Garden Friends presents Iowa plantsman April 1

            Kelly D. Norris, an up-and-coming horticulturist and plantsman from Bedford, Iowa, will deliver the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Garden Friends annual lecture beginning at 2 p.m. April 1 in the Nebraska Union Auditorium, 14th and R streets.

            The lecture, open to the public, costs $5 per person but is free for members of UNL Garden Friends.

            Norris, a 24-year-old horticulturist, plant breeder and plantsman, is the award-winning author of two books, including "Iowa Gardener's Travel Guide," the first travel guide to Iowa's public gardens and nurseries, and "Cultivating the Rainbow: A Guide to Bearded Irises for Beginners and Enthusiasts," due in May from Timber Press. He is writing a third book, "Dig This -- a Style Guide to Kickass Gardening."  Norris has garnered national acclaim for his high-energy presentations, leading many to name him as one of the rising stars of American horticulture.

            His Nebraska presentation is "Life on the Edge: Tough Plants for Tough Places." In this tale from the road, Norris wears two hats -- that of a plant ecologist and a horticulturist -- while sharing with the audience a palette of garden-worthy plants from harsh environments across the United States. Learn how plants respond to their environment and how home gardeners can translate that into success, even with less-than-glamorous soil conditions. Norris has recently explored northeastern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota.

            A reception and author meet and greet follow the lecture.

            For membership information about UNL Garden Friends, visit www.unl.edu/bga/friends/join.shtml.

Writer: Kim Hachiya, University Communications, 402-472-8844