Green County Master Gardeners to Meet at UW Arboretum

The Green County Master Gardeners will be holding their monthly meeting on Thursday, May 26, at 7:00 p.m., at the UW-Madison Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Hwy, Madison, WI. Anyone interested in horticulture and gardening is welcome to join the association at the tour location and you do not have to be a Master Gardener to attend.
Join us with David Stevens, curator of Longenecker Horticultural Gardens at the University of Wisconsin - Madison Arboretum, for a tour of the gardens highlighting their spring splendor. The gardens, an integral part of the Arboretum since its inception, contain Wisconsin’s premier collection of woody ornamental plants. Located on 35-acres within the 1,200-acre Arboretum, the gardens hold over 3,900 specimens, representing over 2,500 taxa. Highlights include a major lilac collection, the most up-to-date collection of flowering crabapples in the world, an impressive array of magnolias and an extensive conifer collection. The gardens’ mission includes evaluating woody plant cultivars for their suitability and beauty in Wisconsin landscapes, and to maintain a comprehensive collection of superior landscape plants for education and enjoyment.
David has a Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Virginia Tech and a Master’s degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has worked professionally in the field for over 30 years, both in the US and abroad. Prior to working with the Arboretum, he spent 13 years working in forest genetics, breeding and selecting native tree species with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology. He and his wife also run a certified organic farm by Baraboo, WI, producing specialty herbs and vegetables.
The Green County Master Gardeners Association meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from February through October. Anyone interested in horticulture and gardening is welcome to join the association and you do not have to be a Master Gardener to be a member. For more information on the UW-Extension Master Gardener program contact Mark Mayer, Agriculture Agent, at (608) 328-9440.