(Photos from Harmony Park project site, Eisenhower Birthplace project site, and a volunteer day at Lowes-Sherman)
Grayson County Master Gardener Shares Her Experiences as an Intern
By: Liz Johnson, Grayson County Master Gardener Intern
It has been my desire for quite a while to expand my plant and gardening knowledge and become a Master Gardener. Sharing knowledge is something I enjoy. Turning a plain piece of ground into something beautiful is a good and joyful thing, and I want to share my experience and enthusiasm with the community.
To become better acquainted with the processes and procedures of the Master Gardener Office, I spent several hours with Master Gardener Donna Nesbitt and learned about the library and phone protocol. I had time to become acquainted with Joyce White, Grayson County Extension Agent at Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and learned what her duties are. I offered my Microsoft Office skills as well as calligraphy skills if needed to Joyce and Donna.
Harmony Park and Eisenhower Birthplace are oases in the Sherman/Denison area. Both are peaceful even though their locations are so diverse. Spending time there helped acquaint me with the native plants and other plants that thrive here. The Sherman/Denison area is much different than any place I have lived. I have encountered the “Gumbo” soil in the southeast part of Houston, and it was a challenge there also! The classes regarding the different soils in our area – what to do and not to do – have served me well in several instances.
I have visited the Sherman Library-Harmony Park several times and each time, whether pulling weeds or planting new plants (I am an excellent weed puller and hole digger!), there is a tranquil peace in the garden. This is amazing since it is in the downtown area. The grounds are beautiful and full of healthy plants well suited to the location. Children and parents take advantage of the musical instruments at the far end of Harmony Park. Their lovely sounds make the job at hand easier somehow. It is delightful to see parents and children enjoying the grounds and stopping to admire the lovely plants.
During the visit noted, weeding was done, and plants were planted. All the plants did not thrive but the ones that did looked healthy when I returned in May. Each time I go there, plants are pointed out and I learn a little more about the grounds at the Sherman Library-Harmony Park.
Because it is the birthplace of one of our Presidents, the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site, located in Denison, Texas, should be beautiful. Thanks to David Turner, Grayson County Master Gardener and Master Naturalist, it is. Having had the opportunity to attend several workdays, I have learned much about the native plants and what is and is not a weed! Our main activities have been weeding and trimming.
If Eisenhower’s Birthplace had to be described in one word, that word would be peaceful. Even with five Master Gardeners diligently working, the peaceful serenity that is found there was not lost. In the world we live in, that is a good thing. The Master Gardeners cleaned out flower beds of unwanted or dead plants near the office. A little trimming was also done. It doesn’t sound
like much, but there were four or five of us and we had several large piles of debris to carry away. Everything looked much tidier when we finished.
After working at several places and attending the weekly Master Gardener meetings, I volunteered at Lowe’s for Community Outreach. What a great experience. Besides me, there were two Master Gardeners and several Interns who volunteered their service that day. Between helping customers, we had the opportunity to get to know each other better-what a gift. We greeted customers, talked about our program and the Texas A&M extension program, assured customers we weren’t selling anything, and helped a lot with questions. It was awesome to recall answers to questions from our classes and/or our book. The managers at Lowe’s were very happy.
The combination of classroom training and practical experience has given me a much better appreciation for selecting the best plants for a given location and how to nurture them to healthy maturity. I value what I have learned from the Master Gardener program. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with the community.