Paula Stone will share her insights April 25 on how to increase your gardening enjoyment by making it easier and more successful. Attendees will learn what is needed to make the garden of your dreams and how to enjoy the process. The program will include a discussion of planning, tools, clothing, weeds, garden prep, planting, plants, and maintenance. This overview will help you learn what to do and how to do it, and that will increase your confidence and enjoyment of your land.
Through the last 14 years, Paula has tried various plants and various gardening techniques to deal with the caliche soil, lack of rainfall, excessive heat, and occasional ice storm that are common to Gillespie County. Her presentation will summarize what she has learned. Stone hopes that people new to gardening in the hill country will benefit from the many tips she will be sharing. The goal of her talk is “to help new gardeners make a plan that will increase their confidence and enjoyment of gardening here.”
Stone is a three-term past president of the NPSOT Fredericksburg Chapter, and has been gardening in Fredericksburg since purchasing her property in 2009. She purchased and restored a historic stone home on the edge of Fredericksburg. She took the property from being so derelict that the realtor wouldn’t go inside to being on the 2012 Historic Home Tour. The 10 acres surrounding the house were in equally horrific condition, having been an exotic game farm/puppy mill that had “every conceivable weed that will grow in the hill country” says Stone.
She also credits her knowledge and enjoyment of gardening with the many educational opportunities available and friends she has made thru NPSOT. Her home, Gilbriar, has been the site of many chapter plant sales, meetings, and several public garden tours.
“The smartest thing I did for my garden was to join NPSOT and make friends with the people who know things! I am grateful for their guidance, encouragement and all the free plant cuttings and seeds that they have given me over the years.” Stone said.
by Holly Simonette
