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The Louisville Nature Center (LNC) along with the Jefferson County Master Gardener Association (JCMGA) are selling LEGACY BRICKS to raise funds for LNC, JCMGA and maintenance of the Sensory Garden. The Sensory Garden is specially designed to be accessible and enjoyable for all visitors, including those with physical challenges. It provides a variety sensory opportunities.

A Legacy Brick is a perfect way to acknowledge a special person, family or group, or create a memory for someone who is no longer with you. Stop by our Sensory Garden at the LNC and see what a lovely tribute you’d be making with the purchase of these bricks (3745 Illinois Ave, Louisville, Ky. 40213).

The cost of the bricks are $100.00 each, and each brick will include up to three lines of engraving with 15 characters per line. The Bricks will be installed in the spring of 2016. To order your Legacy Bricks visit the Louisville Nature Center’s website.

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From Master Gardener June Sandercock

Last year the JCMGA Community Education Committee provided programs to organizations throughout the Metro area, including, among others, the Louisville Metro Library’s How-To Festival in May, KIPDA’s Child Care Provider Certification Training, and the Louisville Nature Center’s late winter gardening series.

Our crowning achievement in 2015 was the development of the new “In The Garden” (ITG) series. Building on the concept developed for the Lessons Learned garden tours, ITG provides horticultural and urban agricultural programming taught by master gardeners in their own backyards.

In this unique series, participants learn first-hand from a gardener’s experience, skill and knowledge, and leave the program more easily able to begin a new gardening project or enhance an existing space. Thanks to our ITG guinea pigs: Trilba Smith for showing us how to incorporate edibles into existing ornamental beds and borders, Peggy Campbell for discussing ways to transition from a higher to lower maintenance horticultural landscape, and to June Sandercock for helping gardeners to understand and appreciate the value of evaluating a landscape in the Fall and providing tips for how to improve their garden spaces.

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Ralph Archer (the namesake for Whitehall’s Woodland Garden) chatting with Richie Steffen and JCMGA members

Most Monday mornings March through October, you will see a faithful band of Master Gardeners along with Whitehall’s Landscape Director, Mike Hayman, in the Ralph Archer Woodland Garden. (The garden is located at 3110 Lexington Rd, Louisville, KY 40206.)

Some years we are lucky to add new Master Gardeners to the team. We welcomed our newest member Brenda Townes, who has proven to be an enthusiastic team member. This group has worked to cultivate and develop one of the region’s premier shade gardens since Ralph Archer began the project in 2002. Visit Whitehall’s website for detailed photos of the garden.

Each year new and rare varieties of plants, shrubs and trees are added to the area thanks to connections with cutting-edge people in the trade. A BIG THANKS to JCMGA for providing the funds to purchase more plant tags in our ever-expanding collection, and for supporting this year’s speaker, Richie Steffen. Mr. Steffen, President of the Hardy Fern Foundation, held a June workshop at Whitehall with 50 in attendance from the region. We learned a great deal, not only about ferns, but other shade loving plants.

Richie Steffen leading a tour through Whitehall’s Woodland Garden

Ralph Archer and Richie Steffen at the Woodland Garden

Education about these plants is part of our mission. This world-class garden has been toured not only by local garden groups, but national and British touring garden enthusiasts. Every other year the Master Gardeners, along with Whitehall staff, plan an event featuring national speakers from all over the US.

Our favorite team member and Master Gardener, Ralph Archer, is now able to show up periodically to survey his garden. We’re so happy to have Ralph Archer feeling better and coming more often – he is a delight to us all!

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From Master Gardener Rosetta Fackler.

Great news from the Paul Posten Garden!

It was a banner year for the gardeners. Early spring crops were bountiful: peas, lettuce, and lots of leafy greens and cole crops. This year the black raspberries, red raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries were fantastic. Tomatoes quickly overtook the beds. Sweet potatoes provided Mr. Henry with makings for his famous sweet potato pie, which is always anticipated with forks ready.

Next spring we are looking forward to maybe getting sweet cherries from the trees we planted last spring. We all look forward to the day the apple and peach trees start producing, too. We collaborated with Shawnee Academy to have some pictures that represent the people, activities, and produce from the garden painted on the fence.

Through the generosity of JCMGA we were able to purchase some flowering shrubs, bulbs and grasses to add winter and spring beauty to the garden. The gardeners and I are very grateful for this support. The gardeners hosted two groups, one from the national convention of NeighborWorks America and another from Nicaragua. Both groups were interested in how the veggies were distributed and were impressed that anyone who is hungry can get food from the garden. For me, every visit is a delightful opportunity to share information, laughter and the joy of seeing how much the gardeners care for the garden and one another.

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From Master Gardeners Janie Kanzler and Marsha Flores. The Sensory Garden is located in front of the Louisville Nature Center at 3745 Illinois Ave, Louisville, KY 40213.

Janie Kanzler:
The Sensory Garden at the Louisville Nature Center (LNC) has been put to bed for the winter. There was a lot of activity there again this year. Our MG volunteers, along with some LNC volunteers, kept the garden in shape for the many visitors who came by to see what was growing, and to enjoy the many varieties of native and non-native plants.

The garden is used for many educational outings with school children. Some of the MG educational events were the gardening programs with the clients from Dreams with Wings and Day Spring. These programs are always so much fun for the volunteers as well as the clients. There was also a “Backyards for Butterflies” presentation that was enjoyed by all ages. Live Monarch butterflies were released in the Sensory Garden and a presentation of the many plants that they and other butterflies need for existence was discussed. The garden is used by many folks who live in the neighborhood, out of town visitors, Boy and Girl Scouts, and many other groups.

This year several bought a memorial brick that was placed in the Memorial Round in the garden. A sun dial was donated by a LNC board member, a kiosk was built & installed by LNC volunteers, and a peace pole was painted and installed by MGs. Many plants were added including 3 Pawpaw trees, several varieties of native grasses, 3 butterfly bushes, alliums, and more.

The Sensory Garden Group is looking forward to 2016 and all the many joys that the Sensory Garden brings to everyone who visits!

Marsha Flores:
LNC is a unique learning lab here in the city. The Sensory Garden at the LNC is a gorgeous and peaceful place and has been a haven for me. For years, Janie Kanzler has encouraged me to become a MG, and I can’t think of a better fit than having the new MG classes held at LNC and then having the hands-on experience at the Sensory Garden!

When I started my MG class last February, the pond was icy and the garden covered in snow! Once awakened, we shared the life cycle space with beautiful butterflies, birds, bees, a variety of big and little critters, and an abundance of varied plant material!

Janie Kanzler and Linda Guss have been great mentors. They have always been there to answer questions and give me guidance. Gary Michael has been there to add his energy and knowledge as well. I have met such wonderful and super knowledgeable people and have experienced so much first-hand learning.

The raised annual bed was planted with the help of Dreams with Wings clients and MGs. The raised vegetable bed was planted with the help of Day Spring clients and MGs. The Backyards for Butterflies program with the Monarch butterfly release was an awesome event at LNC and Sensory Garden with MGs, Gary, Janie, and MG interns, Sally Cramer, Kris Burke and myself! It has been great working with MGs and MG interns and the volunteers since March 2015. Many thanks to Kathy Morris, MG and LNC Director, who has encouraged and applauded our efforts, has helped with our projects and secured volunteers! I am really looking forward to next spring!

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