April is full of...

Gardening events! 

Here are  upcoming area events I've come across for April 2008. If you know of changes or additions, add a comment, or if you're aware of events in May or future months, send me an e-mail at: cindy.hadish@gazettecommunications.com

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, April 1 – 6:30-8 p.m., Beems Auditorium, Cedar Rapids Public Library, “Visualizing changes in your landscape,” by author Janet Macunovich, coordinated by Linn County Master Gardeners.

Tuesday, April 8 - 6:30-8 p.m., Beems Auditorium, Cedar Rapids Public Library, "Growing perennials in cold climates," by Ambergate Gardens owner Michael Heger, coordinated by Linn County Master Gardeners.

Saturday, April 12 - Linn County Master Gardeners Creative Gardening Hands On: 10:30 a.m. to noon - Build a toad house; noon to 2 p.m. - Containers with pizzazz; 2:15-3:45 p.m. - Twig art;  all at Linn County Extension Office, 3279 Seventh Ave., Suite 140, Marion. Cost per session is $10. Call (319) 377-9839 by March 31 to register.

Saturday, April 12 – 7 p.m., Indian Creek Nature Center, “Food Matters,” by local foods farmer Laura Krouse of Cornell College, free to Iowa Academy of Science members, $3 for Nature Center members and $5 for non-members.

Sunday, April 13 – 1 p.m., Indian Creek Nature Center, “Find abundance in growing food,” by Iowa City Backyard Abundance and Food, Not Lawns. $3 for Nature Center members; $5 for non-members.

Sunday, April 13 – 2-4 p.m., Iowa City Public Library, “Proven winners – annuals that make a difference,” by Sandy Wentworth of Proven Winners Annuals, part of the Project GREEN Sunday Garden Forums.

Tuesday, April 15 – 6:30-8 p.m., Beems Auditorium, Cedar Rapids Public Library, “Beyond burning bush”, by Illinois Central College horticulture professor Glenn Herold, coordinated by Linn County Master Gardeners.

Tuesday, April 15 – 7 p.m., Coralville Library, Harshbarger Hosta Society meeting.

Saturday, April 19 – 8:30 a.m. to noon, spring restoration of tallgrass prairie at Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch. Call Adam Prato at (319) 643-7855 by Friday, April 18 to volunteer.

Saturday, April 19 – 1:30-2:30 p.m., Hy-Vee Garden Center, 5050 Edgewood Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, “Turn your kitchen scraps into gardening gold: Composting 101” with Cathy Wyatt and Mike Duggan. Pre-register at customer service, (319) 378-0762.

Thursday, April 24 - 6 p.m., Seasonal landscape hike at Brucemore, 2160 Linden Dr., Cedar Rapids, $10 per person. Call (319) 362-7375 to register.

Saturday, April 26 – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., first floor of Hy-Vee, 5050 Edgewood Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, “Kids garden takeover: Plant a seed, watch it grow!” (ages 3 and up.) No registration required.