Visit and Events

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the annual Wild About Woodies event at 9 a.m. June 30 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
 
The event is meant to acquaint nursery professionals, landscapers and enthusiastic gardeners with an in-depth look at the woody ornamental collections at SFA Gardens, particularly new woody ornamentals for Texas and Louisiana. The garden is home to a vast collection of conifers, oaks, pines, taxodium, lagerstroemia, azaleas, camellias and more. 
 
“The last three years of crazy climatic events have seen record hard freezes, the third worst summer heat and drought ever, and a flood of epic proportions,” said Dr. David Creech, director of SFA Gardens. “This is the perfect time to see what died, what survived and what thrived.”
 
To help lead the industry day, Creech will be joined by Dr. Andrew King, a fourth-generation owner of King’s Nursery — the oldest nursery in Texas; and Dr. Tim Hartman, specialist with Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service, who will bring the world of fruit to the event.
 
Event sign-in will take place from 8:30 to 9 a.m. Lectures will follow, and a minibus will carry participants to the many themed gardens on SFA’s campus.
 
Participants will tour the PNPC, fruit research plots, crape myrtle collection, Lanana Creek taxodium collection, Mast Arboretum, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden and Gayla Mize Garden.

Parking is available at the PNPC, 2900 Raguet St., or Raguet Elementary School, 2708 Raguet St.
 
The event is $30 and open to all ages. Register for Wild About Woodies. For more information, call 936.468.4404 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu. 

SFA Gardens will host a fruit research field day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 29, 2023, featuring kiwifruit, muscadine grapes, blueberries, figs, feijoas and other fruits.

Speakers will include Dr. David Creech, director of SFA Gardens; and Dr. Tim Hartmann and Dr. Justin Scheiner, both faculty members in Texas A&M University’s Department of Horticultural Sciences.

“While east Texas has suffered through several climate challenges in the last few years, the region has many comparative advantages for the fruit grower,” Creech said. “Low-cost land, easy access to high-quality water sources, big nearby population centers, and more folks interested in growing their own fruit all point to promise in the years ahead.”

The day will start at 9 a.m. with presentations at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building in the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St. There will be a break for attendees to leave for lunch. After the break, participants will then go to the fruit research plots at SFA Gardens around 1 p.m.

The cost of the field day is $15 per person. Register on-site the day of the event or in advance online. For more information, email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

Hard-to-find, Texas-tough plants grown by staff and volunteers. Proceeds from plant sales support SFA Gardens staffing and operations. Both sales run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2900 Raguet St. in Nacogdoches. Parking will be available at SFA’s Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center. 

2023

• Fabulous Fall Festival 
  Oct. 7-8, 2023
  9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
  List of Available Plants

2024

• Garden Gala Day - April 6-7

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host a houseplant and succulent summer sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 8, 2023 at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center greenhouse, located at 2900 Raguet St. 

The sale will feature succulents, cacti and houseplants of various varieties, plus a small assortment of a few other plant types. This sale will be a much smaller event than the SFA Gardens semi-annual plant sales and will offer a specific selection of plants intended for indoor or special care. 

Limited parking will be available at the PNPC. Visitors are encouraged to arrive at or after 8 a.m. when the doors will open. 

For more information, visit the SFA Gardens Facebook page, call 936.468.4404 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.

Our Ruby Mize Azalea Garden tour season is mid-March through mid-April (weather conditions and tour guide availability permitting). Guided tours are available to groups of ten or more and must be reserved with a two-week advance notice. Tours are $5 per person.

Ruby Mize Azalea Garden tour season is complete for Spring 2023. Thank you to all who joined us. We look forward to seeing you again next year for more beautiful blooms.

Monthly social for garden-minded individuals where a variety of themed topics are presented. Bring your own lunch. Each event is noon to 1 p.m. at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, located at 2900 Raguet St. in Nacogdoches.

• Aug. 17, 2022 – Introduction and welcome back 
• Sept. 21, 2022 – Plant sale preview
• Oct. 19, 2022 – Fall container combos
• Nov. 16, 2022 – Creating habitat for beneficial insects
• Dec. 21, 2022 – Greenery for the Christmas table
• Jan. 18, 2023 – Tool Maintenance
• Feb. 15, 2023 – Pest management
• March 15, 2023 – Plant sale preview/designing garden containers
• April 19, 2023 – Mulch, fungi and other fun things
• May 17, 2022 – Turf grass problem-solving
• June 21, 2023 – Summer break, no speaker
• July 19, 2023 – Summer break, no speaker
• Aug. 16, 2023 – Introduction and welcome back
• Sept. 20, 2023 – Plant sale preview
• Oct. 18, 2023 – Gardening for fall/tree planting
• Nov. 15, 2023 – Pruning: a brief overview
• Dec. 20, 2023 – Pinecones and winter decorations

Three-hour, garden-related workshops held throughout the year with experts from the SFA Gardens staff and surrounding community. Each event is 9 a.m. to noon at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, located at 2900 Raguet St. Cost is $30 for members and $40 for nonmembers. 

• Mar. 11, 2023
  Grafting Workshop - Dr. David Creech, SFA Gardens director, will discuss the propagation technique of grafting in a workshop where participants will have the opportunity to try their hand at tree grafting. 
   
• June 17, 2023
  Spectacular Science Saturday - Families with school-age children are invited to join Alan Sowards in an exploration of science activities, demonstrations and games. Who thought science could be this much fun? This is a great way to share time with your child and extend their excitement for learning.

The SFA Gardens Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St. A social with refreshments begins at 6:30 p.m. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. and is followed by a plant raffle.

• Oct. 12, 2023 – "Common Landscape Shrubs: Varieties and Keys to Success”
  Allen Owings, Louisiana State University professor emeritus, Bracy's and Clegg's Nursery product development
   
• Nov. 9, 2023 – "Garden Design: Creating a Dynamic Landscape"
  Megan Proska, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
   
• Dec. 14, 2023 - "Is the Pineywoods Native Plant Center a Case Study of Divine Intervention... or Maybe Not? Capitalizing on the Best Plants, Plans and People to Create a Green Resource for the Gulf South"
  Dr. Dave Creech, SFA Gardens director
   
• Jan. 11, 2024 - “It’s a Brand-new Day at SFA Gardens: What’s New and What’s Not”
  Dr. Andrew King, SFA Gardens assistant director 
   
• Feb. 8, 2024 -  “Muscadine Madness is Making Mayhem in the Piney Woods”
  Dr. Justin Scheiner, Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Service viticulturist
   
• March 14, 2024 -  “Plant Sale Preview: Plants You Shouldn’t Live Without” 
  Jordan Cunningham, SFA Gardens greenhouse/nursery technician
   
• April 11, 2024 -  “Everything you Wanted to Know about Crape Myrtle Bark Scale but Were Afraid to Ask”
  Dr. Yan Chen, LSU research scientist
   
• May 9, 2024 - “Pines, Pawpaws and Pocket Prairies”
  Greg Grant, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist for Smith County
   
• June 13, 2024 - “Unleashing the Flower Fairy: The Evolution of the Southern Garden Girl”
  Dawn Stover, longtime former SFA Gardens research associate
   
• July 11, 2024 - “Plants and People: Gardens Making a Difference”
  Dr. Tina Marie (Waliczek) Cade, Texas State University professor of horticulture
   
• Aug. 8, 2024 -  “The Art of Growing Plants Where Plants Don’t Want to Grow”
  Whitney Griffin, Aspire senior product owner