Read our list of fun and informative speakers coming to you at the 2023 Ellis County Master Gardener EXPO.

10:00 ⇔ Our own Maureen Nitkowski will present “Gardening for a Sense of Place”                    Maureen came to Texas years ago as part of her husband’s job relocation. She quickly realized that the best way to learn about her new environment was to become an Ellis County Master Gardener. She has volunteered with that program for 20 years and as a Master Naturalist for 11 years to provide research-based information on gardening in Texas and on conservation to the public. Maureen’s training is in biology and chemistry, and she has worked in fisheries research, forest utilization and science education. She remains committed to continuing education for all ages.

11:00 ⇔ John Thomas from Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg speaks on, you guessed it, wildflowers!  
John is a native South Texan who grew up in a ranching family. Wildseed Farms was formed in 1983 in Central Texas. He has over 1500 acres of wildflowers and is considered a leading expert on the subject. John nurtures his astounding display of eye candy at the nation’s largest working wildflower farm with close to 40 years experience under his belt. John will share his secrets on how to successfully grow wildflowers of your own. So join us and learn the WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and HOW to raise a miraculous color transformation of wildflowers.

12:30 ⇔ Our own Ginger Cole will present “Sparking Joy with Pollinators”

Ginger Cole has been gardening in Ellis County for almost 50 years.  Along the way she has added chickens, goats* and beekeeping to her “urban farm”.  She is a member of the Ellis County Master Gardeners and serves on the Keep Waxahachie Beautiful Committee, Waxahachie Park Board, Ellis Country Rural Heritage Farm Board. She is a retired compensation and benefit analyst of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. * Currently She has no goats but hopes to get back into keeping milk goats in the spring.

2:00 ⇔ Andrea DeLong-Amaya, the Director of Horticulture at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center speaks on Texas native plants.
Andrea has been a staff member since 1998 and has nearly 30 years of experience with native plants in horticulture, ecology and garden design. She teaches classes, has contributed numerous gardening articles to a variety of publications and has appeared numerous times on PBS’s Central Texas Gardener. Andrea will take audience members on a walk through the Botanic Garden of Texas. Gorgeous garden images along with discussions of unexpected ways to use Texas native plants are sure to inspire all those attending.

Come join us March 25th, in the Childrens Workshop,
as we get “Wild about Gardening”!

We are excited to welcome Scout Woodward, from Texas Discovery Garden, who will be bringing live butterflies and moths to educate our kids on pollination and the life cycle of these winged beauties… and maybe even bring a few bugs to examine just for fun!

Amethyst Stone, who is the moderator of the Facebook page,
“What kind of snake is this? North Texas” will be sharing with the kids her collection of native Texas snakes which will definitely bring a little “wildness” to our workshop!

Our Master Gardeners have presentations on bees and pollination, red wigglers for soil enhancement and composting, planting, seed bombs and wildflowers with a special emphasis on our state flower, the bluebonnet. There will be plant give aways and lots of “digging in the dirt” activities and a take home craft or two. Our sister organization, Master Naturalists, is always on hand to encourage our understanding and appreciation of the “wild” world around us.