Volunteers from the Capital City Master Gardener Association met in the gardens on the regular monthly volunteer day, the third Tuesday of the month, recently to help prepare the gardens for the coming change of seasons. On October 21 they changed the plants in the seasonal color beds for the coming fall season at the entrance to Phase I-Southern Garden. The Marigolds were still in beautiful full bloom in the circular beds that adorn each side of the pathway. But it was time to plant the multi-colored Snapdragons so they can develop a strong root system before cold weather arrives. So, to extend the Marigold’s season of beauty the volunteers carefully removed those plants and replanted them along each side of the pathway instead of discarding them. It was a great way to “recycle” plant material.
Then they amended the soil in the circular beds and installed multi-colored Snapdragons. The Master Gardener volunteers also removed the Dwarf Golden Cypress shrubs that were in the urns at the center of the circular beds and replaced them with Scent-mazing Dwarf Gardenias. The seasonal color beds looked lovely when they were finished and the white blossoms of the gardenias provided a sweet aroma.
Led by CCMGA MBG Project Chair, Karen Weber, the volunteers, including Racile Casey, Rosemary Blackmon, Regina Langford, Carmen Sowers, Linda Graydon, Cathy Maddox, Tom McLemore, Cheryl McKiearnan, Ann Oldham, and Vivian O’Neal, also deadheaded the plants in the three Green Bridges Pollinator Beds and other plants in the Southern Garden. The Canna Lillies were thinned and cut back and unsightly leaves were removed from the Crinum Lillies and Amaryllis.
Karen provided home-made cookies that the volunteers enjoyed during a well-earned rest break as they admired their work. The bees and butterflies were prolific among the late summer blossoms and the variety of acorns that are on the ground were being gathered for winter by the resident squirrels. Leaves are changing colors and pine trees are dropping their cones and straw. Fall is a beautiful time to visit and enjoy the gardens since the weather is much more comfortable for a stroll in the gardens after the hot, dry summer we all experienced.
Montgomery Botanical Gardens depend on the faithful Master Gardener volunteers to maintain the beauty of the gardens and to expand/revise plantings to enhance the visitor experience. But MBG volunteers do not have to be Master Gardeners. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for MBG, send an email to info@montgomerybotanicalgardens.com.
