OUR GARDENSMaster Gardeners have inspired people of all ages to love and appreciate plants and nature while they teach lessons through a variety of presentations and hands-on activities. Programming is provided courtesy of the Anoka County Master Gardener volunteers under University of Minnesota Extension.
Veterans’ Memorial Garden
A Habitat For All
Location: 550 Bunker Lake Boulevard NW, Andover, MN 55304
The Veteran’s Memorial Garden was renovated in 2019 and now features over 65 varieties of perennials and shrubs that provide, food, shelter or breeding habitat for native bees, butterflies and birds. Master gardeners dedicate time weeding the garden and introducing new plant species to the garden.
Dahlia Exhibit this year!
Come visit us in the garden while the beautiful flowers in the dahlia exhibit come to life!
Events hosted in this garden include the “Walk In The Garden Series” which allows the community we serve to ask master gardeners specific question in regards to the species of plants in the garden. Not only do our patrons get great access to information about how they can improve their personal landscapes, they also get to build connections within the community on the basis of mutual gardening interests.
Different species of plants have different water, sunlight and soil requirements. Knowing which plant to grow in specific places will allow a lush landscape where all your plants will thrive. You can learn about the different species by following the links provided below.
A more comprehensive plant list can be accessed here.
Bunker Hills Giving Garden
Addressing Food Insecurity In Our Community
Location: Bunker Hills Activities Center (550 Bunker Lake Blvd NW, Andover, 55303)
This garden was built in 2021 with the intention of serving the nearby communities in more ways than one. Not only does it help master gardener intern fulfil their annual volunteer hours, it also helps provide fresh vegetables for food donation centers in the county.
The efficient crop plan and map design of the garden is the brainchild of Jeff Stahmann, an Anoka County Master Gardener who saw the need and rose to the occasion. The layout addresses the specific needs for different plants for them to thrive. These needs include amount of sunshine/ shade, spacing needed, as well as relationship with nearby plants as well. The picture of the layout is included below.
The functioning of this garden is impossible without our Anoka County Master Gardeners who dedicate time during planting, weeding as well as harvesting. It is a time when they come together with people who share the same principles surrounding the provision of fresh, healthy food for people who may not have the time or ability to do so themselves. All harvested produce is donated to a pre-determined food donation center.
For our records, all produce that is donated is washed, weighed and bagged before being dropped off. This process helps us maintain records of how much we are producing compared to other seasons, or see how research-based improvements reflect a change in the amount of produce harvested, which aligns perfectly with the University of Minnesota Extension’s aim of implementing research-based agricultural practices to make our food production as sustainable and productive as it can be.
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Want to enjoy some fresh vegetables and invite some colorful friends? Find out how you can start a pollinator-friendly and fresh produce garden in the link below.
Water-Wise Garden
Demonstrating low maintenance and low-input plants and methods.
LOCATION: City of East Bethel welcome sign at 181st Street and Central Ave (Hwy 65).
After years of inactive maintenance in the area, two East Bethel residents namely Julie Lux (2021 Anoka County Master Gardener 2021 intern and East Bethel EDA President) and her Anoka County Master Gardener Mentor Cheryl Holmes took initiative to replant the garden after removing the then-existing failing plants.
This project not only benefitted the City of East Bethel, but also helped the volunteers accumulate volunteer hours for Julie and Cheryl, which is a requirement for the Master Gardener Program, apart from the coursework and tests. First-year interns are required to do a minimum of 50 hours annually, which drops down to 25 hours annually after the first year.
The main concept behind the renovated garden was application of one of the seven priorities of the University of Minnesota’s Extension Master Gardener’s Program, Water Wisely. The species of plants selected fit perfectly into the desired plant category in terms of soil type, exposure to sunlight, spacing, as well being drought-resistant .
THE SPECIES OF GRASS FOR LOW MAINTENANCE GARDENING
Three types of hardy ornamental grass were chosen for their cold tolerance and low maintenance features. As fall arrives, notice the change in the grasses’ color, which provide a decorative look all winter.
Blaine Memorial Park & Demonstration Garden
Location: Tom Ryan Park, Blaine
The gardens were established through a collaboration between Anoka County Master Gardeners, Veterans Memorial Park of Blaine and the City of Blaine in 2021. Only in the second year, the garden is flourishing both in color and productivity. The Blaine Parks & Recreation department has been instrumental in the success of the garden projects. An element of this support is the trailer that Master Gardeners use to compost the garden waste from the exhibition gardens. Because of this partnership, Master Gardeners’ can efficiently maintain the garden beds and devote extra time to talk with the public about healthy gardening practices.
Master Gardener volunteers lead the effort to make sure the garden looks its best and other volunteers know their role. Both lead volunteers feel a strong connection to the park’s memorials that honors the area’s veterans. One of the lead volunteers, Sue, has a couple of veterans in her family, which makes her time volunteering in the garden very meaningful. This personal connection to the space shows in the detail already in the gardens, and in what she wishes to achieve in the garden visual display.
The Memorial Park is an amazing resource for a nearby senior center and anyone who visits the park. Senior center residents come to either walk their animal companions or simply enjoy the park itself. They also benefit from the edible produce in the smaller plots that run along the sidewalk across the street from City Hall. Cultivating these plots has allowed Master Gardeners to build a stronger sense of community, which can benefit individual health and well-being. Anoka County Master Gardeners hope to continue this partnership with the Blaine Parks and Rec from many growing seasons to come!