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Pulaski County Master GardenersMaster Gardeners maintain many public gardens in Pulaski County. You're probably already familiar with many of them - the landscaping at City Hall in Jacksonville; the Old Mill and the restoration of the grounds at Park Hill Water Works in North Little Rock; and the formal gardens at the Old State House and Curran Hall in Little Rock.
Master Gardeners also maintain the wildflower and butterfly areas at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, the Contemplation Garden in MacArthur Park, formal planters in the courtyards of the Arkansas Arts Center, and the heritage roses at Mount Holly Cemetery. They work in demonstration gardens at the state and county Cooperative Extension Service offices, the State Hospital, and the Markham Street entrance to War Memorial Park. Master Gardeners grow world-renowned varieties of blackberries and blueberries at the Cammack - UA Systems garden and tend the Governor's Mansion Vegetable Garden. They also use the State Hospital greenhouse to grow plants for many of the projects. The Pulaski County Extension Service (a cooperative arrangement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Arkansas and county government) coordinates this program. The gardens belong to the public through city, county, or state government. Public personnel do the basic manual labor of preparing a site and furnishing supplies and some plants. For special occasions at project sites, some local nurseries even supply plants. Then, throughout the year, Master Gardeners design and maintain the gardens, planting perennials and seasonal annuals for color and interest. In addition to hands-on gardening, Pulaski County Master Gardeners speak to groups in local schools and community organizations and help home gardeners solve problems through a River Market Clinic, phone service at the Pulaski County Cooperative Extension Office, and a Horticulture Hotline. Master Gardeners also teach horticulture therapy classes at the Baptist Rehabilitation Institute, and they often serve as docents for local garden tours at private homes. The international Master Gardener program began in 1972 in the state of Washington. In Arkansas, the first Master Gardener class graduated in the fall of 1988. The concept is that highly motivated volunteers who already have an interest in gardening can be trained to set up school and civic programs, serve as speakers, and carry out other activities promoting good gardening practices. In 2001, Pulaski County Master Gardener volunteers gave more than 10,000 hours of service to their community. For more information, contact: Pulaski County Master Gardeners |
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