Agenda of Events:
8:00 a.m. Registration and networking, light breakfast provided
9:00 a.m. Symposium begins
Session 1: Grow Your Knowledge
Gardening on the Upper Texas Gulf Coast offers endless possibilities for beautiful landscapes and abundant fruit and vegetable harvests. This three-part presentation series will focus on well-adapted plants for our region and share gardening techniques tailored to our unique climatic conditions.
9:15 a.m. Low Hanging Fruit | Boone Holladay
10:15 a.m. Coastal Vegetable Gardening | Keaton Argubright
11:15 a.m. Native Texas Plants for Coastal Landscapes | Ricci Simmons
12:00 p.m. Lunch and open exhibition area
Session 2: Welcoming Birds, Butterflies and Pollinators to the Garden
Join us for an afternoon of learning as we explore gardening practices that support birds, butterflies and pollinators. Discover how to design and maintain landscapes that provide food, shelter, and nesting opportunities. Together, we can make a difference in preserving these species and the ecosystems they help sustain.
1:00 p.m. Blooms & Butterflies: Creating a Garden Haven | Soni Holladay
2:00 p.m. Garden Gone Batty | Brandi Keller
3:00 p.m. Bird City Texas for Galveston | Sara Belles
3:45 p.m. Closing remarks
Presenters:
Keaton Argubright is deeply involved in the Galveston Farmers Market gardening program, where he works to engage young people and adults in hands-on gardening experiences. His efforts focus on teaching the basics about plant growth, sustainability, and the importance of healthy food choices. Argubright’s dedication helps foster a love for gardening and environmental awareness within the Galveston community.
Sara Belles is the Gulf Coast Avian Ecologist with the American Bird Conservancy working with to monitor and protect nesting shorebirds and seabirds, as well as migrating and wintering shorebirds. Sara also works closely with Bird City Texas – a community-focused certification program, created to help people protect birds and their habitats. Sara’s work is having a major impact on creating habitat, as well as reducing other harmful factors affecting our Gulf Coast bird population.
Boone Holladay is the Galveston County Extension Horticulture Agent with Texas A&M AgriLife. He provides expert, research-based education on gardening, plant care, pest management, and sustainable horticultural practices. Through his efforts, Boone helps individuals within the community enhance landscapes, improve plant health, and promote environmentally responsible gardening.
Soni Holladay is a dedicated educator at the Cockrell Butterfly Center, where she works to inspire visitors with a love for butterflies and the natural world. Through her efforts, she helps promote conservation and environmental education, sharing knowledge about native plants and butterfly species. Her passion for nature and wildlife have made her an integral part of the center's mission to connect people with the beauty of the environment.
Brandi Keller is the Galveston County Extension Agent for Coastal & Marine Resources with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and former Harris County Horticulture Agent. Currently, she provides outreach on coastal resilience, sustainable fisheries, and responsible environmental stewardship. Brandi is also a member of the Houston Bat Team, educating on bats’ ecological role, insect control benefits and their importance to local ecosystems while promoting sustainable wildlife practices.
Ricci Simmons joined the Galveston Bay Foundation in June 2019. Her primary interests are vegetation inventory and monitoring. Ricci works towards managing native vegetation to promote high species diversity, improving hydrologic function, and increasing wildlife habitat. Her love of gardening combined with her knowledgeable expertise makes Ricci one of the Gulf Coasts most valuable native plant authorities.
Participating Organizations:
American Bird Conservancy International Oleander Society
Galveston Garden Club OLLI at UTMB Gardening Group
Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council Seeding Galveston
Galveston Island Tree Conservancy Texas AgriLife Extension
Galveston’s Own Farmers Market Texas Native Plant Society
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