Education

Pittsburgh, PA

HIGHLAND PARK GARDEN CLUB

EDUCATION

MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS

In-person meetings will be held in Brooks Hall at St. Andrew’s Church, 5801 Hampton Street, 15206. (Please use the Accessible Entrance to the church office building, under the green metal awning. Brooks Hall is on the left.)

Meetings generally fall on the third Saturday of the month at 10 am; exceptions are noted below in italics. The Meetings include the program (lecture or crafting event), followed by a business meeting, after field trip programs (garden visits or tours). Some events require advance RSVP and/or material fees.

Meetings and tours are free to members. Non-members are welcome to most programs; a $10 donations is suggested through Eventbrite. Check the program description below for the current Eventbrite link. All are welcome to join the HPGC. Annual dues are $20. Members can be renewed and new members can join at any meeting. Membership information can be found here .

2026 PROGRAMS:

February 21, 5PM - Winter Potluck (Members’ Party)

St. Andrew’s Church

It was a great evening - lovely companionship and conversation, delicious food, and the weather even cooperated!! You were missed if you weren’t able to attend - look for future get-togethers!

March 21, 10-11 am - Hugelkultur Gardening:

the cheap and easy gardening technique you never heard of.

Presenter: Elaine Liberati, Penn State Master Gardener

St. Andrew’s Church, 5801 Hampton Avenue. Pittsburgh 15206

Free street parking is available.

Hugelkultur is a German gardening technique that has become popular among no-till, no-dig enthusiasts worldwide. It is a proven process that follows the permaculture principles. You've heard about many kinds of beds, but have you heard about a mound bed or a hill bed? Well, that is what "hugel" means: a hill bed.

In Hugelkulture gardening, a mound is constructed to create a raised bed of decaying wood debris and other compostable plant materials from is available in most landscapes. This ancient gardening technique is self-watering, self-tilling and self-fertilizing. It’s a great way to save you money.

It's been around for over 100 years, mostly in Germany and Eastern Europe, but its roots really go way further back into biodynamic agriculture and the philosophical and esoteric teachings of Rudolph Steiner. It's a fascinating subject and technique that will help you fill your raised beds economically with composting logs and debris. It works on soil fertility, irrigation, and longer growing surfaces, and it uses resources in your own backyard.

Elaine Silver-Liberati became a master gardener through Penn State University in 2019. SHe lives in Gibsonia and has been active in the Shaler Garden Club since 2020. She has touted the benefits of hugelkultur gardening throughout the area as part of the Penn State Master Gardener lecture program.

HPGC programs are free to HPGC members. Non-members are welcome to attend with a donation through Eventbrite ($10 suggested) - click here for the Eventbrite post.

Everyone is welcome to join the club - you don't have to live in Highland Park. Dues are $20 per year - click here for more info about joining.

April 18, 10 am - Growing Mushrooms, St. Andrew’s Church

Presenter: Silvan Goddin, Grow Pittsburgh

May 23, 10 am - Member’s Garden - Tour of David Lagnese’s Japanese Garden

Adress: TBA

Please note date

June 20 - Federation Garden Tour

More info to come

July 18 - The Audubon Backyard Habitat Program - Field Trip

Beechwood Farms, 614 Dorseyville Rd, Fox Chapel, PA 15238-1618

Presenter: Nick Stahlman, Community Conservation Coordinator, ASWP

August 15 - Dahlias!