SFA Gardens lecture series to feature Mercer Arboretum director
May 30, 2013
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, in the Agriculture Building, Room 110, at 1924 Wilson Drive.
Darrin Duling, director of Mercer Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Humble, will present "Making Mercer Magnificent - Opportunities and Challenges."
A native of Richmond, Va., Duling received a Master of Science in plant taxonomy from the University of Reading in Whiteknights, England; a Diploma of Horticulture from Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England; and a Certificate of Horticultural Training from The Royal Horticultural Society in Wisley, England. He previously served as the director of the Native Plant Center in Valhalla, N.Y.; the curator of glasshouse collections for the New York Botanical Garden; and director of horticulture for the American Orchid Society. His career path has led him to far-flung places such as Brazil, Borneo, Crete, Oman, Peru, Thailand and Singapore.
Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens is a nationally recognized public garden showcasing the Gulf Coast Region's largest collection of native and cultivated plants in more than 325 acres of East Texas Pineywoods. Free to the public, Mercer boasts several theme gardens, programs for all ages, annual plant sales, miles of woodland trails, and picnic areas that provide recreational and educational opportunities to families, school groups, bird watchers, joggers, walkers and photographers.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Garden Lecture Series is normally held the third Thursday of each month at the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture's SFA Mast Arboretum. A rare plant raffle will be held after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves lecture series endowed fund always are appreciated.
For more information, call (936) 468-1832 or email ggrantgardens@yahoo.com.