Garden Programs
Featured Author
Monica Moran Brandies
Tropical Plants: Design Ideas
Monica Brandies has written 11 gardening books, including one for Ortho, one for Sunset, and one for Better Homes and Gardens, states.
She has been gardening all her life, publishing since 1961, and raising their nine children since 1959.
Ms. Brandies has had a weekly garden column in the Brandon News (Florida) for more than 25 years, and is often seen in
magazines such as Florida Gardening. Monica has been gardening since she was a child. In college she studied
horticulture and landscape design since she figured she wouldn't always have a farm. She went to the Pennsylvania School
of Horticulture for Women, which became part of Temple University from which came her degree. She and husband David did very
well growing 90% of the food for a family of ten on two small acreages in Ohio and Iowa. Her main garden rule is to enjoy the
process and make your yard, the little bit of the world you can control, what you most need to make your life good.
Like most gardeners, she is learning something new all the time. She manages to get her garden decent enough to invite her
readers once a year. The rest of the time she uses it for experimentation and therapy. Bestselling books include Landscaping
with Tropical Plants: Design Ideas, Creative Garden Plans, Cold-Climate Solutions, Herbs and Spices for Florida Gardens,
How to Grow and Enjoy Florida Plants with Special Uses, Ortho's Guide to Herbs, Citrus: How to Grow and Use Citrus Fruits, Flowers, and Foliage.
Programs Schedule
Tuesday, March 27 at 11 a.m.
Cooking with Herbs Paisley County Library, Paisley
Learn tips on using fresh flavors from your garden to spice up your cooking with Julie England, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent with the University of Florida.
Tuesday, March 27 at 5 p.m.
Florida Herbs and Spices Fruitland Park Public Library, Fruitland Park
Julie England discusses herbs you can plant and grow year round and seasonally and use to freshen up your cooking.
Tuesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Unique Landscapes Using Florida Native Plants Astor County Library, Astor
Nadine Foley will present this program where participants can learn all about Florida native plants and get unique ideas using natives in their Florida gardens.
Wednesday, March 28 at 10:30 a.m.
Herbs and Spices for Florida Gardens Leesburg Public Library, Leesburg
Monica Moran Brandies, the featured author of the 2012 Festival of Reading Garden Programs will share her expertise on growing herb and spice gardens.
Wednesday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Cooking with Herbs: Add Spice to Your Life Marion Baysinger Memorial Library, Groveland
Julie England, our guest speaker, is an Extension Agent
specializing in educational programming in health,
nutrition. This presentation will center on the use of herbs
and spices to enhance your recipes and create new family
favorites.
Wednesday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Florida Gardening with Monica Moran Brandies Lady Lake Public Library, Lady Lake
Monica Moran Brandies, the featured author of the 2012 Festival of Reading Garden Programs will share her expertise on design and creative garden plans for Florida gardens.
Thursday, March 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Subtle Beauty of the Scrub Marion Baysinger Memorial County Library, Groveland
Wendy Poag will present information and photographs of the unique Florida scrub habitats, one of the oldest ecosystem types in Florida.
Saturday, March 31 at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Square Foot Gardening at the Bluegrass Festival East Lake County Library, Sorrento
Steve Earls of SFG Supply in Eustis will supply information on the foundations, fundamentals, and techniques of the Square Foot Gardening method created by Mel Bartholomew.
Garden Program Facilitators
Steve Earls
Square Foot Gardening
Steve Earls of Square Foot Gardening Supply in Eustis is certified by the SFG Foundation to teach the Square Foot Gardening Method, a simple, unique and versatile system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical ability, and geographical location.
Julie England
Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent
Julie is the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent for Lake County. Julie holds two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Food and
Resource Economics from the University of Florida and one in Environmental Studies from Rollins College. She also has a Masters in
Agriculture Education and Communication from the University of Florida.
Nadine Foley
Nadine is an active member of the "Lake Beauty Berry Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society".
She previously served as a member of the Lake County Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee and served 12 years in Lake Soil and Water Conservation District Board.
Wendy Poag
Wendy has been growing Florida’s native plants for 20 years now and is certified as a Horticulture Professional. She is employed by Lake County Parks and Trails as their Naturalist/Land Steward. Ms. Poag has studied Plant physiology, entomology and The Ecology and Restoration of the Long leaf Pine Ecosystem through the University of Florida. She serves on the steering committee for the Lake County Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area.