2017 BVGC TV Programs

The January 2017 Program guests from the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks are Charlotte Taylor, Executive Director, and Kitty Sanders, Volunteer and Butterfly House Mentor.  The topic of the show is the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks which is located in Fayetteville. Discussed are the beginnings of the garden around 1994, the current gardens that are in place and the future plans for the acreage that is still available to develop.  A diagram of the gardens and photos taken of various gardens and plants are shown.

The February 2017 Program is hosted by JB Portillo and the guest is Marion Heath, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club.  The topic of the show is the Yard of the Month Program  produced by the Bella Vista Garden Club that recognizes Bella Vista residents who have beautiful landscaping and gardens that they have developed which is visible from the street and makes you a smile as you drive by. They are recognized with a Yard of the Month sign in their yard for the month and pictures and an article are printed in the local paper. How to nominate a candidate is discussed and anyone can nominate a yard or nominate their own yard for consideration.  Also discussed is the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs Bird Poster Contest that Marion coordinates with the Bentonville school district art teachers and students.  

The March 2017 Program guest is Barb Templin, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club.  The topic of the show is Terrariums and Succulents and the necessary supplies are explained as a terrarium is created using succulents.  Examples of accessories to use to change the terrarium for various holidays or seasons are shown. A Take Root video produced by Beth Strickland, a Benton County Master Gardener, shows how easy it is to propagate succulents for use in our garden. 

The April 2017 Program guest is Alycyn Culbertson, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club and a fellow Benton County Master Gardener.  The topic of the show is Gardening Happenings in NWA and the gardening events and plant sales in the area are discussed. The Village Wastewater Company, the Garden Club of Rogers, Compton Gardens, The Benton County Lawn & Garden Expo and the Bella Vista Garden Club plant sales with dates and times are listed and photos of the Master Gardener and Bella Vista events last year are shown.  Also the local nurseries that carry unusual or native plants are mentioned along with out of town nurseries that specialize in heirloom seeds or native plants. 

The May 2017 Program is hosted by Char Brunje and the guests are Tristen Brunje, Char's grandson, and Roz Gates, a Master Gardener from Wisconsin.  The topic of the show is Vegatable Gardening for Kids and Tristen demonstrates how easy it is for kids to plant vegetables in various and unusual containers.  Also demonstrated is planting seeds in cupcake pans lined with paper cupcake liners. Kids also like to add color with glass pebbles or little decorative items like frogs.  It is so important to educated children on where our food comes from and how to grow it since most kids think food just comes from boxes in the grocery store.  Growing vegetables in Wisconsin where Roz Gates comes from may differ a little with a shorter growing season.   

The June 2017 Program is hosted by JB Portillo and the guests are Tony LiCausi, President of the Bella Vista Garden Club and fellow Benton County Master Gardener and Terry Weiderhaft also a fellow Benton County Master Gardener.  The topic of the show is Helping Hands Food Pantry Garden Update bringing us up to date on what has been happening in the garden for the past year.  The history of the garden was reviewed and Terry shared the amount of produce harvested last year topped 2,200 pounds utilizing 20 raised beds.  With 37 beds this year, an irrigation system installed and an organic spraying program, the amount of food produced will be much higher this year. There is also a children's project that is ongoing at the garden with about 40 home schooled children planting and harvesting food for Helping Hands to distribute with some easy recipes using the produce. 

The July 2017 Program guest is Dagmar Roeder, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club.  The topic of the show is Growing and Cooking with Herbs and several herbs were displayed along with some cut stems of mint that was stored in the refrigerator for 3 days and still looked fresh as the day it was cut.  Photos of Dagmar's herbs in her garden were also shown.  Growing conditions for various herbs that are usually available are discussed and some more unusual herbs are mentioned that can be grown from seed or available at nurseries that specialize in herbs.  Herbs that repel insects, like garlic and basil, can be planted in various parts of the garden.  When cooking with fresh herbs you need to increase the amount you use versus dried herbs.  More information on growing herbs and recipes using herbs are available in the Gardening Info section of this website under Herbs.  

The August 2017 Program guests are Marilyn Russell, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club, Jordan Slater, a recipient of one of our Dorothy Wallace Scholarships in 2017 and Corrin Troutman, the Executive Director at the Peel Compton Foundation.  The topic of the show is The Power of Horticulture Scholarships.  Marilyn gave a brief history of the Bella Vista Garden Club's scholarship program, a bio of Dorothy Wallace, a past member, and why our Scholarships are named for her.  Jordan spoke of her love of gardening instilled by her Mother and Grandmother and her experience as an Intern at Compton Gardens this summer.  She will be receiving her scholarship at the September Bella Vista Garden Club Meeting.  Corrin emphasized the importance of horticulture scholarships and shared the story of how a garden club scholarship made such a difference in her ability to attend the University of Arkansas.  

The September 2017 Program is hosted by Barb Templin, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club and the guest is Tony LiCausi, past President of the Bella Vista Garden Club, a Benton County Master Gardener and a Master Naturalist.  The topic of the show is Gardening in September.   The upcoming Bella Vista Garden Club Fall Plant Sale is discussed and the 'Bella Vista' Daffodil bulbs will be available to purchase along with some large mums that are being brought in.  The items that need to be attended to in September in the garden are discussed so that your garden is ready for the winter resting period.

The October 2017 Program is hosted by JB Portillo and the guest is Lou Jasper, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club and fellow Benton County Master Gardener.  The topic of the show is How to Put Your Garden to Bed.  Lou gives advice on preparing your garden for winter and bringing in your houseplants along with valuable instructions on planting bulbs, trees and shrubs. Fall is the best time to divide perennials and plant trees and shrubs so they can develop a good root system before the summer heat and stress sets in.  Other chores are discussed like what to do with hoses, tools and lawnmowers.

The November 2017 Program guest is David Raines, owner of Raines Tree Care, LLC.  The topic of the show is Selection and Care of Japanese Maples.  Selecting the right variety from the hundreds available to put in the proper location based on growth habbit and light needs is discussed.  Also planting instructions and fertilizing are given. David demonstrates proper corrective prunning on a Coral Bark Japanese Maple that was donated by Garden City Nursery that has suffered improper pruning in the past.  This beautiful Japanese Maple will be given away to a winning donnor to Bella Vista Community TV on December 1st and will be panted by the crew at Raines Tree Care, LLC.  Each donner will receive one chance per dollar given during the month of November.  Tickets will be available at Audrey's Boutique and other locations around town.  Details will be advertized in local papers, on flyers posted in the city and by social media announcements.  All donations to BVCTV are tax deductible.

We have a winner of the Japanese Maple!!!!  On December 1st Rose Ann Hoffer was the winner of the beautiful tree that was donated by Garden City Nursery.  It will be planted in her garden by Raines Tree Care, LLC at no charge.  We thank all of those who made a donation to BVCTV in December.  

The December 2017 Program guest is Barb Templin, a fellow member of the Bella Vista Garden Club.  The topic of the show is Easy to Grow and Unusual Houseplants.  Several easy to grow and unusual houseplants were displayed and photos of others were shown.  Facts and uses for these plants were noted and some medicinal uses were discussed along with tips for care and maintenance.