Greg Grant

When you think of Texas trees, maples probably don’t top the list. But in East Texas, we are blessed with four native species of maple along with a number of adapted species and cultivars from Asia. If you’d like to learn more about maples in East Texas, consider this week’s tour.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Earth-Kind Environmental Education committee in Smith County is hosting a “walk and talk” tour of the Shade Garden at the Tyler Botanical Garden. This educational event will highlight the garden’s extensive maple collection and other shade-loving plants. The tour takes place on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the south end of the Tyler Rose Garden, 420 Rose Park Dr.

Participants will learn about the history of the Shade Garden, which now features nearly 100 Southern-adapted maple specimens. These include Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), Shantung maple (Acer truncatum), trident maple (Acer buergerianum), chalk maple (Acer leucoderme), red maple (Acer rubrum), swamp red maple (Acer rubrum drummondii), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), Freeman’s maple (Acer × freemanii), Mexican sugar maple (Acer skutchii), and southern sugar maple (Acer floridanum). This incredible variety showcases the diversity and adaptability of maples to the East Texas landscape.

The Shade Garden’s history is as rich as its plant collection. Over the years, it has become a living classroom for gardeners, offering shade-friendly plantings, Japanese maples, and colorful trees for year-round interest. Along the garden’s pathways, visitors will also see beautiful camellias, azaleas, and other shrubs that thrive in shaded conditions.

The walking tour will cover more than just tree identification. Attendees will also receive practical tips on maple care, pruning, and recommendations for planting trees and shrubs that provide vivid fall color. Each participant will leave with a “goodie bag” of educational materials to help incorporate what they’ve learned into their own gardens.

The tour will be led by Keith Hansen, retired Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturist emeritus, who played a pivotal role in developing the Tyler Botanical Garden and its impressive maple collection. Smith County Master Gardeners will also be on hand to share detailed information about the plants and answer questions.

This rain-or-shine event requires pre-registration, with a $20 program fee. The deadline to register is Dec. 2 and payment must be completed by Dec. 3. All proceeds go toward Earth-Kind educational programs in Smith County.

To register or learn more, contact the Smith County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office at 903-590-2980. Additional information can be found on the “Greg Grant Gardens,” “Smith County Master Gardeners,” or “Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service–Smith County” Facebook pages.

Participants should check in at the pergola in the Heritage Rose Garden at the southwest entrance of the Tyler Rose Garden, located at 420 Rose Park Drive, Tyler. If you can’t do the tour, visit the Tyler Botanical Garden any time you are in town. It’s free and open seven days a week.