WALKING TOUR - Featuring PLANTS WITH WINTER INTEREST

Join the Master Gardeners for the free monthly walking tour of the Pitt County Arboretum.  This month they will be focusing on plants that show off their beauty in their bark, berries, or blooms.  The tour lasts about an hour and is given rain or shine.

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

10:00 AM

Meet under the Green Roof Shelter

in front of the Ag Center.

MAP 

2012 NC WILDFLOWER OF THE YEAR

Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)

Who else likes this flower?

Parsleyworms (aka Black Swallowtail Caterpillar)

Here is a link for all the information about this wildflower selection and its lovely caterpillar:  

Zizia aurea 

To receive a brochure and seeds of the current North Carolina Wildflower of the Years send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
2012 NCWFOY
North Carolina Botanical Garden
Campus Box 3375, UNC-CH
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3375

Will we have this in our own Wildflower Garden at the Pitt County Arboretum?
Come out and see!

WHAT'S YOUR ZONE?

The USDA has just released a new web tool to help gardeners determine their Plant Hardiness Zone.  Click on this link: ZONE MAP and type in your zip code to begin.  An interesting and informative article can be found by clicking on the "ABOUT" tab and then MAPS & GARDENING or just click on these red words to go right to the section.

Also, be sure to head to the Greenville Convention Center next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (February 3-5) for the annual Friends of the Shepard Memorial Library Book Sale.  You are sure to find some gardening books to add to your collection.  For more information on the sale the Daily Reflector lists the email contact as patricia@wimcocorp.com.

THE BEAUTY IN BARK

Taxodium distichum
Bald Cypress

Winter time landscapes with their bare trees and shrubs, brown grasses, and lack of blooms can reveal some spectacular textures, colors, and shapes in trees that are otherwise obscured in the spring, summer, and fall.  Here are four trees at the Arboretum that add winter interest.  Check out those in your own yards and see if you can 'see' them in a new light.  Our February Walking Tour (2/2/12 @ 10:00 AM) will feature more plants like these:

Acer griseum
Paperbark Maple

Lagerstroemia indica
Crepe Myrtle

Prunus x yedoensis
Yoshino Cherry

Pictures by AS

CHILDREN'S ABC GARDEN

Pi-Co-Bo is the topiary bunny who lives at the ABC Children's Garden at the Pitt County Arboretum.  You'll find him in the center of the garden with his butterfly net keeping watch over the birdhouses, butterflies, blooms and occasional visiting bunny.  The A to Z garden of interesting plants was created in 2007 to encourage children to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and textures of the garden.  Plants were chosen for this garden for their unusual names, interesting smells, and variety of blooms.   Recently the entire crop of ABC letters was recut and painted for a fresh flush of color.

ABCs are drawn on boards

Skilled craftsmen cutting letters

Ready for sanding & priming

All primed

Base color applied

Ready for decorative touches

NOW - THE BIG REVEAL!!!!!

You'll have to visit the Arboretum to see the rest!  People of all ages will enjoy the colors, textures, and beauty of this garden even now in the winter!

WALIKING TOUR - Featuring Attracting Birds to Your Landscape

Join the Master Gardener Volunteers on the next FREE Walking Tour of the Pitt County Arboretum.  The theme of this tour will be 'Attracting Birds to Your Landscape' with trees, shrubs, and other plants.  Additionally there will be a demonstration showing how to make 2 simple bird feeders.  More seasonal weather is predicted, so bundle up because the tour will go on!

Eastern Bluebird Baby

WALKING TOUR

of the

PITT COUNTY ARBORETUM

403 GOVERNMENT CIRCLE

GREENVILLE, NC

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2012

10:00 AM-11:00 AM

Map to Arboretum