Garden calendar

This week

WATER WORKSHOPS: 1-3 p.m. today and Sun., Tampa Audubon Resource Center at Lettuce Lake Park, 6920 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa. Design a waterwise, wildlife and butterfly-friendly garden habitat at free workshops; participants take home starter kit with plant guides, irrigation information and drought-tolerant plants. Call (813) 983-0258 to register; limited seating.

ALL ABOUT PALMS: Tour the palms of Florida Botanical Gardens, 12175 125th St. N in Largo, to see varieties native to different countries and learn about growth characteristics with Jerry Shrewsbury, 9 a.m. today; free. Call (727) 582-2100.

HEALTHY HIBISCUS: Pinellas County Cooperative Extension Service, 12175 125th St. N, Largo. Regular monthly meeting of the Sunset Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society at 9 a.m. today, (727) 895-8165. Program by horticulturalist Dale Armstrong follows at 10, in Auditorium A, with demonstration on hibiscus hybridizing and propagation techniques, (727) 582-2124.

SCENTED GARDENS: USF Botanical Gardens, University of South Florida, off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard (southwest corner of USF campus, at Pine and Alumni drives), Tampa. Maryon Marsh leads free workshop on adding fragrance to your garden. 10-11:15 a.m. today. Call (813) 974-2329 to reserve.

WATER CONSERVATION IN THE GARDEN AND CHLORAMINES: 11:30 a.m. today, Sunken Gardens, 1825 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Learn water-saving tips and the benefits of using drought resistant plants, plus, city of St. Petersburg representative discusses the new chloramine water treatment. Free with gardens admission. $7 adult, $5 seniors (age 55 and older), $3 children ages 3-11. (727) 551-3100.

FERN SALE: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 811 S Palm Ave., Sarasota. Sarasota Fern Society sponsors show and sale of ferns and related plants. Included in Selby admission; (941) 366-5731 or visit www.selby.org.

CLIMBING ROSES: 7 p.m. Mon., Regency Park Civic Center, 10240 Regency Park Blvd., Port Richey. The West Pasco Rose Society's meeting features rosarian Gretchen Warren on care and culture of climbing roses. She shows how to grow them on trellises or fences; Little Rose Show follows. Call (813) 996-4526.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES ORCHIDS: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 811 S Palm Ave., Sarasota. Go behind the scenes at Selby's Orchid Identification Center, learn the characteristics of orchid plants and flowers, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tues., $20; or learn the basics of orchid growing in "EZ Orchids I," 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June 1, $50, discount for members. Call: (941) 366-5731, ext.239 to register.

FIRE IN FLORIDA'S ECOSYSTEMS: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thur., Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales. Workshop designed for educators shows the ecological and historical roles of fire and prescribed burns in the Florida environment; free to formal and nonformal educators. Call (863) 676-1408, ext.51, advance registration required.

Looking ahead

WATER LILIES: 10-11 a.m. June 1, Palm Pavilion, Florida Botanical Gardens, 12175 125th St. N., Largo. First in a three-part series on water gardens; Michael Pettay shows how to choose the right plant and care for water lilies in containers and small ponds; $5, preregistration required. Call (727) 582-2124.

VINES AND GROUND COVERS: 9:30 a.m.-noon, June 1, Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W Sligh Ave., Tampa. Master Gardener Lucy Hoyt shows examples of the zoo's use of vines and groundcovers as an element in the landscape; $10, $8 members. Call (813) 935-8552, ext. 232 to register.

BUTTERFLY AND HERB FAIR: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 8 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. June 9, Botanical Gardens at USF, off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard (southwest corner of USF campus, at Pine and Alumni drives), Tampa. Walk through a butterfly house with hundreds of free-flying butterflies, purchase butterfly plants, herbs and related items; butterfly and herb-growing lectures plus kids' activity area where they can make butterfly finger puppets and decorate clay pots; "caterpillar petting zoo." Admission $2, free for garden members and ages 12 and younger. (813) 974-2329.

Continuing

EPCOT IN BLOOM: Through June 2, Epcot Center at Walt Disney World Resort, west of Orlando. Last week of festival with more than 100 larger-than-life groomed topiaries of Disney characters and figures, nearly 200 floating gardens, millions of blooming flowers, including rose beds throughout the park; guided greenhouse and garden tours, Green Thumb Weekend workshops, ladybug and butterfly release; garden talks with visiting green thumbs and horticulturalists. Regular attraction admission applies. (407) 824-4321 or visit www.disneyworld.com.

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