Calendar of Events

This month’s book is As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.

Mark your calendar and get ready for the 2025 Spring Fling Plant Sale, sponsored by the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County, the Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society, and Men’s Garden Club of Asheville.

Featuring perennials, 35 different varieties of daylilies, natives, herbs, and vegetables.

Visit the Plant Clinic tent with questions, and don’t forget to drop by the Kid’s Corner.

A Rain or Shine event.
Remember to bring your wagon!!

Garden photography workshop with Camilla Calnan.

Do you want to take better photos in the gardens? Join us for a hands-on workshop where we use whatever camera you are working with to learn tips, tricks, and techniques to take the photos you are hoping to capture. Working from whatever level you are currently and using your phone, point and shoot camera, or SLR camera, we will discover new ways to think about photography to help you grow in your photography.

This program takes place in the classroom and outdoors. Please come prepared to walk on gentle, yet uneven terrain, and dress appropriately for the weather.

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

This is an in-person program, held at The Learning Garden

Program: Butterfly, Pollinator and Hummingbird Gardens – What’s the Difference?

Presenter: Phil Roudebush, Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer

Program Description: Pre-planned “butterfly gardens”, “pollinator gardens”, “monarch gardens”, “beneficial bug gardens” and “hummingbird gardens” are often available to purchase as mixed seed bundles from garden centers and mail-order or on-line garden catalogues. These terms are often confusing and many of the pre-planned planting schemes will result in colorful gardens that do not adequately support pollinators or other beneficial animal habitats.

This class will discuss what makes up a good habitat and give more specific recommendations for butterfly, Monarch butterfly, pollinator and hummingbird gardens. Resources for obtaining a wide range of appropriate plants will be provided.

After the presentation we will visit a pollinator garden in The Learning Garden; please dress appropriately for the weather. The classroom size is limited so register to reserve your seat!

The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration is required. Please Click here to register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/butterfly-pollinator-and-hummingbird-gardens-whats-the-difference-tickets-1335472216349?aff=oddtdtcreator

The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visit and Learn in the garden on selected Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of eight garden-specific program areas.

If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.

There’s more than one way to design a vegetable garden — and some of the most beautiful and productive gardens use vertical structures to grow! Cages, poles, trellises, even creative builds like bean houses — these structures aren’t just practical, they’re eye-catching and a little whimsical, too.

Growing vegetables on structures is fun. It saves time and labor, makes harvesting a breeze, and helps you squeeze more out of every square foot.

Join Mary Alice Ramsey, a lifelong gardener, as she shares her favorite garden structures, personal tips, and stories from her own garden. You’ll leave inspired to grow upward — not just outward!

Presentation is free, and registration with Eventbrite is required.

Click this link to register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gardening-in-the-mountains-presents-growing-veggies-on-garden-structures-tickets-1335471263499?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you have questions, contact the Buncombe County Extension office at 828-255-5522.

Public libraries are such a staple of American communities, but how did this system come to be? Celebrate (and investigate) the history of our public libraries! Join us for a screening + community-driven conversation of @IndependentLens’ Free for All: The Public Library at the Black Mountain Public Library. This one-hour documentary explores the transformative power of public libraries in America—from their pioneering origins to their enduring role as sanctuaries in the face of modern challenges like closures and book bans.

A Q&A session follows with Buncombe County Public Library Director Jason Hyatt and members of the Trust Fund for Buncombe County Public Libraries. Together, they’ll explore the issues raised in the film and discuss their relevance to libraries in our local community.

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

In this series of classes learn about tree health care and maintenance.

By cultivating and protecting healthy diverse habitats for pollinators, for wildlife, for healthy flora and fauna, we benefit the individuals who live in and enjoy these spaces and for our community, as a whole. By creating natural areas in your yard and leaving the leaves each fall you can benefit many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals which depend on the native plants and their fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.

Join Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show and Podcast to learn how we can do things better!

May 22, 2025, 1:00-3:00pm.

Storytelling is not just entertainment: it’s a fundamental part of being human. Ales & Tales is a live storytelling open mic, akin to The Moth, but without the competitive aspect. Tellers take the mic to share personal stories, true-as-remembered, in six minutes or less with no notes. There are few rules: beyond the time limit and truth requirement, stories must follow the night’s theme, which is typically a one- to two-word prompt with LOTS of flexibility (like Dirt, Winter, Sunshine or Rigid).

Stories don’t have to be funny, but they can be. Stories should have an arc – a beginning, middle, and end – and perhaps a lesson snuck in there, too. Food and drinks, including alcohol, will be available for purchase; and the crowd is always friendly. Come relate to strangers, and turn them into pals!

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Garden Jubilee, one of the largest gardening shows in Western North Carolina, will be held on Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Memorial Day weekend. With nearly 200 plant and craft vendors lining Main Street, the Historic downtown will be transformed into a garden wonderland. 

Local and regional nurseries, orchards and crafters will offer a wide variety of plants and handmade delights and gardening experts will be on hand to share the latest gardening tips and techniques. 

Let’s dive deep into lavender!  Participants will learn about the history of this plant, discover how it’s used to promote relaxation and wellness, and make their own DIY lavender products to take home.  We will make bath salts, pillow sprays, and tea blends to bring relaxation home!

Tuesday May 27, 2025, 2:00-4:00. $25.00/$21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens.

As spring transitions to summer, we see changes in the plants around us.  Naturalist and botanist Alexandra Holland leads this walk at the Arboretum, pointing out the array of late spring wildflowers in bloom and discussing seasonal differences in the landscape. Learn some basics of wildflower and tree ecology and identification while taking in the beauty of the season.

This program will take place outside and will follow easy trails and paved walkways. Dress for the weather and prepare to be outside for the entire program time.

Join us for the 16th annual Authors for Literacy Fundraiser featuring New York Times bestselling author, David Baldacci. The evening will feature testimonials from the students and staff at Literacy Together, as well as a keynote address from David Baldacci. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. for mixing and mingling and heavy hors d’oeuvres. You’ll have an opportunity to hear from our team about the work we do to support more than 7,200 individuals throughout Buncombe County. Our seated program begins promptly at 6:30 p.m., and we’ll close the evening with a book signing managed by Malaprop’s Bookstore.
Tickets are on sale now!

Bring your littles to the front steps of M. Judson for our bi-weekly story time! Enjoy some wonderful picture books read aloud to the crowd by our very own booksellers, and children will even get a sweet treat to go.

Come learn about the biology and natural history of fungi in the Southeast and beyond. This talk will highlight the interconnections between fungi, animals, and plants. Todd will also discuss some of the region’s best edible species along with where and how to find and identify them.

Join us on this birding walk around the NC Arboretum gardens and trails in search of our most colorful residents. We will go over best practices for using binoculars, recommendations for purchasing your own binoculars, and popular field guides to use. Bring your own binoculars but if you do not have a pair we have some loaner binoculars available to use during the program.

This program will take place outside and will follow easy trails and paved walkways. Dress for the weather and prepare to be outside for the entire program time.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Blue Ridge Bonsai Society presents its 2025 BRBS Bonsai Exhibition at The North Carolina Arboretum Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 from 10am – 5pm in the Education Center.

This year’s exhibition will feature guest artist Chris Baker, Bonsai Curator at the Chicago Botanical Garden. Chris will be giving a demo/program, multiple workshops, and a commentary on club member trees displayed in the show.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Blue Ridge Bonsai Society presents its 2025 BRBS Bonsai Exhibition at The North Carolina Arboretum Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8 from 10am – 5pm in the Education Center.

This year’s exhibition will feature guest artist Chris Baker, Bonsai Curator at the Chicago Botanical Garden. Chris will be giving a demo/program, multiple workshops, and a commentary on club member trees displayed in the show.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

Join the magical fairies at Bullington Gardens for a special Fairy Tea Party. Start your journey with a guided walk through the Fairy Trail. Your child will make their own wand followed by tea and cookies in the pavilion. This event is for children ages 7 and up. Each child must be accompanied by an adult.

Three different dates to choose from!

June 10th, June 24th, or July 12th at 10:00AM, $28.00/per child, $21 for Friends of Bullington Gardens. Limit of 12 children per event.

By cultivating and protecting healthy diverse habitats for pollinators, for wildlife, for healthy flora and fauna, we benefit the individuals who live in and enjoy these spaces and for our community, as a whole. By creating natural areas in your yard and leaving the leaves each fall you can benefit many kinds of insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals which depend on the native plants and their fallen leaves and seeds for shelter, food and habitat.

Join Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent and host of the Gardening in the Mountains Radio Show and Podcast to learn how we can do things better!

Tuesday June 10,  1:00 – 3:00

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Book, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

The Brevard Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring its 55th Annual Book Sale, the largest and best book sale in North Carolina. Net proceeds support local STEM and educational scholarships for girls (5th-12th grades) and women at Brevard College and Blue Ridge Community College. A King size quilt-set (with matching pillows and wall hanging) raffle is also offered.

Book donations are collected in Yellow Boxes at numerous community locations from early February to late May 2025. Walk-in donations are accepted each Thursday until May 22 from 10am-2pm at The Book Nook, 170 S. Broad St., Brevard, NC.

Saturday, June 7 10am-7pm
Sunday, June 8 noon- 7pm
Monday, June 9 10am-7pm
Tuesday, June 10 10am-3pm – half price day
Wednesday, June 11 10am-3pm – fill a box for $5 day
**Wednesday, June 11 (only 12-4pm) – Free books for local teachers and non-profits**

– 30,000 well organized books in all genres, plus puzzles, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, vinyl
– Ample parking, free admission, dealers welcome
– Prices range from 50 cents and up
– Assistance provided to load books into cars
– Cash, checks with ID, or cards accepted