Galveston County TX Master Gardener Publications
Our prize-winning full-color Galveston County Master Gardener Publications are all available as free downloads on the internet: Galveston County Master Gardener Website
The books are mostly geared for the Gulf Coast and are very readable, though a few are of very great use for the general public, for example: (A Bilingual Guide to Yard Care (Spanish/English). They all feature clear fun-to-read writing, comprehensive and accurate coverage of the subject, and great color photos. Also, these books fill gaps in the horticulture literature available at our bookstores, which are often too general for our specific climate and soil conditions. The newest have recently won awards at this April's 2010 Master Gardener Convention.
Book "Our Edible Landscape"
They include:
- The Butterflies of Galveston County: What Every Gardener Needs to Know This includes information on the 83 butterflies of the area, their life cycle, host plants, easy-care butterfly garden landscape plans, and local butterfly gardens.
- A Thumbnail Guide For New Gardeners Basic information on planting and landscaping our yards.
- Ambrosia From Your Back Yard: Growing Citrus on the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas Declared best book on the subject for local gardeners interested in growing citrus in our challenging climate. This book includes best varieties for our area, cultivation methods, pests, diseases, and interviews with local expert citrus growers.
- A Bilingual Guide to Yard Care (Spanish-English) a handy illustrated phrase book with both English and Spanish words and phrases for yard care.
- Fragrant, Beautiful, Delicious: Herbs for the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas The top book for this region on the subject, dedicated to and guided by Madalene Hill, the world-renowned herb expert. It includes the best herbs for our area, use of herbs in the landscape, cooking, floral design, fragrancing, pest control, etcetera. A chapter is devoted to the life of Madalene Hill, and the book includes lists of her favorite culinary herbs and cultivation tips.
- The Edible Landscape: Growing Exotic and Rare Fruits on the Gulf Coast A charming tome written by our cantankerous local expert, the recently deceased Sam Powers, on growing fruits of all kinds: jujubes, unusual citruses, persimmons, pomegranates, rare fruits, common fruits, berries, and greenhouse tropical fruits.
Information on how to obtain hard copies of these gorgeous books is included on our webpage.
The books have all won first or second prizes for excellence in publication from the Texas Master Gardener Association. Gardening experts on the radio have also mentioned them in glowing terms, and experts throughout the region have praised them too.
However, since the books are sometimes sold out, we thought the free downloads from the internet would be a wonderful way for our master gardener association to fulfill its mission of educating the public and sidestep the problem of short supply.
If you have any questions, feel free to call the Galveston County Agrilife Extension Office at: 281-534-3413.
Cheers, Cooky Oberg, former Vice President of Publications for the Galveston County Master Gardeners