SFA GARDENS ANNUAL REPORT 2013

9-01-2012 to 8-31-2013

Introduction

SFA Gardens is a recognized center within Stephen F. Austin State University and a

multi-faceted public garden developed by SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and

Agriculture. SFA Gardens cover 68 acres on the SFA campus—10 acres in the Mast Arboretum

and Jim and Beth Kingham Children’s Garden, eight acres in the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden,

eight acres in the Gayla Mize Garden, and 42 acres in the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. The

gardens are managed by Associate Director Dr. David Creech and 4.5 FTE staff, both

professional and classified, as well as student workers. Community support is provided by a

membership group (of about 200 members) and a Friends of SFA Gardens Advisory Board,

which meets quarterly. While State of Texas funding assists with operations and maintenance

expenses, the gardens staff raise significant funds through two plant sales per year, a robust

grant-seeking effort, and four major endowments that support all of the gardens but the PNPC.

Plant diversity and adaptability are key in developments in each of the four main gardens,

offerings in the two plant sales, and in the public outreach by staff through lectures, public

events, publications, and tours. Environmental education for future generations is another main

initiative that reaches nearly 20,000 a year in a broad spectrum of programs for ages K-adult. A

high point in the past year has been the construction of the Ina Brundrett Conservation

Education Center which is the result of 6 years of capital campaign to raise the funds.

Completion is planned for Dec 2014.

Gardens Goals for Fiscal Year 2014 Mast Arboretum Cooperate with colleagues and friends in the Art Department and the community to create a high profile Sculpture for All juried competition in the Mast Arboretum. Conduct regional native grass trial; trials of blueberries, pomegranates, kiwis, and with the Takii Corporation, canna hardiness. Do a better job of posting plant performance information on the web. Improve reporting. Design new Children’s Garden area on north side of Mast Arboretum by College Avenue and develop a campaign to get it funded. Expand fruit collection in the community garden near the SFA Intramural Field. Improve Elking Environment on southern side of Mast Arboretum. Treat the wood in pavilion in the Jim and Beth Kingham Children’s Garden. Paint the outdoor classroom in the shade garden. Paint the entrance gates Paint the pergola supporting the weeping Celtis sinensis on South side of glasshouse Add nursery space on East end of N shade house Bring all six mist beds in glasshouse into full functionality. Develop a plan for improving the “look” of the front compartment of the glasshouse and implement it. Develop a location for taking care of cuttings that are coming out of the mist bed. Install a time clocked watering system. .

Controllers and time clocks in the nursery Develop a plan for the Sustainable garden with the new faculty member. Improve our social media presence with timely Facebook posts . . . Dawn and Dave LaNana Creek Corridor Add new Taxodium genotypes where space allows (Mast Arboretum, Ruby Mize side needs a transfusion) Pruning lower limbs. Collect data on two Taxodium research projects. Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden Finish Garden shed and use it – paint the door. Put a good door knob on the building. More plant labeling. Continue support of Nacogdoches Azalea Trail activities. Move the nursery out of the Tower area Work with the administration to see if there’s a mechanism to move the ROTC tower to a more suitable location. Pineywoods Native Plant Center (PNPC) Treat all bridges and boardwalks with paint. Time clocks and controllers on the nursery Improve the mist system so it’s functional all the way to the end. Renovate the bottom heat system for the mist propagation bed. Develop a native plant list and then implement a plan to increase native plant diversity – focus on collections, new plants. Develop an irrigation plan and implement it . . . . move trees to drip and use sprinklers only on beds. Add two rows of blueberry selections. Lanscape design and installation for the CEC. Develop a mini campaign to install gutters and rainwater capture for the CEC. Begin the Jimmy Hinds Park Project with a goal of completion of that plan one year after all funding is in place. Gayla Mize Garden Finish up with applying crushed asphalt to trails. Finish pavilion in the Gayla Mize Garden – adding a roof - and add more unique plant collections. Crinum collection expanded and labeled. Paint the boardwalks in the Gayla Mize Garden. Entrance bed expanded along the entire front line of weeping balds. Finish planting the few open areas left. Bring well on line. Add tours of this garden to annual Azalea Trail tours. Environmental Education Program

Move into the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Center at the PNPC. Headhouse goes back to PNPC.

Continue environmental education programming, wide-ranging horticultural outreach through speaker series at SFA and in other gardening venues across the US. Implement program assessment for all public programs. Special Items/Goals Install a public access bathroom on the northern side of the Mast Arboretum near the Jim and Beth Kingham’s Children’s Garden Pavilion. Improve accessibility issues on southern end of the Mast Arboretum. Purchase a new Gator to replace 15-year old one – Heaf Request. Purchase a small Kubota tractor – Heaf Request Funding Section of 2013 Annual Report

US Forest Service More Kids in the Woods grant (2012, $41,000) for Nacogdoches

Naturally afterschool program supplies and staff.

George and Fay Young Foundation—Pineywoods Native Plant Center Funds ($10,000)

for asphalted trail to Spider Lily Colony and a full-time temporary hire for time Greg

Grant was on medical leave Summer of 2013.

Grant application submitted to Green Mountain Energy for a solar project at the new Ina

Brundrett Conservation Education Center. Site visit completed August 21; final decision

was made in September 2013 and we were awarded a solar panel roof, value $30,000

(not in the fiscal year of this report). 200 submitted, funded ten.

Cooperative Projects

Memorial Hospital Achieve Grant to NISD ($5,000) for 3rd Grade Gardens program;

assisted by SFA Gardens environmental education and PNPC staff.

Completed Grants

Texas Parks & Wildlife Grant (2011-2012, $42,000) for Nacogdoches Naturally supplies

and staff.

George and Fay Young Foundation (2012, $12,500) for Education coordinator salary.

Nacogdoches Junior Forum (2013, $1,700) for supplies for summer camps.

SFA Faculty Research Grant (2012, $12,491) for three rain gardens at the PNPC, with

Drs. Matthew McBroom and Yanli Zhang.

SFA GARDENS 2013 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW

SFA MAST ARBORETUM

Rain Garden development on the East side

of the Mast Arboretum Nursery. Catches all

the runoff from a sprinkler irrigated sunny

nursery yard.

The Blue Bunny is gone . . . but King Crow

rules. The wonderful work of Jeff Brewer,

SFASU Art, arrived in August 2013

Another piece in the SFA Mast Arboretum

that’ I’ve named “Yellow Ring” via Jeff

Brewer.

The Sustainable Garden is on the south side

of the SFA Mast Arboretum, a work in

progress.

Tomato variety evaluation at SFA Gardens.

Here’s Charles Bradberry, one of our stellar

volunteers helping out with data collection.

Our learning curve has been steep.

Dawn surveying the many tomato varieties

from the SFA Gardens SustainableGarden.

Salsa anyone?

RUBY M. MIZE AZALEA GARDEN

Our new Entrance sign at the Ruby M. Mize

Azalea Garden. Barb spent a decade on the

design, years in the making! Beeyootiful!

Rhododendron X ‘Stonewall Jackson’

Little Miss Princess Tea Party, March 22,

2013.

THE PINEYWOODS NATIVE PLANT CENTER

The Ina Brundrett Conservation Education

Center, August 2013 with a completion date

by Jan 2014 dedication.

Controlled burn at the PNPC, January 23,

2013. Texas Forest Service, Nacogdoches Fire

Department, ATCOFA. This has become a

wonderfully easy process after all these years.

Petrified wood, a wonderful gift from Diane

Avriett. These outstanding pieces belonged to

her father and came from sites in southeast

Texas

Bruce Partain of the Nacogdoches Chamber of

Commerce making remarks at the July 30,

2013 dedication of Nacogdoches as the

Garden Capital of Texas.

GAYLA MIZE GARDEN

With Ryan Cupit, Ray Mize’s grandson helping

out immensely, here’s Duke Pittman putting

the finishing touches on the Gayla Mize

Garden pavilion rafters, May 28, 2013. All

custom cut cedar beams.

The next step in this unique pavilion will be a

roof, still in the design phase.

The first deep well at SFA is now online and

services the drip irrigation system at the

Gayla Mize Garden. With a variable speed

pump, we have a capacity of 57 gallons per

minute and can take care of the entire eight

acres with one set!

OUTREACH

James Spivey, Peerless Farms, San Antonio,

TX with Greg Grant visiting the Acer skutchii

plots at the Science Research Center on the

Loop at Nacogdoches, TX. Over 277

seedlings of our big skutch maple, a rare

Mexico mountain sugar maple that has

strong drought and alkalinity tolerance, fast

growth and is proving to be well adapted to

central Texas where sugar maples do not

grow.

Prunus ‘Purple Pride’ PP 23742 is SFA

Gardens first patented plant. Imageis of

the variety at Hope, Arkansas as part of

the University of Arkansas Woody

Ornamental Evaluation Program. Image

in mid-August 2013 – planted as small

one gallon plants in March 2012. Fast

growing, burgundy foliage with native

Chickasaw genetics!

The LaNana Creek Corridor. Image taken

August 27, 2013 of the clone, T406.

Planted in January 2012 as three and four

foot tall plants and irrigated about one to

two gallons per plant per day.

How many black foliaged crapemyrtle

varieties are enough? Well, we’re here to

sort through the deluge of new varieties.

We are planting these and other new

varieties on the East Side of the Coliseum

parking lot. Those three on this end are

‘Delta Jazz’ the first variety released

several years ago by PDSI, Loxley,

Alabama. The smaller plants are three

plants each of five varieties of Black

Diamond crapes, which are making a

huge mark in the market at this time.

Just to the South of our “new” crape myrtle

planting is a patch of ground dedicated to

seedlings of Callicarpa Americana ‘Welch’s

Pink”, a pink-berried American Beautyberry,

which was discovered by former student Matt

Welch . . . and seedlings of an Eve

EDUCATING YOUNGSTERS

2013 MLK Day of Service: SFA Students take

a short break from building raised bed

gardens for third grade classrooms at Brooks

Quinn Jones Elementary School.

Dr. David Kulhavy, Professor of Forestry, and

students at Mill Creek Gardens and our

Hibiscus dasycalyx, Neches river rose

mallow, plots. An endangered species, this

rare mallow was planted by Stacy Scott,

Graduate Research Assistant, in 2004 as part

of a thesis research project. On the earthen

spillway of Mill Creek lake, the plants have

grown from 96 plants to over 600 as they

have expanded into this special habitat.

David Kulhavy, Matt Wade. Duncan Hibler.

Matthew Entrokin. Catie Northen, Ryan

Svehla, Kim Sierra

One of the beautiful flowers o of the many

plants blooming at Mill Creek Gardens. Plots

planted in 1996. 96 planted, now 477 plants.

Colony is thriving.

Elyce Rodewald receiving the Agricultural

Educator of the Year Award from Corey

Beasley with Citizens 1st Bank, which sponsors

the award. Photo by Kristin Gardner

SFA Gardens staff. Left to right, Dawn Stover,

Duke Pittman, Barb Stump, Dave Creech,

Kerry Lemon, Greg Grant, Elyce Rodewald.

STAFF REPORTS

David L. Creech, Director, SFA Gardens - Sept 1, 2012 to Aug 31, 2013

International:

China, Nov 10 – Nov 29, 2012.

Continued with ongoing collaboration

with three Professors at Nanjing

Botanical Gardens: Professors Yin

Yunlong, He Shanan, and Yu Hong.

Taxodium and blueberry related

projects. This year, I was an invited

speaker and a session moderator at

the International Association of

Botanical Gardens (IABG) which was

held in Guangzhou. Several

blueberry and USA nursery related

talks . Note presentations listed below

in November.

Mexico, Mar 6-13, 2013. Taxodium,

bald cypress focus. Host was Dr.

Teobaldo Equiluz, Mexico City,

President of the the Taxodium salvation project and nurseryman. Three Chinese

colleagues flew in for the week. Three Americans. Dr. Todd Lasseigne, Mr. Mark

Weathington, and I. Meetings, two seminars, and visited various Taxodium sites. A first

for a China, Mexico, USA scholarly group focused on Taxodium.

Presentations and Publications

September 8, 2012. D. Creech. Cool Plants for a Changing Climate. Green Thumb

Seminar. American Rose Center, Shreveport, Louisiana. 46 in attendance.

October 10, 2012. How many maples are enough? Lecture to the Dallas Arboretum

symposium on landscapesing. – 150. I spoke after Peter Gregory, which is like

speaking after the King of the world of maples. From Westonbirt Arboretum in England,

he wrote the book.

October 10-16, 2012 – host for four Chinese visitors. Professor Yin Yunlong and three

others. For a week.

Oct 14-17, 2012. David Creech. 2012. Small Flowering Trees Deserving Greater Use.

Presentation at the IPPS Southern Region North America meeting in Auburn AL – 210

in attendance.

November 8, 2012. Nature’s Way. Presentation to the Northeastern Council of Garden

Clubs, Center, Texas. 82 in attendance

November 13-15, 2012. Invited presenter and session moderator at the 13th

Conference of the International Association of Btoanical Gardens, Guangzhou, CN.

Session moderator: Session: Breeding and Development of Horticultural Plants.

Proceedings article to be published “soon.”

November 13-15, 2012 – David Creech. 2013. Genetic Improvement of Woody

Ornamentals in the Southern USA. Oral presentation at the 13th Conference of the

International Association of Btoanical Gardens, Guangzhou, CN. 42 in attendance.

November 16-20, 2012. David Creech. 2013. Blueberry Harvest and Post-Harvest

Strategies in the USA. Seminar presentation to a group of growers, researchers,

extension and government officials, near Kunming, China at the Yang Shuyan farm. 93

in attendance.

David Creech, 2013. New Woody Ornamentals for the Yunnan. Seminar to

theLandscape and Parks Department, government officials, and researchers in

Kunming, China.. 36 in attendance.

David Creech, 2013. LandscapeDesign Trends in the Southern USA. Two hour

seminar to a group at the Jiling Agriculture and Science Technnology University,

Nanjing China. 296 landscape design undergraduate students in attendance + 7

faculty.

David Creech, 2013. Blueberry harvest and post harvest strategies. Seminar

presentation to a small group of Nanjing Botanical Garden researchers, growers, and

extension personnel. 20 in attendance.

December 13, 2012. The Year in Review. Lecture to the monthly Theresa and Les

Reeves Lecture Series of SFA Gardens. 63 in attendance.

Jan 10, 2013. “China connection, SFA Gardens update, and why we are, could be, and

just might be the Garden Capital of Texas if Barb and Diana have their way.”.

Presentation to the Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners ‘Lunch n Learn’,

Nacogdoches, TX – 85 in attendance

Feb 15-18, 2013. Cool Plants for a Hot Climate. Presentation to the Gulf Coast

Horitcultural Expo, Mobile, AL – 82 in attendance.

February 1-4, 2013: I served as President of the Southern Region American Society for

Hotilcultural Sciences in Orlando, Florida. Delivered the Presidential address, “Lessons

Learned” to the assembly at the General Session. 140 in attendance.

SFA Horticulture students competed in the J.Benton Storey Horticulture Judging

Contest at the 2013 Southern Region meeting of the American Society for Horticultural

Science, which was held this year in Orlando, Florida, February 1-4, 2013. With six

University Horticulture judging teams competing, SFA came up with a number of

awards. The contest is a two hour test of student skills in four classes, which involves

identifying and judging woody ornamentals, greenhouse and floral crops, fruits and nuts,

and vegetables.SFA was # 2 overall team award (Texas A and M University was lst). In

the four classes, SFA was #1 team for Woody Ornamentals,#3 team for Vegetable

Crops, and #3 team for Greenhouse Floral and Foliage.In the individual awards, Felicia

English was the #1 high scoring individual, Greenhouse Floral and Foliage Plants and

Vegetables. Rounding out the team, Eric Golstan was the # 1 high scoring individual,

Fruit and Nut Crops and Ken Moyer, # 2 high scoring individual Woody Ornamentals.

Spence Simmons competed in the Edmund Undergraduate Research Competition. Did

not place but gave a fine 12 minute presentation.

Spence Simmons*, Dave Creech, Leon Young, and Lacey Russell. Influence of N

Source and Rate on Growth and Leaf Nutrient Content of a Taxodium Clone. SFA

Gardens, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State

University, Nacogdoches, TX 75961. HortScience 48(9) (Supplement): S16

Feb 12, 2013 – The Natives are Restless. Montgomery County Master

Gardner training, 3 hrs, Conroe, TX 52 in attendance

Feb 14, 2013 – The Natives are Restless. Walker County Master

Gardener Training, 3 hrs, Huntsville, TX – 32 in attendance

Feb 16, 2013 – Tour of Arboretum and Ruby Mize Azalea Garden for the

Jasper Master Gardeners – 28 participants.

Feb 21-23, 2013 – SFA Gardens Review – Presentation at the annual

Texas Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta hosted this year by

Chandor Gardens, Weatherford, TX. 54 in attendance.

Mar 1 – 6, 2013 – Expedition to Mexico with two other USA scientists

(Todd Lasseigne of Tulsa Botanical Garden and Mark Weathington of

NCSU, Raleigh), and three Chinese scientists. Host: Dr. Teobaldo

Equluz of Genfor.com.

March 4, 2013 – presentation to the Botanical Garden, Universidad

Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico – Taxodium Studies

at Stephen F. Austin State University – 36

Mar 6, 2013. Visit of Nanjing Kindergarten officials – Assisting a possible collaboration

with Southeastern University in Nanjing and Dr. Abbott, Dean, College of Education

March 18, 2013 – Best Natives for East Texas Landscapes, presentation

seminar for the Angelina County Master Gardeners, Lufkin, TX – 42 in

attendance.

Mar 26, 2013 – Cliff Sunda thesis defense

Apr 12, 2013 – Trip to Jasper Arboretum with 11 Azalea Society of

America Texas Chapter members, board meeting

April 15, 2013 – Plants for the Shade Garden – presentation to the

Sugarland Garden Club, Sugarland, Texas – 121 attendees.

May 4, 2013. Best Plants for the Southern Garden. Lecture at the

Calendar Garden, Houston, TX. 11 attendees

May 14, 2014. Visit of James Spivey, Peerless Farms, San Antonio, TX

May 15, 2014. Visit of Janet Rademacher, Mountain States Nursery,

Phoenix, Arizona.

May 21-28, 2013 – Visit of Zhang Xi He and Wang Xiaonang, YongFeng

Nursery and Greening Company, Ninghai, China.

May 24, 2013. Best Trees and Shrubs for the Gulf Coast. Lecture at the

first Margie Jenkins Lecture Series, Hammond, La. 64 in attendance.

Jun 1, 2013 – Are 250 Hydrangea Varieties Really Enough? Presentation to the Mid-

South Hydrangea Society, Memphis, Tenessee – 214 in attendance

Jun 2, 2013 – Fifty Plants You Shouldn’t Live Without. Lecture to the Dixon Museum

and Gardens, Memphis, Tennessee. 147 in attendance.

June 6, 2013. SFA Gardens Board of Advisors meeting.

July 30, 2013. Dedication and Recognition of Nacogdoches as the Garden Capital of

Texas, as decreed by the Texas legislature. Travis Clardy, State Representative, SFA

administration and a group of friends at an event at the Healing Garden, PNPC.

Aug 5-8, 2013. Taxodium Evaluation at SFA Gardens. Presentation and proceedings

article for Research Conference at the Southern Nurserymen’s Association, Atlanta,

Georgia, 46 in attendance.

Aug 14-16, 2013 – The Best Small Flowering Trees for Southern Landscapes – oral

presentation, Education session, to the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association,

Dallas, TX – 103 in attendance

David Creech. Selection and Production of Mexico Oaks. Proceedings of the

International Plant Propagators’ Society 61: 436-441.

David Creech. A Dazzling and Magical Barnyard Full of Crapemyrtle Diamonds. TNLA

Green, Mar-Apr 2013: 35-37.

Aug 22-25, 2013 – April Jackson, PhD student, Rutgers University, New Jersey, was

here for four days collecting Acer growth for DNA Analysis as part of her PhD program.

Assisted her in collections of Acer barbatum and Acer leucoderme from various

provenances in the Pineywoods, and assisted in her collections of tissue from Acer

skutchii, collected from our plots at SFA’s Science Research Center

Other:

In the past year, a patent was issued for Prunus X ‘Purple Pride’, a burgundy foliaged

trunk forming Chickasaw plum. Currently being grown by four nurseries, and being

considered for Greenleaf’s “Garden Debut” brand.

Greg Grant, Research Associate PNPC

Presentations:

September 17, 2012. “Berry Me With Bluebirds: Landscaping for the Songbird of Happiness” to the Montgomery County Master Gardeners in Conroe. 120 in attendance.

September 18, 2012. “The Hole Truth: East Texas Woodpeckers” to the Nacogdoches Adult Lecture Series. 30 in attendance.

October 16, 2012. “Gardening Naturally with Native Plants” to Caddo Wildflower Chapter program in Linden. 180 in attendance.

October 20, 21012. “My Garden, My First Rose” to a public audience at the Farmer’s Branch Rose Garden. 55 in attendance.

October 23, 2012. “Grandma’s Garden Secrets” to the Garden Club of America Horticulture Conference in Austin. 150 in attendance.

October 24, 2012. “Pining for Love” to the Longleaf Alliance conference in Nacogdoches. 125 in attendance.

October 25, 2012. “Gardening for Love” to the Louisiana State Master Gardener Conference in Lake Charles. 112 in attendance.

October 14, 2012. “Gardening for Love” to the Center Garden Club. 25 in attendance.

October 20, 2012. “Dogtrot Houses” to the Shelby County Historical Society in Center. 20 in attendance.

January 9, 2013. “Let Me Introduce You” to the Louisiana Horticulture Society in Lake Charles. 50 in attendance.

January 12, 2013. “Sweet Dreams” to the Nacogdoches Heritage Syrup Festival. 25 in attendance.

January 19, 2013. “Vegetable Gardening 101” at SFA Gardens weekend seminar. 40 in attendance.

February 15, 2013. “East Texas Woodpeckers” to the Dogwood Garden Club and visiting garden club in Lufkin. 43 in attendance.

March 2, 2013. “Home Landscaping” and “Heirloom Gardening” to a Gregg County Master Gardener public seminar in Longview. 300 in attendance.

March 5, 2013. “Basic Landscape Design” to the Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners. 12 in attendance.

April 5, 2013. “Gardening with Natives” to the Pines Garden Club in Nacogdoches. 15 in attendance.

May 15, 2013. “Native Plants and Spring Bulbs” to the Methodist Church luncheon in Garrison. 25 in attendance.

Total Lecture Attendance: 1,327

Tours:

October 6, 2012. Garden tour to the Texas Rose Rustlers. 20 in attendance.

February 12, 2013. Garden tour to the Four Seasons Garden Club. 21 in attendance.

February 28, 2013. Garden tour to the Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners. 20 in attendance.

March 26, 2013. Garden tour to the Sugar Land Garden Club. 25 in attendance.

March 27, 2013. Garden tour to the Gregg County Master Gardeners. 10 in attendance.

April 6, 2013. Garden tour at the annual Briarwood Picnic in Saline Louisiana. 50 in attendance.

Total Tour Attendance: 146

Publications:

Grant, Greg. Confessions of a Plant Rustler. SFA Gardens Newsletter. Fall 2012

Grant, Greg. Back to a Real Job. Arbor Gate Blog. September 2012.

Grant, Greg. Sweet Memories. Neil Sperry’s Gardens. September/October 2012. Volume XXVI. Issue 5. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-Hoarding Memories of the Farm. Texas Gardener. September/October 2012. Volume XXXI. Number 6. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. Road Weary. Arbor Gate Blog. October 2012.

Grant, Greg. Goodbye Mr. Moy.. Arbor Gate Blog. November 2012.

Grant, Greg. Hope Springs Eternal. Neil Sperry’s Gardens. November/December 2012. Volume XXVI. Issue 6. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-A Rose by Any Other Name Just Ain’t the Same. Texas Gardener. November/December 2012. Volume XXXII. Number 1. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. The Return of Winter. Arbor Gate Blog. December 2012.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-A Pineywoods Perspective on Gardening, Nature, and Family. Texas Gardener Press. 2013.

Grant, Greg. The Byzantine Gladiolus. SFA Gardens Newsletter. Winter 2013.

Grant, Greg. It’s Time to Garden! Arbor Gate Blog. January 2013.

Grant, Greg. A Joy to Behold. Arbor Gate Blog. February 2013.

Grant, Greg. Berried in Birds. Neil Sperry’s Gardens. January/February 2013. Volume XXVII. Issue 1. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-The Window to my Life-Where Love Looks Back at Me. Texas Gardener. January/February 2013. Volume XXXII. Number 2. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. A Plea for Historic Garden Personality. TNLA Green. January/February 2013.

Grant, Greg. A Shelter, a Home, A Fortress. Arbor Gate Blog. March 2013.

Grant, Greg. Let Me Introduce You. TNLA Green. March 2013.

Grant, Greg. The Yellow Rose for Texas. Neil Sperry’s Gardens. March/April 2013. Volume XXVII. Issue 2. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before. Texas Gardener. March/April 2013. Volume XXXII. Number 3. Circulation 20,000.

Grant, Greg. April Highs and Lows. Arbor Gate Blog. April 2013.

Grant, Greg. Old Friends and New Potatoes. Arbor Gate Blog. May 2013.

Grant, Greg. Delight in Flight. Neil Sperry’s Gardens. May/June 2013. XXVII. Number 3. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-Corn College. Texas Gardener. May/June 2013. XXXII. Number 4. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. Welcome Home. Arbor Gate Blog. June 2013.

Grant, Greg. Back in the Saddle Again. Arbor Gate Blog. July 2013.

Grant, Greg. Bachelor’s Buttons. Neil Sperry’s Gardens. July/August 2013. Volume XXVII. Issue 4. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. In Greg’s Garden-The Worm Tree. Texas Gardener. July/August 2013. Volume XXXII. Number 5. Circulation 18,000.

Grant, Greg. Maples in Texas, Oh My! TNLA Green. July/August 2013.

Total Magazine Circulation: 216,000

Training:

September 20, 2012. Attended Tom Leroy SFA Gardens Lecture series on growing vegtables.

October 18, 2012. Attended Dawn Stover SFA Gardens Lecture Series on Dr. Creech’s contributions.

November 16-17. Attended Cliff Shackelford Birding 101 class in Nacogdoches.

December 20. Attended Dave Creech SFA Gardens Lecture Series on the year in review.

January 17, 2013. Attended Derald Harp SFA Gardens Lecture Series on landscape soils.

February 8, 2013. Attended Texas A&M forest pest seminar training in Lufkin.

May 3-6, 2013. Attended the Southern Garden History Society board meeting and annual meeting in Lynburg, Virginia.

May 21, 2013. Attended the Longleaf Pine field day in Jasper.

May 16, 2013. Attended Todd Lasseigne SFA Gardens Lecture Series on Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden.

July 18, 2013. Attended Julie Shackelford SFA Gardens Lecture Series on her wildscape.

August 15, 2013. Attended Paul Cox SFA Gardens Lectures Series on the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.

August 2013. Completed SFA EEO training.

August 2013. Completed SFA MUV training.

Other:

September 29, 2012. Organized Boy Scout volunteers to clear Chinese privet and other exotic invasives from the PNPC. 10 in attendance.

November, 2012. Spoke at Ying Doon Moy’s funeral in Humble.

December 20, 2012. Appeared as a guest on PBS Central Texas Gardener in Austin.

April 26. Hosted the SFA Gardens volunteers for an appreciation lunch Arcadia. 20 in attendance.

July/August 2013. Featured in an article and on the cover of Texas Gardener magazine.

Awarded 2012 Silver Award for Heirloom Gardening in the South: Yesterday’s Plants for Today’s Gardens by the Garden Writer’s Association.

Dawn Stover, Research Associate, SFA Gardens

Outreach: talks and garden tours

September 13, 2012 - Nacogdoches

County Master Gardener Lunch and

Learn presentation

October 6, 2013 – coordinate SFA

Gardens Fabulous Fall Festival

October 23, 2012 – Led volunteer trip

to Dallas Arboretum for the Chihuly

Exhibit

November 3, 2012 – Hosted the SFA

Gardens Fall Fandango

November 28, 2012 – Wreath making

class for SFA floriculture students

December 1, 2012 – Led Deck the

Halls class, SFA Gardens Saturday

Seminar

January 19, 2013 – Led Gardening 101 class and workshop, SFA Gardens Saturday

Seminar

February 1-4, 2013 – American Society of Horticulture Science, Southern Region

annual meeting

February 14, 2013 – Houston County Master Gardeners, presented annuals and

perennials course

February 16, 2013 – Rainwater Harvesting, SFA Gardens Saturday Seminar

February 19, 2013 – Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners, presented annuals and

perennials course

February 21, 2013 – Tyler Garden Club, presentation about the SFA Gardens

February 26, 2013 – SFA NAEP, garden tour

March 2, 2013 – Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, superintendent FFA CDE

Nursery and Landscape

March 5, 2013 – Cherokee County Master Gardeners, tour of Mast Arboretum

March 5, 2013 – Angelina County Master Gardeners, presented annuals and perennials

course

March 7, 2013 – Nacogdoches High School, Construction in the Workplace class tour of

Mast Arboretum

March 9, 2013 – Jacksonville Spring Symposium, keynote

March 19, 2013 – Houston County Master Gardeners, tour of Mast Arboretum

March 23, 2013 – host site for SFA’s The Big Event, coordinated over 60 volunteers

March 26, 2013 – FFA Career Development Event, coordinate Nursery and Landscape

contest

April 4, 2013 – Harrison County Master Gardener, tour of Mast Arboretum

April 11, 2013 – Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners, Lunch and Learn

presentation

April 18, 2013 – Leadership Nacogdoches, presentation and virtual tour

April 20, 2013 – coordinate SFA Gardens Garden Gala Day

May 22, 2013 – Louisiana State Horticulture Society, Mast Arboretum and greenhouse

tour

June 6, 2013 – El Camino House, tour of Mast Arboretum

June 22, 2013 – SFA Gardens Saturday Seminar, Canning and Preserving

August 6, 2013 – Harris County Master Gardeners, presentation

Consulting

Seasons of Hope Center

Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers

SFA Forestry graduate rain garden project

Nacogdoches County Jail

Collaboration

SFA School of Art, Sculpture for All

SFA Biology, Dr. Dan Bennett bee survey

Landscaper’s Choice

Nacogdoches H.O.P.E.

Major Projects

Fall Fandango

Fabulous Fall Festival

Garden Gala Day

Sculpture for All

SFA Sustainable Community Education Garden

All American Selections Vegetable Trial Site

Implemented a successful farmer’s market at the arboretum

Service

NJF, Corporate Sponsor Chair

Healthy Nacogdoches Coalition, Nutrition Committee

First United Methodist Church, Sunday school volunteer

Goals

Continued success with plant sales

More travel

Develop children’s garden, with successful fundraising campaign

Learn to write grants

Barbara Stump, Research Associate Azalea Garden ½ time

Published Papers

Stump, Barbara. April 2012: 37-38.

Favorite Fragrance—From Azaleas?

TNLA Online. Texas Nursery &

Landscape Association.

Stump, Barbara. September 2012: 27-

28. The Tyranny of Peak Bloom. TNLA

Online. Texas Nursery & Landscape

Association.

Stump, Barbara. July 2013. Making

Garden History. TNLA Online. Texas

Nursery & Landscape Association.

Stump, Barbara. Fall 2012. 7 (4): 2. Amenities with Meaning. SFA Gardens News.

Stump, Barbara. Winter 2013. 8 (1): 5, 8. Azaleas on Our Minds, 2013 Azalea

Symposium. SFA Gardens News.

Stump, Barbara. Spring 2013. 8 (2): 3, 8. Azaleas Still. SFA Gardens News.

Stump, Barbara. Summer 2013. 8 (4):X. What’s an Azalea Lover to Do? SFA Gardens

News.

Talks, Presentations, and Tours

March 19, 2013. Stump, Barbara. Basic Azalea Talk—varieties and design.

Nacogdoches County Master Gardener Training, with guided tour of SFA Ruby M. Mize

Azalea Garden, Nacogdoches, Texas.10 in attendance.

March 2, 2013. Stump, Barbara. Building Azalea Gardens—Large and Small. Organized

9th Annual Azalea Symposium and guided tour of Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden for

participants, Nacogdoches, Texas. 20 in attendance.

March 1-April 23, 2013. Stump, Barbara. Guided tours (18) of Ruby M. Mize Azalea

Garden during Nacogdoches Azalea Trail, Nacogdoches, Texas. Groups ranged from

Lone Star College and church groups from Houston to garden tour groups from Tyler

and a group from the STEM Conference held at SFA, and the local Neuro Support

Group, and regional master gardeners. 581 in attendance.

March 9, March 16, March 23, March 30, 2013. Stump, Barbara and two SFA Gardens

volunteers each date. In-garden docents during Nacogdoches Azalea Trail. Estimated

400-600 visitors for the period.

June 6, 2013. Stump, Barbara. The Truth about the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden.

Luncheon presentation to the Cancer Support Group, Nacogdoches Medical Center. 9

in attendance.

Other Major Projects

Six new 10-foot metal benches for Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden (awaiting delivery).

Helped develop information for city of Nacogdoches application to be the Garden

Capital of Texas—with a consortium of city and community members and a local

engineering firm.

Service

March 16, 2013. Stump, Barbara. Docent at a private garden for the Friends of Historic

Nacogdoches, Inc. tour of home gardens during Nacogdoches Azalea Trail. 50 in

attendance.

National board member for the Azalea Society of America, including attendance at the

national American Rhododendron Society-Azalea Society of America convention in

Athens, Georgia, May 2013.

Co-chair of 2015 national Azalea Society of America convention to be held in

Nacogdoches, “Texas Forestry Country—Azalea Trails and Gardens.”

Elyce Rodewald -Environmental Education

Programming

Education Team

Coordinator: Elyce Rodewald

Assistant Coordinator: Kerry Lemon

Student Workers: Bryent Daughtery, Briana DeLeon,

Desiree Holloway, Aly Hudspeth, Carter Hudspeth,

Lizzie Lewis, Ashley Sanchez, Brandy Sapp, Lauren

Pratt, Michelle Turnipseed, Sarafina Feldman, Ben

Christopher, Frankie Presta, Isis Waites, Vicki Baggett,

Ariel Jones, Rachel Suarez, Lucas Kahn, Mita Coker

Presentations

Coordinated and/or presented educational programs for

SFA Gardens for over 19,000 participants. See table

below.

Highlights include twice weekly after-school programs for

Boys and Girls Club Members and Raguet Elementary

School students, hands-on environmental education field

trips for all Nacogdoches ISD elementary students

grades K-5, monthly outdoor family fun days, bi-monthly

garden seminars, four weeks of summer camps and special events including the Little

Princess Tea Party and two FFA Career Development Events (horticulture judging

contests).

Presented “Symbiosis: Public Schools, Community Resources, EE and University

Teacher Programs” at NAAEE conference, October 2012

Kerry Leomon presented a workshop at the Informal Science Education Association of

Texas at the UT Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas on March 4-6 2013. The title

of the presentation was “Using Feathered Friends to promote science learning”.

Presented “Strategies for Teaching Environmental Education to Pre-K and Early

Elementary Students” to Jasper Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, Feb 2013

Training

At SFA, attended Safety Training, Receipts and Deposits, Security, Motor Vehicle

Training, and Property Management.

Attended NAAEE conference in Oakland, CA, October 2012

Service

Currently serve as co-chair of Pre-Service Advisory Council for North American

Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).

2001-

2002

2002-

2003

2003-

2004

2004-

2005

2005-

2006

2006-

2007

2007-

2008

2008-

2009

2009-

2010

2010-

2011

2011-

2012

2012-

2013

Adult Programs

Arboretum/Azalea

Garden/PNPC Tours 744 744 768 1334 1214 1343 863 1244 1499 908 460 1278

Les Reeves Lecture Series 980 860 709 823 922 751 824 789 811 780 802 809

Garden Seminars 83 158 184 175 32 45 57 65 32 145 396 142

Educator Workshops 24 186 23 121 183 225 455 110 160 30 43 88

Volunteer Training 25 35 13 45 29 11 30 18 10 8 12 26

Adult Special Events 1285 1927 1070 1508 1200 3281 1862 1350 1020 987 300 254

Lectures-outreach 3179 4232 2905 2388 3437 4738

Sub-total 3141 3910 2767 4006 3580 5656 7270 7808 6437 5246 5450 7335

Children's Programs

Arboretum Adventures 917 546 820 733 1048 1120 771 1162 1377 784 546 514

Trees Are Terrific 2320 1246 962 622 1784 1750 2072 1795 552 921 717 0

Forest Awareness 450 600 1050 1200 1900 535 613

GardenQuest 398 644 381 0 525 182 316 80 320 175 0 28

Go Wild 174 690 924 549 711 772 803 752 549 540 499 473

Wild About Science (Go

Native Field Day) 0 0 250 300 594 594 508 351 483 479 525 452

Earth Science Exploration 475 475 612 1076 869 796 447

School Gardening 66 0 0 0 0 0 0 120 0 0 0 473

Bugs, Bees, Butterflies and

Blossoms 500 1000 2025 2640 2574 2816 2800 2800 2477 3292 3301 3523

Pineywoods Day Camps 26 26 36 58 63 67 74 77 77 83 87 87

Children's Special Activities 571 1056 1538 1756 2004 200 350 800 882 115 804 2120

Wild About Wetlands 0 0 0 87 154 395 111 46 19 28 27 30

Nacogdoches Naturally-

Family Day 193 520 500 893 1753

CDE (Career Development

Education) 700 686 511 704 772 897 845

Nacogdoches Naturally-After

school 503 495 648 1138

Sub-total 4972 5208 6936 6745 9457 9521 9566 10349 10739 10953 10275 12496

Total 8113 9118 9703 10751 13037 15177 16836 18157 17176 16199 15725 19831

Data shown are from

September through August

each year.

Facilitated 3rd grade garden project for NISD including professional development for

NISD third grade teachers and installation of 25 raised bed vegetable gardens on 7

campuses.

Grants and Funding

Managed More Kids in the Pineywoods Grant from USFS, Nacogdoches Naturally Staff

Support from George and Fay Young Foundation, and Nacogdoches Naturally from

TPWD Coop Grant Program.

Managed SFA Garden Membership drive and supervised collection of fees for

educational programs.