Published: November 03, 2009 02:11 pm      

A Place to Learn

Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners putting together a demonstration garden

A demonstration garden, put together by the Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners, is quickly becoming a gathering place for the people of Nacogdoches.

The 7-acre garden, located at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue is and will be a constant work in progress.

“It's a teaching garden,” Nacogdoches County Master Gardeners President JoAnn Carter said. “It's a conservation project and also a way of showing people what they can do.”

The garden is at the site of an old chicken processing plant. Mrs. Carter described the ground as not the best, and in fact much of the property has proven to be a debris field, but through the help of a lot of people at both the county and city level and a lot of work, the property is taking shape.

“The soil isn't the greatest so we are doing a lot of raised beds,” Mrs. Carter explained. “We are having to build the soil through compost and amendments. It's a good spot to come and learn.”

A creek lines the back of the property. For now, Mrs. Carter said the master gardeners are working from the front of the property toward the back.

Ornamentals will dominate the front while they have vegetables and other plants.

“It will be a good way to see what you can grow in East Texas,” Mrs. Carter said.

The property is owned by the city, but as long as the Master Gardeners maintain and take care of it they will be able to use the property.

“We're a small group, but we work hard,” Mrs. Carter said.

Eventually they will put in hiking and biking trails in the back of the garden. Mrs. Carter said a Girl Scout group has volunteered to help making and cleaning the trails through the tree line at the back of the property.

The demonstration garden also will serve as a testing ground. Mrs. Carter said they are working with Dr. Creech and Greg Grant with Stephen F. Austin State University to plant 42 different types of fig trees in the garden.

They also have planted blueberry and they also have named an Earth Kind Rose trial site.

“For the next three years we will be testing seven out of the next 30 variety of roses currently being tested to see if they earn the Earth Kind designation,” Mrs. Carter said.

The garden also can serve as a place for others to work. Mrs. Carter said groups like sororities and fraternities that need service hours to come and work and help improve the community.

For others who want to participate and just get out and work outside, Mrs. Carter said there always is something to do.

“There's always weeds to be pulled and beds to be built,” Mrs. Carter said.

Work also is under way to get a pavilion built. Mrs. Carter said they have been working with the Nacogdoches County Judge to get grants for the construction of it.

“With the pavilion we'll be able to hold a wide variety of programs from canning and cooking to other activities,” Mrs. Carter said.

Through the entire process, Mrs. Carter said she has seen God's hand helping them get the garden going.

“This garden coming about wasn't just about us humans,” Mrs. Carter said. “When we have asked for something, we've gotten. Maybe not as fast as we would have liked, but we received it in God's time.”