On a gloriously cooler September morning, master gardener volunteers arrived at Montgomery Botanical Gardens to participate in distributing soil throughout the gardens and continuing to line beds and walkways with ballast stones. These energetic members or the Capital City Master Gardener Association, along with a few other volunteers moved 10 yards of soil in less than two hours! With multiple shovels, wheelbarrows, buckets and gloves, the work went fast. The soon-to-be-planted Sensory Garden area was supplied with sufficient soil for the variety of plants that will be installed in the fall. The Pollinator beds were amended with some of the soil and the Bulb and Lily Beds shared in the bounty. Karin Carmichael, Chair of the CCMGA MBG Project, directed the work and guided the distribution. Today’s volunteers included Jane Martin, Lynne Kuhlmann, Lacy Gibson, Shap Ashely, Linda Graydon, Mamie McClure, Maggie Stringer, Ann Hamill, Henry Lucas, Janice and Andy Jackson, Cheryl McKiernan, Darwin Prewitt, Jim Wirshing, Cathleen Musicant, Cathy Maddox, Marie Tomlin, Nell Copeland, and Justin Skipper.
Karin Carmichael and Justin Skipper conferring about soil placement for Sensory Garden.
Henry Lucas, Linda Graydon, take a break to chat as volunteers add soil to beds.
Janice Jackson spreads soil as other volunteers work along with her.
Mamie McClure and Lynne Kuhlmann spread straw in Pollinator bed #1.
Maggie Stringer and Shap Ashley demonstrate that volunteers are allowed to take breaks.
Janice spreads soil as Andy Jackson and Cheryl McKiernan get instructions from Karin Carmichael.
Jim Wirshing, Cathleen Musicant, Henry Lucas, Lacy Gibson, Janice Jackson, Shap Ashley relieved to be finished with the work for the day.
As if they had not accomplished enough, the volunteers were very grateful that the staff from the Parks and Recreation Department delivered a number of loads of Ballast Stones to the Southern Garden that have been stored in their Maintenance lot for MBG. Volunteers laid the stones to extend the edging of the Pollinator Beds and will use some of them to continue with edging the Pathway. Some of these stones were recovered from sites downtown that were recently being developed. This is but one example of the gardens and the city working together for mutually beneficial outcomes.
MBG Volunteer Day is the third Tuesday of each month and all are welcome to join the volunteer work to support the development and maintenance of the gardens.
Ann Hamill and Darwin Prewitt take their tools to start loading the wheelbarrow with soil.
Jane Martin, Linda Graydon and Lynne Kuhlmann shovel the soil into carts to transport.
Cathy Maddox, Maggie Stringer and Shap Ashley take a break to enjoy the cool morning.
This smiling group is happy that the work is done and the gardens will benefit.
This group made magic happen ! Thankful for all the energy that it took to create this new garden. Thankful for Master Gardner’ s without them we would be nowhere.