SCMGA Library Lecture Series
The Library Series held at the Tyler Public Library is a series of 5 programs designed to educate the community in all things gardening. The lectures are held the third Friday of each month, January through May, beginning at noon at the Taylor Auditorium at the Tyler Public Library.
First Tuesday at the Gardens
The First Tuesday Gardening programs are our Fall Gardening series. The evens are held at noon on the patio of the IDEA Garden the first Tuesday in September, October, and November.
Speaker’s Bureau
Dating all the way back to 1997, the Speaker’s Bureau was organized to answer the need in the community for organizations seeking programs on gardening and related subjects. Programs were put together using slides and scripts and more recently, using electronic PowerPoint presentations. Members of the SCMGA Speakers Bureau are available to give programs on a variety of horticultural topics, including lawn care, vegetable gardening, pest control, and other residential gardening subjects. Contact our Help Desk ([email protected]) to schedule a presentation that is based on sound, researched-based information.
A variety of organizations, especially Garden Clubs, avail themselves of these programs. Small groups of only a few people and large rooms full of people are accommodated and informed.
SCMGA YouTube Channel
On-line media is the ever growing information source of choice. Recognizing this fact, SCMGA established a YouTube channel as one avenue to disseminate educational information. The East Texas region has a wide variety of growing conditions from sugar sand to sandy loam to clay. To add more challenge, the summers are very hot and the winters are cold. Serving such diverse needs requires convenient educational venues and opportunities that cover a wide range of topics for everyone, regardless of skill level or growing conditions. Our Smith County Master Gardener YouTube channel seeks to provide an online educational experience covering topics from the history of the Heritage Rose Garden at the Tyler Botanical Garden to current topics such as the 2021 winter storm Uri damage and what to do.
Master Gardener Specialists
As part of the statewide effort of the Master Garden, specialist training is offered for Master Gardeners willing to devote their time and make a commitment to training others in specific subjects. Smith County has specialists trained in Composting, Propagation, Entomology, Rainwater Harvesting, Vegetable Gardening and in FireWise and WaterWise techniques. These specialists train other Master Gardeners in their county or nearby counties. They also present their programs as part of the Speaker’s Bureau activity.
Educational Exhibits
There many occasions where Master Gardener material is distributed to the public. These events could be at a special day in the Tyler zoo, at a Garden Club event or at a area school, etc. A team of Master Gardeners prepares a table-top exhibit of information and provides handouts to the interested visitor with the goal to provide information for good gardening practices, information on plants and problem solving in the garden.