From Bulbs to Blooms Conference and Sale

Tyler, Texas. For their 25th anniversary, the Smith County Master Gardeners will present well-known speakers and authors, Chris Weisinger of The Southern Bulb Company and Greg Grant, Smith County’s Texas A&M AgriLife Extension horticulturist. The lectures begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, 21 October, at Pollard United Methodist Church (3030 New Copeland Road, Tyler). They will be bringing a selection of their own East Texas grown bulbs for the sale to those who attend the conference. Attendees will also have a chance to win fabulous door prizes, including two wonderful, two-night getaway packages, and a “super-sampler” of locally grown bulbs.

Get-away Package Number One is a two-night stay at The House of Seasons, Lady Bird Suite, in historic Jefferson, Texas valued at $500. Get-away Package Number Two is a two-night stay (king room) at Church Street Inn, a boutique hotel, in historic Natchitoches, Louisiana. value at $1000.

After the door prizes are awarded, there will be a mini “Run for the Bulbs” when the special bulbs farmed by the speakers are presented for sale; first come; first served.

Back by popular demand, the SCMG webstore (scmg-online.company.site) will open at 7 a.m. on Monday, 9 October, and close at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 18 October. Bulbs featured in the sale are all locally-trialed, hardy, heirloom, and hard-to-find – quite a few of them rarely available for sale. A small selection of hardy trees and shrubs, along with autographed books by the two speakers, plus the new SCMG 2024 calendar and garden guide will be available for pre-order. Anything ordered from the webstore must be picked up between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Saturday, 21 October, beginning immediately after the conference.

During pick-up hours, there will be a plethora of Smith County Master Gardeners to answer gardening questions; “bonus” bulbs, artwork, and tee shirts for sale; children’s activities, and more helping them celebrate their exciting milestone. For a fun, educational, and exciting day, plan to join!

The Smith County Master Gardeners have worked diligently through the years identifying and making available long-lived, Earth-Kind bulbs that don’t require irrigation, pesticides, or fertilizer.

For more information visit the Smith County Master Gardener website at https://txmg.org/smith/ or follow them on Facebook. Proceeds from the sale support horticulture education in Smith County, the Tyler Botanical Garden, and scholarships for horticulture students at Texas A&M and Stephen F. Austin State Universities. Smith County Master Gardeners are trained volunteers through the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.