Yay for Fall! Yep, September 22^nd is officially the first day of fall! But with all the pumpkin spice products being sold in August you’d think it was earlier than that! (laughing out loud!) If you’re like me, you’re looking forward to crisp cool days, chilly nights and the changing colors of the leaves. The Smith County Master Gardeners have been very busy this spring and summer keeping the Tyler Botanical Gardens as beautiful as ever!  And while we continue to maintain the beauty of these gardens, we have a couple of fall projects to share with you:

We’ve Launched Our New Website – Explore the Next Chapter of Smith County Master Gardeners!

We’re excited to announce the launch of our brand-new website – a fresh, modern, and user-friendly space that reflects who we are and where we’re headed.

Over the past few months, our Webmaster – Terri Gerber and other Tech Committee volunteers have been working hard behind the scenes to design a digital experience that better serves our public, volunteers, and visitors. Whether you’re here to learn more about our services, get in touch with our team, or stay updated with the latest news, our new website makes it easier than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from the new www.txmgsc.org :

• Modern Design: A clean, responsive layout that looks great
• Improved Navigation: Clear menus and intuitive structure make it simple to find what you’re looking for.
• Faster Performance: Optimized for speed, so you can browse seamlessly.
• Fresh Content: Up-to-date information about our products, services, team, and more.

The East Texas Gardening Guide and Calendar

The East Texas Gardening Guide and Calendar is a yearly publication by the Smith County Master Gardeners offering gardening advice, tips, planting guides, lists of things to do – all written with the local East Texas gardening community in mind.  The 2026 Calendar/Guide highlights the container gardening.  It contains beautiful photos of these local container gardens.  Lots of useful information on how you too can create amazing container garden. It’s a must for all gardeners.  And they make great Christmas gifts! These Calendar/Guides are for sale and will be available at all Master Gardener events or you can contact (903) 590-2994 or smithmghelpdesk@gmail.com.

Annual “From Bulbs to Blooms” Conference and Sale

And last but certainly not least, the award-winning Smith County Master Gardeners’ “From Bulbs to Blooms” conference and sale is back again this year!   This event features heirloom, hardy, and hard-to-find bulbs that are suited for the East Texas area and the Southern zones. Bulb sale pickup for online orders is October 25^th from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Pollard United Methodist Church, 3030 New Copeland Road in Tyler.  Dr. Greg Grant will present: “Growing On and On: A Bulb Sale Preview”, an intimate look at the bulbs proven to bloom year after year in your East Texas garden with no extra watering or fertilization – all for sale immediately following the conference.  Join us Saturday, October 25^th, at 10:00 a.m., at Pollard United Methodist Church.  The link for the online bulb store and much more information on the sale is www.txmgsc.org/b2b.  Plan to shop early, as many items sell out quickly.

Thank you for being part of our journey. These are just some the exciting things to come!

Happy Fall Ya’ll!

Smith County Master Gardeners are volunteer educators certified and coordinated by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Lynn McGinnis

Smith County Master Gardener