The Greene County Master Gardeners are again bringing a local gardening celebrity to Greene County for the group’s annual public presentation Tuesday, April 29, at 6:30 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson.
Kelly D. Norris, the first horticulture manager at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, will present “Building a New Botanical Garden.” He will highlight the recent renovation and revitalization of the 14-acre facility, including new plants and features at the site. Guests will also get an opportunity to ask Norris questions they may have about the Botanical Garden and plants in general.
“Kelly is a very enthusiastic and energetic speaker who has been asked to talk at events across the country,” said Michael Cooley, county Extension coordinator for Greene County Extension. “We’re excited to be able to bring him here.”
Norris is a 20-something, award winning author and plantsman from Iowa and the youngest person to receive the Iowa State Horticultural Society’s Presidential Citation, Award of Merit and Honor Award in the organization’s 150 years. He is also a Young Professional Award recipient from the Perennial Plant Association. Norris is popularly known for his book “A Guide to Bearded Irises: Cultivating the Rainbow for Beginners and Enthusiasts.” His love for exploration has taken him to southern and central Texas, the Ozarks, the Black Hills, and all over the Midwest in search of new plants for gardens. Norris holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in horticulture from Iowa State University.
The public is invited to attend this free event, and no registration is required. The presentation is made possible through proceeds of the annual Greene County Master Gardeners plant sale, which will take place this year on Saturday, May 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Clover Hall at the Greene County fairgrounds. For more information about Greene County Extension, including other agriculture and natural resources programming like the Master Gardeners, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/
