FOLEY — The Gestalt Gardener is heading to the Forward City this week.

National Public Radio host Felder Rushing will bring his “gardening humor” to the Foley Civic Center Thursday evening.

With his Mississippi-based radio show that can be heard in South Baldwin, Rushing shares practical gardening advice each Friday morning, with a rebroadcast on Saturdays, at the end of which he urges listeners to “get out there and get dirty.”

In addition, Rushing has authored 16 gardening books, which include “The Alabama and Mississippi Gardener’s Guide” and his latest publication, “The Gardener’s Heart.”

Plus, Rushing iis the contributing editor of “Horticulture” and “Garden Design” magazines, and his advice columns appear in “Fine Gardening,” “Organic Gardening,” “National Geographic,” “Better Homes and Gardens,” “House and Garden,” “Landscape Architecture,” “Southern Living and “A Man’s Garden” magazines. This has garnered him three features in The New York Times.

“He’s a rock god to gardeners,” Foley Public Library Director Steve Horn said in a phone interview. “It is a real honor and privilege to have somebody of his caliber speaking in Foley.

Despite such notoriety, Rushing maintains his down-to-earth, Southern manner, with an example being his touting of adding bottle trees to outdoor landscape designs. According to Horn, Thursday’s attendees should expect plenty of that manner.

“He interjects a lot of humor into his presentations,” the library director said.

But the gardening expert will still provide information useful for South Baldwin.

“He’ll tell us what works for our soil,” Horn said.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Foley Civic Center. Tickets are $10 per person or $15 per couple and can be purchased at the Foley Public Library, with proceeds benefitting the library.

Horn credits Friends of the Foley Public Library for making Thursday’s presentation possible.

“They thought of this from the inception,” he said.

Horn explained that Friends conduct various fundraiser throughout the year.

“The Friends benefit us to the tune of $10,000 a year,” he said. “They work hard to make us, arguably, the best library in Baldwin County.”

For more information or to reserve a seat for Thursday’s event, call the Foley Public Library at 943-7665.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Gestalt Gardener, Felder Rushing

WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday

WHERE: Foley Civic Center

TICKETS: $10 per person or $15 per couple, available at

Foley Public Library

INFO: Call 943-7665