Today, we celebrate the MGEVs who champion community gardens throughout Georgia. Community gardens are usually thought of as places for growing fresh food. They can provide a great place to increase fresh food access and teach about health, nutrition, and exercise. These gardens benefit senior citizens, families, children, and neighborhoods. Community gardens are a great asset to a community, providing green space in urban areas and opportunity for people to connect with others.
We also celebrate the MGEVs who provide support and assistance to historic gardens throughout Georgia communities. These gardens often have significant value for the community, representing a historic event, person, family, or even practice that is part of the local heritage. MGEVs are able to help care for the garden while also using it as an outdoor classroom. They can often be spotted leading tours for groups of all ages, pointing out plants with stories to tell. You can also find an MGEV tending those gardens so that they are there for the next group of visitors to learn more about local history. MGEVs enhance historic gardens with botanical signage, share information about historically appropriate garden design, make plant recommendations, and guide other community groups in assisting with maintenance activities. Thank you, MGEVs, for stewarding these gardens that have local cultural and economic importance!
Paulding County MGEV Community Garden Highlight
“This year our Vegetable Garden Team, made up of trainees from the 2023 Master Gardener Training Class, took on the renovation of the Vegetable Demonstration Garden as their class project. This team delivered a vegetable gardening program in Fall of 2023 to the community, sharing their successful group project. This team also helped to implement a community garden for City of Dallas employees in February of 2024.” -Christen Thomas, Paulding County Extension
Henry County MGEV Historic Garden Highlight
MGEV Donna Schoenrock guided the effort to create a wonderful mural in the Heritage Park area by working with Parks and Recreation to make this project possible. MGEVs painted the mural to help boost community engagement, and it is now captivating the residents of Henry County.
