Ranburne Garden Club

05/24/2026

05/12/2026

04/20/2026

🌿🌼🦋 Plant Photo on post for Attention! Variety of Plants will Vary! Come see us Saturday to find some treasures and pretties! Purchase tickets for a chance to win the Wrought Iron Glass Top Table with Four Chairs! Check the post below for more details! 🌿🌼 🦋

04/17/2026

HO-HUM, ANOTHER NATIVE PLANT

In my quest to prove that not all native plants are crappy, I present this one from my woodland garden. Known to normal people as sweet shrub and to others as Carolina allspice, Calycanthus floridus beguiles us with the fruity, sweet fragrance of its brownish red to deep maroon blossoms that look like spiders splayed out on their backs. In the South, blossoms appear in April and May, but if you live in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, Minnesota, the U.P., or Moscow, you’ll probably have to wait until June and July just like you wait for everything else.

Sweet shrub grows about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide. Actually, width is irrelevant as it spreads by suckers and thus will get as wide as you allow. I wouldn’t consider it invasive, though. Just cut off or pull up the suckers you don’t want – it’ll take maybe 10 minutes. Most people don’t give the foliage the credit it’s due. Glossy, deep green leaves turn bright yellow in autumn, providing a glowing understory beneath my oaks and hickories.

Not all sweet shrubs are sweet. Some have no fragrance at all. The flowers of mine smell of watermelon, but yours might smell like air. To ensure a heady perfume, buy one when it’s blooming so you can check. Or procure a named selection chosen for exquisite fragrance, such as ‘Athens’ (greenish-yellow flowers smell like Juicy-Fruit gum) or ‘Michael Lindsey’ (brownish-red blooms smell of strawberries). Google the names for online sources.

Success with sweet shrub is no mark of genius. It’s easy. The plant is not fussy about soil as long as it’s well-drained. It tolerates drought and blooms in either sun or shade. I have seen no pests, not even deer. If deer have gnawed yours to the ground, however, do me a favor. Keep it to yourself.

04/16/2026

Our Spring Clean: Downtown is THIS Saturday.

Meet at Town Hall @ 8:00 AM

We will be freshening up flower beds in downtown and picking up trash on the roads. We will be pressure washing some areas. (We need more doing this if anyone wants to help!) There will be a police officer to ensure safety of everyone involved. We’d love to have you come help! ALL volunteers welcome.

03/18/2026

🚨 YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS! 🚨

Today is the last day you can sign up for the Tallapoosa County - Alabama Extension and Cleburne County-Alabama Extension class!!!

🌱 Join Our Seeds to Transplants Workshop! 🌱
Whether you're a beginner gardener or looking to sharpen your skills, this hands‑on workshop will walk you through everything you need to know to start strong this growing season!
For just $15, you'll learn about:
✔️ Variety selection
✔️ Time of planting
✔️ Starting seeds indoors
✔️ Potting media & fertilizers
✔️ Temperature & light needs
✔️ Common diseases
…and more to help your warm‑season garden thrive!
📍 Workshop Locations & Dates:
📌 Tallapoosa County — March 17, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
📍 Grace Pointe Baptist Church, Alexander City, AL
📌 Cleburne County — March 18, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
📍 Heflin Rec Center, Heflin, AL
📌 Lowndes County — March 23, 2026 | 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
📍 Southern Sportsman Lodge, Tyler, AL
🍽️ Lunch will be provided!
📌 Bibb County — March 24, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
📍 Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park, Brierfield, AL
📌 Jefferson County — March 26, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
📍 Gardendale Civic Center, Gardendale, AL
🌐 Register online: https://www.aces.edu/go/seeds
Or scan the QR code in the flyer!
Sponsored by Sungro Horticulture and hosted by Alabama Extension.
🌿 Let’s get growing together!

01/13/2026

Not sure what to plant or prep right now? Extension has you covered. Check out our seasonal planting checklist to help you stay on track in your garden and landscape.

In Alabama, January is the time to:
Plant cool-season vegetables
Prune many fruit trees and ornamentals
Test your soil before planting season begins

We’ve linked two helpful resources below to guide you through the details of January tasks and more.

Home Gardeners Planting Guide https://www.aces.edu/go/5710
Alabama Gardeners Calendar https://www.aces.edu/go/5711

Don't forget the Master Gardener Helpline is ready to help with expert, research-based advice at (877) 252-4769.