CLICK TO LOG YOUR VOLUNTEER HOURS
Help us track our impact locally and statewide
ONLINE CALENDAR
Educational events, upcoming projects, volunteer opportunities, and more
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
See how you can volunteer, get involved, and give back to our community
BECOME A MASTER GARDENER
Interested in gardening and community service?
June Meeting was a success.
Thank you Barbara Wilson for the wonderful program on How to Judge Flowers.
Barbara explains how to judge flowers with a critical eye and how she scores flowers.
Workday at Ivy Green
Plant Sale was a Huge Success
It truly takes a village... from digging and planting, to watering, moving plants from the greenhouse, unloading, working security all night long- to the sale itself. Thank you to all our volunteers- and thank you to everyone who came to the sale. Happy Planting!
Kevin Hutchinson-
Kevin was our guest speaker in April. He spoke on safe practice for lifting and bending in the garden. Kevin is the owner of QC Fitness labs in Muscle Shoals
Thank you! Charlotte Martin
Charlotte Martin was our guest speaker for our March Meeting
She gave a excellent program on Monarch Butterflies
Updates from Shoals Master Gardeners
Greenhouse Workday
Volunteers worked on Friday February 23 at the newly acquired Greenhouse. The use of the greenhouse was made possible by a partenership between Shoals Master Gardeners and the ARC of the Shoals. Thank you to Mike Stamps and Dwight James for working to make this possible
2023 Christmas Party
The Shoals Master Gardeners closed out the 2023 year with a Christmas Party at the Underwood Petersville Community Center. Members enjoyed a delicious meal of Cordon Blue Chicken with all the trimmings. Thank you to our Hospitality Committee for all they do to keep us well fed!
Tomato Sandwich Day 2023 in Colbert County, AL
Is there any better way to appreciate a great tomato than a simple tomato sandwich? Nothing but bread, mayo and thick slices of juicy tomatoes! On July 28, the Colbert County Extension Office once again put on its annual Tomato Sandwich Day, to raise awareness of the Extension Office's services and programs—and, of course, to enjoy tomato sandwiches.
Shoals Master Gardeners were on hand to support the Extension Office at this educational community event, where free sandwiches were given out to the first 200 visitors.
Colbert Extension Coordinator Karen Crow told Times Daily, "Approximately 75 pounds of tomatoes will be served on Friday, along with mayonnaise, bread, chips, cookies, water, and bacon bits or cheese upon request."
SMG Field Trip to UT Gardens - Jackson
Shoals Master Gardeners can't resist a good garden tour and plant sale! Kaye Hillis organized a great field trip this summer to UT Gardens - Jackson's Summer Fest. Located at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee, this year's program included a full day of expert talks on gardening and horticulture, specialized tours of UT Gardens, and a plant sale featuring a wide variety of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals.
Come See the Landscaping at the Extension Office
A big “thank you” goes out to recently minted SMG Penny Townsend, who stopped in at the Lauderdale County Extension Office and accumulated some ongoing volunteer hours cleaning and weeding the beds fronting Veterans Drive.
Front bed, before
Front bed, after
Rain barrel bed, before
Rain barrel bed, after
Jerry Clayton of Hope Botanical Gardens Speaks at the SMG June Meeting
At our June member meeting, Shoals Master Gardeners were pleased to welcome as our speaker Jerry Clayton, executive director of Hope Botanical Garden in Leoma, Tennessee. Jerry shared with us his experience establishing this garden and how he's engaged help and support from the surrounding community to make this venture a growing success.
Packed into the four-acre site are several themed gardens, including a arborvitae maze (comprised of 840 individual trees), rose garden, children's garden, native garden, Japanese garden, and a pink garden—designed as a tribute to breast cancer. Many of the gardens and features at Hope Botanical Garden have been designed, installed, and supported by local community members.
Jerry showed pictures of the new visitor center, which is under construction. He also shared some of his future plans for the garden, including an outdoor gazebo and event venue, a tea house in the Japanese garden, and a Hobbit house that will be constructed in the children's garden. They garden has also received grant money to make the grounds fully accessible.
You can find out more at the Hope Botanical Garden website, including visiting hours and ways to get involved in this project.
Video: Starting Seeds with Jon Norton, Master Gardener
Find out how to get a jump-start on your garden this year. Florence-Lauderdale Public Library hosted a workshop with Master Gardener Jon Norton on starting seeds (video by Lisa Russell).