Sustainable Gardening Blog

[Photo: D.C.Tourists Cool Off Here.]

Washington’s Master Gardener Program is the best thing in the world and my teacher is a genius - gorgeous, too.  And the fact that I’ve discovered she reads this blog will have no influence on my report. 

But seriously, what’s not to love about hanging out with other gardeners and learning about plants?  And what a bunch of gardeners they are.  People who work at the National Arboretum, at local nurseries, at a senior center.  A woman who keep bees and horses.  Lots of folks wanting to change careers.  Several writers.  A demographically diverse group who have in common their love of nature.

Last night’s class was about Botany, which in our textbook was deadly dull but in the capable hands of our guest lecturer was really interesting and easy to grasp.  PowerPoint - gotta love it. And you wait; I bet I’ll be saying the same thing about the classes on Soils and Fertilizers, Entomology and Plant Diseases, all of which could be snoozers if not presented well.  Then after all that hard science comes the fun stuff - landscape design, woody ornamentals, bulbs, and pruning.  And unlike the degree programs that my harder-working friends are enrolled in, this one doesn’t require us to memorize anything, especially Latin names.  Master Gardeners are taught the basics and are expected to research any specifics they might need to know.  Yeah, it’s my kind of night school.