Friday, October 31, 2003

Landscaping workshops offered in November at Flat Creek Nature Center

Are your trees and shrubs drooping and losing their leaves early? Rainfall is back up to normal but most plants show the effects from drought for several years. Landscaping is a big investment of time and money. Learn how to save water and chemical use — and money — by a smart choice of plants. After all, fall is the best time to plant.

Southern Conservation Trust is hosting two informative workshops on landscaping in November.

The workshop “Landscaping for Drought” will be held Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. The topic is “xeriscaping,” a method that employs drought-resistant plants in an effort to conserve resources, especially water. The expert speaker is Sheldon Hammond of the Fayette Co. Cooperative Extension Service.

The second workshop — Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. — focuses on an important principle of xeriscaping, which is “Using Native Plants.” Native plants typically are more resistant to disease and insects, less damaged by drought and require less care. They can be less invasive than introduced species and are important as food and cover for native birds and wildlife. Using native plants is also a way to preserve our Southern gardening heritage.

The expert speaker is Teresa Schrum with the Georgia Native Plant Society, a regular guest on the popular Saturday morning radio show “Gardening in Georgia.” There also will be native shrubs and vines to inspect and purchase from Green Plant Market, a Senoia nursery that only offers native plants.

Southern Conservation Trust, a nonprofit land trust based in Peachtree City, owns and manages over 600 acres of nature preserves in Fayette County. SCT partners with community groups to enhance its nature preserves with trails, overlooks and re-introduction of native species. SCT works with willing landowners to help protect scenic open space which may provide tax advantages for the landowner.

The workshops will be held at the Flat Creek Nature Center, adjacent to the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater on McIntosh Trail in Peachtree City. Both workshops are free and open to the public.

For more information on this and upcoming SCT community events, contact Executive Director Abby Jordan at 770-486-7774 or a.jordan@sctlandtrust.org.