The dirt: All about herbs

Plus how to build a koi pond and grow a smart garden.

July 31, 2012 at 9:16PM
Koi pond
Koi pond (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Love to grow and cook with herbs? You can spend a day watching cooking demonstrations, tasting dishes, learning how to plant an edible landscape and meeting authors and experts at the Herb Symposium on Aug. 10.

The Minnesota Herb Society event, "Journey Through Thyme: Herbs in the Garden, Kitchen and Beyond," features "culinary herbalist" and author Pat Crocker, an "Edible Landscaping" presentation by Jim Long on how to plant less lawn and more food, Sharon Lovejoy, who wrote "The Well Seasoned Herbalist," and book signings.

The symposium runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska. Cost is $45 for arboretum and herb society members and $60 for nonmembers and includes all sessions, lunch, arboretum admission and a goodie bag. The lunch menu will be based on recipes of Brenda Langton, chef and author of "The Spoonriver Cookbook."

To register, visit www.arboretum.umn.edu/mnherbsociety50years.aspx or call 952-443-1422.

Fish fair Koi ponds are a hot water-gardening trend. Learn how to choose and care for koi at the Upper Midwest Koi Club's koi show from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. More than 75 of these exotic pond "jewels" owned and cared for by local and out-of-state hobbyists will be on display for judging. Free. Call 612-861-7311.

Smart gardens The Minnesota Project's "Letting Plants Be Plants" program explains how to design companion planting systems based on plant needs and characteristics that reduce pests and increase production, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. Cost is $20. Register at www.bachmans.com.

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