NCTC Horticulture

NCTC Horticulture Growing Future Horticulturists Through Real-World Knowledge and Experience

🌿 Graduate Spotlight: Kelly-Jo 🌿We’re excited to celebrate Kelly-Jo, the first graduate of our new Landscape Management ...
06/01/2026

🌿 Graduate Spotlight: Kelly-Jo 🌿

We’re excited to celebrate Kelly-Jo, the first graduate of our new Landscape Management Certificate program, and a passionate advocate for plants, sustainability, and community care.

For Kelly-Jo, having a flexible program made it possible to deepen her horticulture knowledge while continuing the meaningful community work she’s dedicated to.

“Sustainable practices and environmental preservation are very important to me. Y’all will probably find me griping about Bermuda grass eventually,” she jokes. “Mutual aid and food sovereignty are other things I’m super passionate about.”

Kelly-Jo volunteers at her city’s community garden, where she helps grow fresh produce for a local resource center. Her love for native plants shows up in everything she does—from gardening and herbalism to cooking, photography, zine-making, and screen printing.

“I love working with plants in every way, whether it’s gardening, cooking, or making medicine,” she shares.

A mostly self-taught herbalist, Kelly-Jo has combined independent study, community learning, and now her formal horticulture education to build a strong foundation for her future.

We’re proud to celebrate this milestone and excited to see where Kelly-Jo’s passion for plants, sustainability, and community will take her next. 🌱

We haven’t seen any rainbows in the sky lately, but the garden is putting on its own display of color. 🌿🌈From bold bloom...
05/29/2026

We haven’t seen any rainbows in the sky lately, but the garden is putting on its own display of color. 🌿🌈

From bold blooms to shifting foliage tones and fresh new growth, there’s a full spectrum happening across the landscape right now. Even without a rainbow overhead, the garden is doing a good job of reminding us just how much color nature can offer.

We’re excited to see our Huernia schneideriana from Don Edwards’ estate in bloom!The flowers are a deep, velvety red—eas...
05/28/2026

We’re excited to see our Huernia schneideriana from Don Edwards’ estate in bloom!

The flowers are a deep, velvety red—easy to see how it earned the common name “Red Dragon Flower.” The texture and color are striking up close, and it’s been a rewarding plant to watch come into bloom.

05/27/2026

Here’s a look at the new landscape—plants are establishing well with these steady rains. 🌧️🌿

The consistent moisture and mild temperatures have helped the new plantings settle in quickly, and it’s showing in their growth and overall vigor.

Looking forward to watching this space continue to fill in and develop over the coming weeks and months. 🌱

We’re really enjoying the Redbud ‘Flame Thrower’, a cultivar we’re trialing in the landscape.The foliage emerges in rich...
05/26/2026

We’re really enjoying the Redbud ‘Flame Thrower’, a cultivar we’re trialing in the landscape.

The foliage emerges in rich burgundy tones and quickly shifts through bright orange-red, yellow, and finally green. Because the leaves mature at different rates, the tree shows multiple colors at once—often four to six shades across the canopy.

Looking forward to seeing how it performs in bloom next spring as well! 🌸

Today we pause to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. We are deeply grateful for th...
05/25/2026

Today we pause to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. We are deeply grateful for their sacrifice and for the freedoms we are able to enjoy because of it.

Wishing everyone a meaningful and safe Memorial Day.

05/25/2026

We are hiring! SGI is pleased to announce we are hiring a Director of Communications to join our team.

🔗 📝For the full position description and to apply, click the following link: https://www.segrasslands.org/jobs

This year’s elderberry show is spectacular! 🌿✨Our native elderberry is putting on an incredible display right now—lush c...
05/23/2026

This year’s elderberry show is spectacular! 🌿✨

Our native elderberry is putting on an incredible display right now—lush clusters of creamy white blooms with that unmistakable sweet, floral fragrance that carries through the garden. It’s one of those plants that’s just as valuable ecologically as it is beautiful, supporting pollinators, birds, and wildlife throughout the season.

This indigenous elderberry ( Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) is well adapted to our region and thrives in our local conditions. Beyond its striking flowers, it will later produce dark berries that have long been used for food, medicine, and wildlife support.

Right now though—it’s all about the blooms. And they are outstanding. 🌸🐝

05/22/2026

Ah… there’s nothing quite like hearing the rain fall in the gardens. 🌧️🌿

The NCTC Horticulture Gardens have been soaking up every bit of these abundant spring rains, and the plants are responding with lush growth, vibrant blooms, and fresh life everywhere you look. The gentle sound of rain moving through the trees and across the garden beds is one of the simple joys of this season.

05/21/2026

🌿 The NCTC Horticulture Gardens are really putting on a show right now! 🌸

Thanks to the abundant spring rains and these beautiful mild temperatures, the gardens are absolutely thriving. From lush growth to vibrant blooms, it’s one of the prettiest times of the year to walk through and enjoy the space.

Nature has been especially generous this season, and the plants are responding in full force. If you’ve been needing a little inspiration, peace, or garden motivation, come take a stroll through the gardens and see what’s blooming! 🌱☀️

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611 CR 304
Gainesville, TX
76240

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 12pm

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