Rotary Botanical Gardens

Rersearch shows a connection between our personal wellness- mental, physcial, and emotional well-being– to our interaction with plant materials and green spaces.  This lecture series is to introduce Garden members and volunteers, health care providers, and the interested individuals from the general public to the myriad of concepts tied to the field of horticulture therapy.

• September 14- Accessible Gardens- Adapting gardens and gardeners for life-long activity
  Barb Larson
  Horticulture Educator, Kenosha County UW-Extension
• October 12- Customizing a Healing Garden Program- Connecting people, plants and facilities
  Leslie Leith
  Lead Instructor Horticulture, Shepherds College
• November 9- Elements of a Healing Garden: Six components to establish personal wellness in a garden setting
  Mike Maddox
  Horticulture Educator, Rock County UW-Extension
  Director of Education, Rotary Botanical Gardens
• December 14- Plants for the Horticulture Therapy- Choosing plant materials for sensory stimulation
  Mark Dwyer
  Director of Horticulture, Rotary Botanical Gardens

 Download registration (PDF)

As a 12+ member of the Janesville Area Shade Tree Committee and a Plant Health Advisor for UW-Extensions’ Horticulture Help Line, Mary Kay has channeled her passion for trees into helping individuals and the community stay green with trees.  Mary Kay will share with you the “common sense” things that everyone should know about their trees, from the time they go into the ground to the long-lived mature ones.  This is a must-attend for any tree owner!

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Thursday Evenings at the Gardens
June 3, 2010
7 pm-8pm
$5 general public, payable at door
Free to Friend-members of the Gardens

 You are in for a special treat for our April Thursday Evening at the Gardens lecture!

Master Gardener Volunteers Jennifer Ehle and Earlene Hanson combine their passions historical preservation with landscape design to create a fun and whimsical garden around restored WPA outhouses in each of their respective Cooksville, WI, homes.

These two are always entertaining with their casual style and chatty humor and will surely inspire you to make the most of your own back yard and what’s found in it.

Listen to my interview with Jennifer and Earlene as we discuss their upcoming program over breakfast.

MGVs Earlene Hanson and Jennifer Ehle

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Thursday Evenings at the Gardens
April 1, 2010
7:00pm start
$5 at door for general public

National Horticultural Therapy Week 2010 will be celebrated from March 14th through March 20th this year, as that is the week in which spring begins!  More information at the AHTA website.

Adding my part to the celebration, I presented this weekend on ‘Elements of a Healing Garden’ to Master Gardeners at Kenosha’s annual “Spring Into Gardening” workshop. 

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The following was presented February 24, 2010, to Univeristy of Illinois-Extension Master Gardeners, Rockford, IL. 

A very special thanks to UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers Deb G., Jim H., Barb G., and Robin A. for helping co-present!  Job very well done!!!

It’s always fun to cross that “cheese curtain”.

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