The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, in association with the University of Tennessee Extension, announce that their third Saturday Gardening Classes will be offered in person, as well as via Zoom.
The next class takes place this Saturday at 10 a.m., with “Identifying Nature,” presented by Tom Stebbins, former Hamilton County Extension agent.
MGHC’s classes are free to the public and take place at the UT-Hamilton County Extension, 6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga. To sign up to attend in person or to register for the Zoom link, go to: https://mghc.org/calendar/identifying-nature/.
Tom Stebbins said, “Have you ever wanted to know more about the weeds in your lawn; trees on a walk; flowers in a neighbor’s garden? There are Apps for that.
You don’t have to be a botanist, naturalist or other expert to identify an unknown tree, flower or bug. In this class, you’ll learn how the various free Apps—Google Lens, iNaturalist and others – available on your phone can help you quickly identify many of the flowers, trees, insects, mushrooms and even birds you may see as you enjoy the outdoors, whether on woodland trails or in your own backyard. In preparation, collect a few things to ID and share with the class: a houseplant, a leaf from a tree or shrub, a flowering weed or mushroom in your lawn, or even an insect. Zoom participants will be able to practice and share their findings as well. We may even go outside and identify more mysteries there. Technology can help anyone become a naturalist nerd and learn more about the world around us."