MASTER GARDENERS

By Cathy Maddox MASTER GARDENERS

Montgomery Botanical Gardens

Volunteers from the Capital City Master Gardener Association (CCMGA) obviously love the Montgomery Botanical Gardens at Oak Park (MBG). This group of enthusiastic volunteers support the development and care of the gardens through serving on the MBG board of directors, donating funds, providing educational presentations, guided tours, helping with publicity, creating, and maintaining planting beds within the overall design of the plan for the gardens, and even performing ongoing gardening functions.

Volunteer In Biblical Garden

have been a glorious reward for their hard work. useful in the many propagation tasks. The greenhouse will be an excellent resource for both CCMGA and MBG. It is also a great venue for master gardeners to provide demonstration classes for MG Interns, as well as offer classes for the public through MBG events on topics such as propagation, transplanting, and caring for plants.

From the very first MBG organizational meeting in 2013 to explore community support for establishing botanical gardens in Montgomery, master gardeners have been involved as an integral part of developing and sustaining the gardens. CCMGA members adopted MBG as a major volunteer project for their organization in 2014 and has contributed thousands of hours of volunteer time to help the gardens become the place of beauty and peace that it is today, and they are not slowing down. Some of these master gardener volunteers began their involvement with MBG by performing the difficult work of digging and removing matted vines, saplings, and weeds along the main drive into the park which had been overgrown and unsightly for a long time. That

Daylily Bed

area has now been completely cleared and replanted with healthy azaleas, camellias, and other southern shrubs. The spring blooms The most recent contribution to MBG by CCMGA is the creation of new color beds on each side of the main entrance to MBG. The committee to create the new circular beds was chaired by Justin Skipper, MG. These beds as well as the entrance walk were edged with stones CCMGA donated the funds to purchase gathered from throughout the garden the materials for a greenhouse and grounds. One of the CCMGA members provided most of the volunteers to even donated the necessary funds to construct it at MBG. It extend the existing took several years to irrigation system complete the building, to make these new then equip and furnish it, beds possible. Last but the greenhouse is now year the Master operational, and plants Gardeners established happily grew and flourished a Pollinator Garden under the care of CCMGA at MBG as part of volunteers. The late Terry the national Green Graydon, husband of Linda Bridges program to Graydon, one of the master attract pollinators gardeners’ to stop and visit the volunteers, many blooms. They constructed extended that garden a beautiful this spring. support table for the double Members of CCMGA sinks donated are also involved with by Karin Lynne Kuhlmann and on the ladder is other organizations Carmichael, Karin Carmichael, MG Volunteers that have contributed another master to the beauty of gardener, and another, Tom MBG. Some of our members are also McLemore, connected the members of the Montgomery Area plumbing for the sinks. These Daylily Society that have established a sinks provide a convenient Daylily Display Bed along the curve of the source of water for planting, walkway through the Southern Garden washing pots, mixing at MBG. It has been a beautiful, eyesolutions, and washing catching addition along with Plant ID hands. Another master gardener, Dave signs to inform visitors about the variety Toellner, constructed a sturdy potting of lilies and perennials in the bed. The bench for the greenhouse that will be Federation of Garden Clubs also has

Justin Skiipper at Entrance Beds

members who are CCMGA members. This group has been revitalizing and restoring the Biblical Garden at MBG which had deteriorated for many years. It is now a lovely spot of respite with replaced and new plantings, and benches for resting and enjoying the peace and tranquility.

MG Volunteers pruning boxwood

From all indications, it appears that CCMGA and MBG have a great future together and that is a good thing for Montgomery and the River Region!

To learn more visit

www.montgomerybotanicalgardens.com www.capcitymga.org

Cathy Maddox became a Certified Master Gardener after her retirement from the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. She is a founding member of the MBG Board of Directors., and a dedicated community volunteer. She is a past recipient of the Betty Fitzgerald Beautification Award from the City of Montgomery.