center in Athens.  

The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a plant sale and silent auction.  Seating for the dinner will begin at 5:45, and the speaker will begin at 6:30. The dinner will be catered by Tilo’s.

The speaker will be Dr. William C. “Bill” Welch, professor of Horticulture at Texas A&M. His topic will be “Sustainable Alternatives for Texas Gardens.” He is a contributor to Southern Living and Neil Sperry’s magazines and to The Southern Garden at the Aggie Horticulture website.  In addition, Dr. Welch teaches landscape courses at the state and national levels.  His books include “Perennial Garden Color,” Antique Roses for the South,” and he is a co-author of “Heirloom Gardening in the South.” Books will be available for purchasing and autographing at the conference.  

Dr. Welch was recognized in 1993 as an Honorary Member of the Garden Club of America.  

He received the Zone IX Historic Preservation Award in 2007 for his commitment to historic preservation of the Gulf Coast Landscape. In 2008, he received the Garden Club of America Distinguished Service Medal.  He received the BY. Morrison Communication Award from the American Horticultural Society in 2009.  

The plant sale will include trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals including magnolia trees, crepe myrtles, iris and many others.  Master Gardeners have grown plants of all types that will also be offered.

Tickets for this event will be $20 and can be purchased from any Henderson County Master Gardener, at the Agri-Life Office located in the courthouse (903-675-6130) and at the Athens Bank (903-675-4600).  For additional information call Janet Fulgham  (903-852-3724) or Karla Odom (903-677-3053).

This will be an excellent opportunity to stock up on good quality plants, have fun with a silent auction, enjoy a very good meal and hear a speaker with knowledge to share that is so relevant to our area.