Events

Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, Using Pesticides Safely and Effectively

Join Brad Fowler, Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for Horry and Georgetown counties for his presentation in Kalmia Gardens’ new adult education series, Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, at the Joslin Education Center. Pre-registration is required and tickets may be purchased for $5 here.

Brad will be presenting his lecture Using Pesticides Safely and Effectively. Using pesticides in the landscape can be intimidating but may be necessary depending on the severity of the problem.  The most important thing to remember when using pesticides is to be safe.  We will discuss reading labels, safety precautions, and possible pesticide alternatives so that you can be confident when addressing issues in the landscape.

Brad Fowler is the Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for Horry and Georgetown counties. Prior to working for Clemson Extension, Brad worked as a horticulturist for Brookgreen Gardens and as the manager for a local landscape company.

The Joslin Education Center is located at 1520 W. Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550.

Pre-Register Here

Week in the Wild

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Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, Garden Delicious: Using Edible Plants in Ornamental Garden Designs

Join Jimmy Brandt, Horticulture Supervisor at Moore Farms Botanical Garden, for his presentation in Kalmia Gardens’ new adult education series, Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, at the Joslin Education Center. Pre-registration is required and tickets may be purchased for $5 here.

Jimmy will be presenting his lecture Garden Delicious: Using Edible Plants in Ornamental Garden Designs. This lecture will highlight edible plants that make useful additions to your ornamental garden plant palette. Explore the appearance and ornamental attributes of both popular and less-common edible plants and how they can enhance your home garden. Alongside photographic examples, considerations and recommendations for use in a garden display design will be discussed for each plant.

Jimmy Brandt is the Horticulture Supervisor at Moore Farms Botanical Garden in Lake City, SC.  His ten-year career in the ornamental horticulture industry includes over five years in public gardens, and he has been working in the field for nearly nine years in South Carolina.  He earned a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Horticultural Technology Management from SUNY Farmingdale State College in New York after a life-long interest in ornamental gardening. Jimmy recently relocated from Myrtle Beach, SC and moved slightly west where he joined Moore Farms Botanical Garden as a Horticulturist in late 2024.

The Joslin Education Center is located at 1520 W. Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550.

Pre-Register Here

Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, Let’s Talk about the Birds and the Bees: Backyard Birding and Beyond

Join Mary Ridgeway, Director Emeritus of Kalmia Gardens for her presentation in Kalmia Gardens’ adult education series, Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, at the Joslin Education Center. Pre-registration is required and tickets may be purchased for $5 here.

Mary will be presenting her lecture Let’s Talk about the Birds and the Bees: Backyard Birding and Beyond. She will discuss backyard birds in the Hartsville, S.C. area. Learn what birds may be present in your own yard and how you can make your yard an oasis for bird life.

Mary grew up in Darlington, S.C. and went to Clemson University. She received her degree in Plant Science, specifically Ornamental Horticulture. Mary worked most of her career in Columbia for the Department of Agriculture before moving to Hartsville to become the second Director of Kalmia Gardens.

The Gardens proved to be the perfect job since it melded her enjoyment of working with the public with her love of nature, horticulture, and history. During those 15 years as Director, updates to the Hart House, the gardens, and the education center were made to ensure the facilities are ready for the next 30 years of public enjoyment and environmental education.

Mary retired in 2022 from her position as Director. She now lives in Society Hill, S.C. the land of her paternal ancestors and the longleaf pine. Her “current occupation” is daydreaming, searching for both significance in her new life and the opportunities to make a positive difference in this world. Life offers so many transformations, but a constant calling has always been the love of nature and animals. One of her great joys is rehabbing wildlife and specifically ‘possums’ along with sharing the joy of gardening with you.

The Joslin Education Center is located at 1520 W. Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550.

Pre-Register Here

Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, Beekeeping 101: From Honeybee Biology to Starting Your Own Hive

Join Laura Del Vecchio, Senior Horticulturist and Resident Beekeeper at Moore Farms Botanical Garden, for her presentation in Kalmia Gardens’ adult education series, Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, at the Joslin Education Center. Pre-registration is required and tickets may be purchased for $5 here.

Laura will be presenting her lecture Beekeeping 101: From Honeybee Biology to Starting Your Own Hive. This introductory class, led by Laura Del Vecchio, Moore Farms Botanical Garden Senior Horticulturist and Resident Beekeeper, will provide participants with a foundational understanding of honeybee biology and the essential steps to starting a successful beehive. Whether you’re a beginner beekeeper or simply curious, you’ll enjoy this deep dive into the fascinating world of honeybees while sampling some of the award-winning honey produced at Moore Farms Botanical Garden.

Laura Del Vecchio is the Senior Horticulturist and Resident Beekeeper at Moore Farms Botanical Garden in Lake City, SC. A Certified Beekeeper and Journeyman with the SC Beekeepers Association, she recently earned a master’s degree in wildlife biology from Clemson University to become a more intentional gardener and steward of habitats. She is also a Certified ISA Arborist, a Master Gardener with Clemson Cooperative Extension, and a Prescribed Fire Manager with the SC Forestry Commission. After an international career, she chose to put down roots (literally!) in South Carolina about a decade ago, following her time teaching plant science workshops at the New York Botanical Garden. In her spare time, she fosters rescued dogs and cats, caring for no fewer than 20 animals at any given time.

The Joslin Education Center is located at 1520 W. Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550.

Pre-Register Here

Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, Reflections on a Career in Horticulture and a Vision for the Future of the South Carolina Botanical Garden

Join Martin Hamilton, Executive Director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson University, for his presentation in Kalmia Gardens’ adult education series, Cultivating Knowledge: A Lecture Series, at the Joslin Education Center. Pre-registration is required and tickets may be purchased for $5 here. This presentation will be live-streamed virtually at the Joslin Education Center, where Martin will present digitally.

Martin will be virtually presenting his lecture Reflections on a Career in Horticulture and a Vision for the Future of the South Carolina Botanical Garden. He will discuss his career in horticulture before transitioning to his role as Executive Director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson University. The presentation will highlight the vital role botanic gardens play in biodiversity conservation and how many botanical gardens act as safe havens for rare and endangered plant species by cultivating them outside their natural habitats (ex-situ conservation), which includes seed banking and safeguarding collections. The presentation will include insights into the work of SCBG including plant propagation and conservation projects and the crucial role in educating the public about the importance of biodiversity and the threats to it. The presentation will look at some of the on-going work at the garden and new projects and initiatives that are helping conserve native plants. The presentation will finish with a look at the workshops, volunteer programs, and educational events that are held at SCBG.

Martin Hamilton is a native of Kentucky and has worked and studied at institutions in the USA and abroad, including Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Kentucky, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the United Kingdom, and Oak Spring Garden Foundation in Virginia. Martin is an Honorary Research Associate at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and a Fellow of The Linnean Society of London. He is particularly interested in the conservation and management of threatened species, habitat restoration, and the development and management of plant collections. Martin is a member of the South Carolina Native Plant Society and is an avid gardener. Martin started as the Executive Director of the South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson University in August 2023.

The Joslin Education Center is located at 1520 W. Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550.

NOTE: This presentation will be held live in the Joslin Education Center, but will be live streamed with the presenter not physically present in the room.

Pre-Register Here