Each month, our Master Gardener group hosts a free talk about plants and gardening. We’re taking a break in December but we’ll be back in January. Click here to see information from our Fall 2025 talks on Native Plants, Tick-Borne Diseases and Dealing With Deer.

We’ll resume the talks on Jan. 11, 2026 (2-3:30 p.m.). Our spring 2026 talks will be at a new location: the Orange County Southern Branch Library (Drakeford Library Complex, 203 S. Greensboro St., Carrboro).

The Jan. 11 topic will be “Technology in the Garden.” The speaker will be Eric Kurtz, a Master Gardener volunteer in Orange County who has shared his technology expertise with us in helpful ways. One of his projects has been a weather station at our demonstration gardens at the Bonnie B. Davis Environmental and Agriculture Center in Hillsborough (see photo of weather information above). It helps us understand moisture needs and other factors that affect plants.

See you on Jan. 11!

PlantFest, our annual plant sale and garden festival, took place on Oct. 11 at Blackwood Farm Park.

Our plant sale - featuring more than 3,000 plants - attracted eager shoppers.

Visitors enjoyed gardening exhibits, kids’ activities, an art sale, free seed packets, tool sharpening, food, music and more. Community partners had booths and exhibits, too.

Proceeds of the plant sale and art sale will support our community activities.

Mark your calendar for PlantFest 2026: Oct. 10, 2026!

Read more here.

A 2026 calendar from Orange County’s Master Gardener volunteers makes a perfect gift. Beautiful cover art and stunning garden photos bring native plants to life throughout the year.

This year’s theme, “Native Keystones,” highlights plants that support entire ecosystems in your yard. Each month features a different native plant superstar that provides essential food and habitat for wildlife.

Proceeds support the work of Master Gardener volunteers. who provide helpful, research-based gardening education to our community.

The cost is $24. We’ll have a link soon.