Sunflowers are out at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens

Sunflowers are at their brilliant peek at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens located on  151 Brookdale Rd. in Stamford.   Bright yellow with chocolate centers,  sunflowers or Helianthus annus are native to the dry plains, meadows and foothills of the Western United States.  Known for their delicious edible seeds and cooking oil, sunflowers also support  birds and butterflies. The popularity of sunflowers has led to extensive hybridization, creating varying heights and colors for your garden.  The common name, sunflower was given to Helianthus annus as the flowers tend to follow the track of the sun throughout the day.

Photo courtesy of Elaine Hjelte

If you want to discover your inner artist, join Kathie Milligan on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. to learn how to draw natural forms of life.  These sessions focus on developing an individual drawing style by using nature as your subject.  Through close observation participants will examine various types of organic forms and explore their unique qualities.  Movement, use of positive and negative space, exaggeration, choice of composition and employment of light are some of the means of imparting individual character to natural forms. Water color, pencil, pen and ink and charcoal are the materials that will be used. The cost is $20.  Please email Kathie Milligan at swyzzer@aol.com for more information.

On September 14, the Bartlett is hosting a vegetable garden tour and presenting a canning demonstration beginning at 11 a.m.  The tour will be led by master gardeners that are responsible for the design and maintaince of the Bartlett's vegetable gardens.  After the tour, there will be a canning demonstration in the Silver Education Center on the grounds of the Bartlett. 

The Bartlett is also offering a UConn Master Composters Certification beginning  October 4, for five consecutive Saturdays. Classes will be approximately from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The program covers a variety of composting systems, including commercial, farm and worm composting, but has an emphasis on residential composting; classes will cover in detail the science of composting. Master Gardener certification or prior composting experience is not necessary. Registration is limited to 24 interns and the slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis based on receipt of a completed registration form mailed to the Home & Garden Center at UConn Storrs, accompanied by a check for $100. If you wish to obtain a syllabus that details the lectures, dates and locations, and a registration brochure, please contact Greg Moonie, State Coordinator, UConn Master Composter Program at moonie@optonline.net.

For more information on the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens visit http://bartlettarboretum.org/