Tagawa® Garden Outreach

Luan Akin joins Tagawa Garden Center as Garden Ambassador!

Luan Akin, former TV News Reporter, joined us in 2008 as Garden Ambassador. She is available to present seminars for your garden club, ladies group, school classroom, etc.

If you garden club, community group, HOA or other organization would like to have a presentation about a garden topic, Tagawa Gardens can help! Our Outreach Dept is happy to help provide a tour, seminar or other activity at Tagawa Gardens, or come to your location*! (*Fees may apply for offsite events.)

If your group wishes to raise funds at the event, be sure to ask about our Garden Outreach Fundraiser Gift Cards! Your group can collect $5 for each $25 Gift Card sold or $11 for each $50 sold! Gift cards can be pre-sold and the Garden Outreach representative speaking at your event will bring them to the event, and can have extras available.

If you are interested in more information about this exciting new Outreach Program, please contact Michelle in our HR/Donations/Outreach at (303) 690.4722 x107, or at Michelle@tagawagardens.com.

Here is a list of topics that Luan can provide for adult community groups:

(Plant availability will make some topics more appropriate for certain seasons of the year. Requests for other topics will always be considered!)

Cool weather container gardens – pansies and other cold-hardy plants for late-winter/early-spring color on porches and patios. Container gardening is the fastest-growing segment of the gardening industry…. bringing instant gratification and increased curb appeal.
Indoor Herb Gardening – techniques for growing small pots of herbs on a sunny windowsill; which herbs do best in this setting and what are their needs?
Birds, Butterflies and Bees---Some of our favorite backyard neighbors can always use our help. What can we plant that will give them food and shelter? What’s the importance of water, and how can we provide it? And what’s going on with the honey bees, anyway? (Luan is a beekeeper, and loves to talk about “the girls.”)
Houseplant Selection and Maintenance – Which houseplants are the easiest to grow, and what care (especially light) do they require? And why should we grow houseplants in the first place??
Planting and Growing a Terrarium -- What containers work best and Which plants should they include? What on-going care does a terrarium need?
Growing Fresh Air – Houseplants make great air filters, easily removing common toxins like formaldehyde. Which easy-care plants are the best choices, and how and where should they be grown?
Seasonal indoor plants as gifts—foliage and flowers that make great gifts. What plants should you choose to celebrate special occasions at different times of the year?
So You Think You Understand Xeriscape?—a primer on saving water and money; what Xeriscape is and is not. Ways to “bring on the color” with a Xeriscape in a new yard or update an existing landscape.
Being Good to the Good Bugs—honey bees, lady bugs, praying mantids…know which bugs can assist and delight you in the garden; how to make them feel welcome so they can help keep the “bad” bugs in check.
Understanding, and Helping, the Honey Bees--- The honey bees are in trouble throughout the country, including right here in
Colorado. Luan is a beekeeper, and will share her experiences, and her passion for “the girls.” You’ll look inside a bee hive (relax, no bees) to see how they live. You’ll never look at a honey bee in the same way.
Wonderful Worms--- Vermicomposting, recycling kitchen scraps in a worm bin, is fun and easy! And the worm compost that’s left behind is a treat for your plants. Adults and kids can be “hands-on” with the worms as they learn how a worm bin is assembled.
Planting Cold-hardy Veggies—Late spring is a great time to plant lots of veggies that love cool weather; tips and techniques on which veggies to choose, when to plant and how to get them started.
Petunias and Geraniums—Some are tried and true, some are brand new; plants that work the best in our Colorado gardens, both in containers and in beds; includes details on the “Wave” series of petunias, as the plants become available in the spring.
Tomatoes 101---choosing and growing this favorite of all veggie garden crops; basic maintenance and trouble-shooting; some of the most common mistakes, and how to avoid them.
Container Gardens After Frost—It’s the rage!! Professional-looking containers with plenty of spring and summer color are easier than you think! Design tips even a gardening rookie can put to work right away!
Edibles on your Deck or Patio---With moderate to bright light, you can grow veggies in a pot; tips on which plants do the best, and how you can grow them successfully. The results are fun… and tasty!!
Edible Landscapes--- Lots of veggies are right at home in the middle of your flower beds; which plants to choose to add color, texture and a little “pizzazz” before they end up on your dinner table.
Spring Gardening with Kids – starting seeds, nurturing plants, giving kids the gardening “bug.” It’s never too early to teach children that veggies don’t come from the grocery store.
Vegetable Gardening for “Dummies” – Want to re-connect with the earth, have safer, pesticide-free food and save money? The home vegetable garden is making a huge come-back; tips on what plants are good for beginners in our Colorado climate, and how to take care of them.
Starting Seeds Indoors – flower and veggie seeds that are the easiest (and most fun!) to start indoors in a bright windowsill or sunny room; how to “pot them up” and prepare them for the real world outdoors.
Colorado Gardening 101—for folks new to Colorado, and to gardening in general; understanding the advantages… and challenges of gardening in the Centennial state; includes maintenance tips that will help your yard and garden be a success!
“Plant Select”—the experts’ list of tough plants that are especially “Colorado friendly;” plants are chosen by Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University and the Green Industry. (This class is best offered as the “Plant Select” choices become available for the season).
Curb Appeal---the best ways to increase your home’s value and appeal by making your yard the best it can be; includes quick
and easy techniques for instant results, and ideas for weekend projects that offer long-term payback.
Don’t Stop Planting! – focus on choosing container-grown plants (including trees and shrubs), and tips for mid- to late-summer, hot-weather planting; tips on some extra T.L.C. that will help your plants flourish.
Late-season Container Gardens – Add new life to your pots and containers by transitioning from summer color to the shades of fall with annuals and perennials ; tough plants that thrive as the weather cools down.
Planting Spring-flowering Bulbs – Plant daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, along with some less common bulbs, for first-of-the-season color next spring; great color possibilities for small-space gardens. (Fall-planted bulbs usually arrive by early September.)
Getting Along with Wildlife—some tips and techniques for gardening around deer, squirrels, rabbits and other visitors; plants they love, and others they tend to leave alone.
Bringing in your Summer Bloomers--- what to do…and what not to do with your summer patio plants when the season turns frosty; tips on which plants to bring indoors and hold over ‘til next spring.
Putting Your Landscape to Bed---how to move from autumn to winter and make next year’s growing season easier and better; tips on maintenance you should do now, and which chores should wait.
“Porch Pots”—converting your summer pots to festive holiday “porch pots” using evergreen boughs and winter decorations that reflect your favorite holiday themes and colors. No artistic talent needed!
Houseplants for the Holidays—poinsettias, cyclamen, orchids and beyond; plants that make the best gifts and how to care for them.

Go to Top