Among the members of the Livingston Master Gardeners participating in the Fall Plant Sale held Saturday, Sept. 21, from left, were Clark Robertson, JoAnn Cook, Kathy Kiloh, Donna Holten and Melanie McCartt. Robertson is the horticulture agent for Livingston Parish with the LSU AgCenter and Holten is president of the Master Gardeners group.
Members of the Livingston Master Gardeners Association are generally drawn to the group because of an abiding interest in the many and varied aspects of cultivating and caring for plants and in creating gardens and attractive and captivating landscapes.
At the same time, members are also drawn to the association because of its commitment to sponsoring programs in the schools that promote and foster an interest in horticulture and related fields. To this end, the group sponsored its first ever Fall Plant Sale fundraiser Sept. 21 at the Southeastern Livingston Center in Walker. Funds derived from the sale will assist the Master Gardeners in supporting its educational efforts.
Donna Holten, the group's president, said that among the organization's involvement is the rewarding of two grants that help fund projects at parish schools. The grants were awarded to Denham Springs Junior High School and Louis Vincent Elementary School.
Justin Rayburn of the DHJH and Leslie Ellis of Louis Vincent were the teachers who submitted plans for horticulture programs at their respective schools.
"In both cases the funds we supply to the schools will help our students learn all about the importance of gardening and related activities involved with horticulture in general. The students are getting an opportunity to participate in 'hands on' activities that teach them gardening skills," Holten said.
To assist with the plant sale, the Master Gardeners invited a number of commercial plant vendors to bring their wares to the sale. This allowed shoppers the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of plants.
Holten said the Livingston Master Gardeners are "thriving."
"We have 62 active members who are very much involved in our organization," Holten said. The school, she said, is in the process of starting a new class, which has 21 applicants.
"There is more to gardening than just planting and maintaining plants. Some of our members are into hydroponics, others have green houses, some specialize in vegetable gardens, others focus on flowers and landscape. There is much that one can learn through Master Gardening," she said.
JoAnn Cook, the group's treasurer, added, "even though we all enjoy growing things, there's even more to Master Gardening. We also focus on education in the school, outreach when we can be of assistance in the community, and the fostering of friendships. Our members enjoy meeting and working together. Besides, it gives some of us a reason to get out of bed in the morning."
Those aspiring to become a Master Gardener must complete 14 weeks of training classes that take three hours a week. Participants are tested on a regular basis and must make at least one presentation before they can graduate from the program. After they finish the class, gardeners are required to volunteer 40 hours of service to the organization in the first year and 20 hours each year thereafter. Members also must take six additional hours of continuing education classes.
Clark Robertson, the horticulture agent for Livingston Parish with the LSU Ag Center said of his association with the Master Gardeners, "I very much enjoy working with these ladies. They bring knowledge and energy to the field of horticulture in general. These ladies frequently come up with new ideas on how to improve their organization and how to serve others, especially in the schools. Today's Fall Plant Sale was a fresh idea that the group came up with and is one more example of how they always think of something new."
Robertson said that while women make up about 90% of the group's membership, some men are also interested.
Despite yet another scorching day in the second-to-last day of a long, hot summer, customers were showing up at the plant sale looking for flowers, shrubs, trees and other plants to take home, purchases that will add beauty to their lawns and patios and in the process help the Master Gardeners who are helping the schools.