Speakers Bureau Topics

The Speakers Bureau is staffed by VCE Master Gardeners who enjoy sharing their expertise, knowledge, and passion for gardening with the community.  There is no charge for this community service, however, donations to the JCCWMGA are appreciated if your organization normally provides an Honorarium for programs.

Programs are listed in alphabetical order according to the CATEGORY of the topic. Unless otherwise noted, programs are available for online presentations via Zoom. 

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Click here to download a printer-friendly PDF of the Topics Listing (updated 04-15-2022)

Looking for a program on a topic not listed here?  Contact us via the form at the bottom of this webpage.

• BULBS: “Flowering Bulbs for Spring Color” with Mitzi Balma:  There’s nothing happier than spotting the first brave garden blooms in late winter. While daffodils are well known, there are many other early blooming bulbs that grow well in our area. Learn about them for spring color in your garden with VCE Master Gardener Mitzi Balma.
• BULBS: “Flowering Bulbs Beyond Spring” with Mitzi Balma: Everyone knows about spring daffodils, but there are beautiful flowering bulbs for every season of your garden. Learn about planting with bulbs that will keep garden beds colorful into late autumn. VCE Master Gardener Mitzi Balma’s enthusiasm for these plants will inspire you to get digging! (Available in January 2023)
• CONTAINER GARDENING: “Contain Your Enthusiasm!” with Angela Cingale and Wallace Williamson
  No place for a traditional garden? Grow flowers and veggies in containers on your patio, balcony, or courtyard whether it’s in a sunny or shaded spot. VCE Master Gardeners Angela Cingale and Wallace Williamson will share creative ways to use containers, which plants work well, and how to care for your container garden.
• EDIBLE PLANTS: “Edible Bulbs and Flowers from A to Z” with Angela Cingale
  From Allium to Zucchini blossoms, VCE Master Gardener Angela Cingale will tell you about the bulbs and flowers that are good to eat. Find out how to use Pansies, Rose petals, Hollyhocks and more in simple recipes to make and enjoy at home.
• FAIRY GARDENS: “Create a Fairy Garden”  with Angela Cingale    (Note: This is an IN-PERSON demonstration only.)
  Create a delightful miniature garden for the fairies. VCE Master Gardener Angela Cingale shares ways to landscape on a tiny scale with suitable plants, and how to enhance it by making bridges or itty-bitty furnishings with natural materials such as twigs, leaves, moss, and stones.
• HERBS in COLONIAL GARDENS: “Colonial Herb Gardening” with Wilma Sharp
  What did early colonists use to flavor and enhance their food, repel insects, mask foul odors, and cure their ailments? VCE Master Gardener and member of the Herb Society of America, Wilma Sharp, will enlighten you with the history and uses of herbs in Tidewater’s days of yore.
• HOSPICE HOUSE / THERAPY: “Behind the Scenes at The Hospice House Garden” with Gary Streb
  A beautiful and peaceful garden surrounds The Hospice House here in Williamsburg. Many hands contribute to this labor of love. VCE Master Gardener Gary Streb is the volunteer director of the Hospice House garden. He will share with you the importance of this respite to the Hospice patients, their families, and the community.
• LANDSCAPING: “Common Mistakes in Landscaping” with Gary Streb
  We are told that we learn best from our mistakes. VCE Master Gardener and longtime chairperson of the Landscape Love program Gary Streb will share with the audience what not to do in your yard. He has seen it all from ‘murdering’ Crepe Myrtles to having the wrong plant in the wrong place. Save yourself aggravation and get your garden right the first time.
• LAVENDER: “Love That Lavender” with Angela Cingale
  Learn about the rich history of Lavender and how humanity has used it through the ages for soothing remedies. Discover soaps, lotions, potions, and recipes with this fragrant herb, and get tips for growing your own Lavender at home.
• LAWN CARE: “Take the Mystery Out of Growing a Beautiful Lawn” with Dave Kleppinger
  This program will help homeowners understand the sequential steps necessary to build healthy, attractive lawns. VCE Master Gardener Dave Kleppinger takes the mystery out of shopping for lawn care products and eliminate the excessive and improper application of fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides and insecticides.
• PLANT HEALTH: “Why is My Plant Dying?” with Patsy McGrady
  Sometimes plants die a little at a time and sometimes they seem to die overnight. Ever wonder why and whether or not you could have saved your plant? VCE Master Gardener and Tree Steward Patsy McGrady will walk you through the steps to figure out what is causing the problem and what can be done to bring plants back to health.
• SHADE GARDENS: “Gardening in the Shade” with Gary Streb
  Do you have a shady spot in your garden or is your yard mostly shade? VCE Master Gardener and Tree Steward Gary Streb will provide guidance for designing and maintaining a lovely shade garden. He will highlight what plants grow best in shade.
• STARTING a GARDEN: “New Home, New Garden” with Mitzi Balma
  Have you ever landscaped your home or started a large flower garden from scratch? VCE Master Gardener Mitzi Balma has done it three times! Get advice and learn the joys and pitfalls of starting a new garden.
• TOMATOES: “Tomatoes: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” with Harriet Parsons
  Do you try to grow tomatoes but are disappointed by your efforts? Do you have questions about determinate and indeterminate, heirloom, hybrid, best cultivars for the Tidewater, and keeping them from sprawling all over your garden? What about insects and diseases that injure your crop? VCE Master Gardener Harriet Parsons will share her experiences and knowledge about growing tomatoes here in humid Virginia.
• TREES / LANDSCAPING: “Ornamental Trees for the Homeowner – Beyond Dogwood and Redbud” with Patsy McGrady
  Explore the varieties of trees that you can enjoy and at the same time add value and curb appeal to your home with VCE Master Gardener and Tree Steward, Patsy McGrady. There are so many beautiful trees that are suited to be specimen trees in a home setting. She will include planting tips, proper pruning, and disease prevention.
• TREE CARE: “Volcano Mulching and Other Tree Crimes” with Patsy McGrady
  The best way to grow a tree is to avoid killing it! Few trees die of old age. Incorrect planting methods, bad pruning, and improper care do more damage to a homeowner’s tree than insects or diseases. VCE Master Gardener and Tree Steward Patsy McGrady explains why some commonly accepted practices do more harm than you know and tells you the correct tree care practices that will protect your landscaping investment of time and money.
• TREES: “Trees, Trees, and More Trees” with Rick Brown
  Colonial Williamsburg Arboretum | Virginia Big Trees Registry | Dendrology
  Here are three mini-programs that can be presented individually or in combination. 1) Learn about the Colonial Williamsburg Arboretum and how a team worked to create the Commonwealth’s only Level II nationally certified arboretum; 2) Learn about the Virginia Big Trees Registry and what it takes to certify a tree for the registry. 3) Learn how to identify native and foreign trees that are found locally and their relative values in the natural balance necessary to sustain a healthy ecosystem. Rick Brown is a VCE Master Gardener Tree Steward and Master Naturalist.
• VEGETABLES / FALL PLANTING: “Planning and Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden” with Bill Dichtel
  Fall is the best for planting cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, plus you can plant another crop of peas, lettuce, and other leafy veggies. VCE Master Gardener Bill Dichtel shares techniques as cloches, high tunnels, and cold frames to extend the growing season for the home vegetable gardener.
• WILDLIFE, BUTTERFLIES: “The Life Cycle of Butterflies for Children” with Angela Cingale (Note: This is an IN-PERSON demonstration only.)
  Learn about the parts of a butterfly and how it starts out as a caterpillar. VCE Master Gardener will share what to grow as host and nectar plants to attract butterflies, and how to protect the caterpillars. Discover books and resources for parents to help their children learn more at home.

Looking for a topic not listed here?