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The Carver Scott County Master Gardeners have carved a multi-faceted series of Teaching Gardens out of the native sugar sand that makes up the bottom land of the Minnesota River Valley running through the Scott County Fairgrounds in Jordan. This garden is a compilation of 20 individual gardens, with more added each year, and several changed entirely from year to year. The gardens are open to visit 24/7, but be sure to stop into the adjacent Scott County Extension office during work hours to obtain a printed copy of the virtual tour. Or you may download the garden maps by clicking on each garden below. The
overall garden tour mapprovides a good overview of all the themed gardens while the individual maps (listed below) provide additional detail for each including plant species and their location.The Teaching Garden was established to provide a sampling of small theme gardens that can be adapted to any backyard. In reaction to our current economic state, the annual gardens in 2009 were dedicated to the theme of growing food at home. This theme is represented in the following gardens:
The environment is another important focus for our group. Many of the plots at this organically run Teaching Garden illustrate sound environmental practices such as composting as well as incorporating a comparison between standard pavers, permeable pavers, and recycled permeable pavers. Some of the gardens which highlight these principles include the following:
In the spring of 2009, the Carver-Scott Master Gardener's worked with Habitat for Humanity staff, homeowners, and various volunteers to create a landscape that encourages homeowner's sense of pride and increases a home's curb appeal. Our goals as Master Gardeners were to make the landscape functional, maintainable, environmentally sound and aesthetically pleasing.
As Master Gardeners, we met with the families and learned about them to determine what landscape would work best considering their preferences, family needs, job schedules, time available for landscape maintenance, etc. With these factors in mind, we developed a landscape plan and presented the proposed design to the homeowners along with providing educational information on plant identification, care and maintenance requirements. After a few tweaks, the final design was installed with the help of various community volunteers. Over the course of the first year, we will schedule two follow-up meetings with the homeowners to answer their landscape questions and provide additional instructions if needed to ensure they will be successful with their new landscape.
We look forward to future joint opportunities such as this one to reach out to and beautify the great community's green spaces, share our landscape knowledge and inspire gardening in others.
The Carver/Scott Master Gardener program is looking for volunteers who have an interest in horticulture and a passion for teaching others. Program applications and additional information is available by clicking the following link 2010_application_materials.zip or may be obtained by calling the Carver County Extension Office at (952) 466-5300 or the Scott County Extension Office at (952) 492-5410.
Acceptance into the Carver-Scott Master Gardener program requires an application, an interview and completion of the "core course," or training, through the University of Minnesota. Training for candidates selected for the program takes place in January. On alternating years, the training is either offered at the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus or at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen.
In exchange for receiving the training, Master Gardener interns return 50 hours of volunteer time to the Program the first year. To remain certified in subsequent years, Master Gardeners volunteer a minimum of 25 hours and must have at least 7 hours of related continuing education.
Come grow with us at "Evenings in the Garden," where Carver/Scott Master Gardeners and guest presenters at the Scott County Fairgrounds Teaching Gardens guide you through gardening topics such as gardening in small spaces, planting creative containers, gathering family picnic or reunion ideas, attracting bees and maximizing pollination, and learning the best ways to freeze and preserve the summer harvest.
These events are held once a month throughout the summer. Join us for one or all of them! If you are interested in attending one or more of these events, please preregister by calling Mary at the Scott County Extension Office at 952-492-5410.
Click on the following link to download the event brochure: EveningInGardenBrochure_final.pdf
