Bastrop County teen's talents bloom through 4-H horticulture projects

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Stephanie Roberts enjoys growing flowers, as well as sharing their beauty with others. The flowers, plus fruits and vegetables, are sold from her family's home, but she often shares her fresh-cut arrangements with nursing homes or the county's Extension office. -- Staff photo by Taylor

July 24, 2003 -- Stephanie Roberts of Bastrop is one busy teenager! A member of the Hills Prairie 4-H Club for the past six years, Roberts has more interests and talents than she has time.

One of 12, home-schooled members of the 4-H club, Roberts said she had never really thought about joining a 4-H club, since she thought they were strictly about "cows and animals," she laughingly remembers.

But somewhere along the way, Roberts discovered she has a "green thumb" and that 4-H includes horticulture projects. Although she enjoys growing many things, including vegetables and fruits, she is best known for her flowers.

Roberts' garden, contained within an acre at her family's home, has roses, Datua Jemson, 4-o'clocks, sunflowers, marigolds, cockscombs, Mexican sunflowers and, last but certainly not least ... the zinnias.

Known for her fantastic zinnias, Roberts has marketed them to Austin Flower Company, along with some of her sunflowers.

Although most of her flower garden is on the "down" side for this season, there are various flowers still blooming in the hot July sun.

The youngest of four sisters, Roberts' talent for raising flowers is not only well-known to the area's residents, it is also respected in 4-H competitions. According to her mother, Alice, some of Roberts' recent top awards include three blue ribbons at the Texas A&M University State Round-Up; a blue ribbon at the Elgin Western Days celebration; and Best of Show at the Bastrop County horticulture show.

A year or so ago, Roberts utilized her flowers to decorate the churches and reception areas for two of her sisters' weddings; and after she completes a horticulture show, she takes her bouquets of cut flowers to nursing homes and/or her local Extension agent in Bastrop.

Since her garden produces so many flowers, Roberts said she and her mom stagger the planting of the seeds, each season, so they can be harvested at various times. Each year, the Roberts collect around seven gallons of zinnia seeds.

Some of the tallest, fullest flowers are produced within one area of the garden where the family once housed a family of goats, Alice said with a laugh.

For now, Roberts said the best part about growing the flowers is "cutting them and seeing them bunched together, perfectly!" The hardest part of producing her garden flowers is the weeding, but she

understands that it is necessary during the height of the growing season.

And if anyone thinks gardening is not very exciting, Roberts related an "event" that occurred this past spring - she came face-to-face with a small copperhead snake. She said it didn't deter her from her gardening, and that "ribbon snakes" are plentiful, too, but they do no harm.

Along with the horticulture projects, Roberts enjoys other aspects of 4-H. She recently won the outstanding senior fashion student with a dress she sewed for prom. She said the net petticoat had about 60 yards around the bottom, and all of it required hemming.

Roberts enjoys dancing with a group in her home-schooling co-op, Tae Kwon Do, photography, and drama classes. Her mom is a certified art teacher and teaches the co-op group art during the school year.

As for her future plans, Roberts plans to attend a Christian college in New York and learn to minister to others through drama. Between now and then, she'll continue producing her beautiful garden.