As I drive to the grocery store, I pass a school with an outdoor classroom and learning garden. I have often been envious of the space and considered how lucky they are to have it. A few years ago, the school principal contacted the Extension Office asking for help from the Master Gardeners. Despite having an amazing resource, only one (yes, one) teacher uses the space. An incredible resource left fallow and neglected by most of the staff. How can this happen? What went wrong? Why aren’t they using it?
Annuals
As we winterize our landscape and garden, I make a point to have my girls help me collect seeds. This hands-on activity gives them a real-life experience that ties them to the complete cycle of plant life. Nature regenerates itself in anticipation of the spring to come.
October 13, 2011 Read more
Recently, I shared a video with you demonstrating how I took a soil sample from my garden. I brought my “bags of dirt” to our county extension office. Well, the suspense is over! I have the results.
September 22, 2011 Read more
I love digging in the dirt! It’s probably why I buy so many annuals every year- more digging! The one annual that I plant every year is the begonia. It always looks great from the road and provides the color I desire for that part of the landscape.
May 13, 2011 Read more
Our school contains a passionate group of teachers, parents, and administrators that dream of building an outdoor classroom at our elementary school. Since I love dirt, plants, and kids, it’s fitting that I am elbow deep in this project.
It is sizzling HOT. I find myself watering for an hour a day while dreaming of underground irrigation systems, drip lines and soaker hoses! It’s a matter of time and money before everything is watered by a push of a button.