Master Gardeners of Hamilton County

3rd Saturday Class: Seasonal Decorating with Bows
2022-10-15 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Hamilton County Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Learn how to create decorative bows to enhance your seasonal floral arrangements, as well as wreaths, table decorations, gift bags and boxes. Master Gardener Skeeter Gallagher will explain ribbon types, supplies needed, bow basics, and demonstrate how to make several different bows.

To attend this class in person, register on SignUp HERE.

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

2022 Fall Garden Festival
2022-09-24 10:00 - 17:00 | Bonny Oaks, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Join the fun at the Bonny Oaks Arboretum as the Hamilton County Master Gardeners celebrate Fall! MGHC’s Fall Garden Festival will feature a variety of vendors with plants (trees, shrubs, perennials), hand-crafted foods, and nature-related items, along with Master Gardener demos and exhibits plus fun activities for children. Learn about: Bees, Bluebirds, Composting, Fall Vegetables, Grow Buckets, Herbs, Mulching, Native Plants & Pollinators, Rain Barrels, Raised Beds, and Trees. Purchase: Rain Barrels, Grow Buckets, and Yard Art. There will also be a food truck and homemade baked goods for sale. Tickets are $5, children under 12 are free. Details & Tickets

3rd Saturday Class: Turf Grasses & Fall Lawn Care
2022-09-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Hamilton County Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Learn about the different types of grasses and how to choose the right one for your landscape from Master Gardener and Turf Grass Expert, Mike Payne. He’ll also go over the basic “do’s and don’ts” of Fall lawn care: proper maintenance of Cool season grasses and how to put your Warm season grasses to bed for the winter.

To attend this class in person, register on SignUp HERE.

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

Reimagine Your Store-Bought Bouquet
2022-08-20 10:00 - 12:00
Grocery store bouquets are often sold ready-to-use, but chances are you want to add your own flair to these arrangements. In this class, Master Gardeners Sarah Monroe and Dorothy McDuffie will teach you how to maximize the effect of a gorgeous store-bought bouquet, demonstrating flower arranging basics and walking you through creating a dramatic display with grocery store flowers and greenery from the store or your own yard, as well as how to use your bouquet in a topiary arrangement. As part of the class, you may try your hand at building a bouquet and using it in a topiary, or you can create a small, compact arrangement using floral foam.

Participants who want to create an imaginative arrangement in class should bring two grocery store bouquets, greenery (from your yard or the store) and clippers or scissors. Zoom attendees can also have on hand a small, shallow ceramic container and a block of floral foam from the craft store. Optional: ornamental items you have in mind for your floral creation.

To attend this class in person, register on SignUp HERE.

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

Film Screening: "My Garden of a Thousand Bees"
2022-08-09 19:00
Chattanooga State Humanities Auditorium 4501 Amnicola Hwy Campus Map

Taking refuge from the coronavirus pandemic, wildlife filmmaker Martin Dohrn set out to record all the bees he could find in his tiny urban garden. The documentary follows Dohrn during the COVID-19 lock-down of spring and summer 2020, as he becomes bee obsessed and develops relationships with individual bees. Filming more than 60 species of bees, from Britain’s largest bumblebees to scissor bees, which are the size of a mosquito, Dohrn observes how differences in behavior set different species apart from each other. Eventually, he gets so close to the bees, he can identify individuals just by looking at them.

Website: https://www.mygardenofathousandbees.com/

This program will be presented in partnership with the Bee City Lookout Mountain Chapter, Bee City Chattanooga State Campus Chapter, the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, and the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones.

3rd Saturday Class: Attracting Beneficial Insects to Your Yard & Garden
2022-07-16 10:00 - 12:00
Insects are crucial components in our yard and garden ecosystems performing many important functions, such as aerating the soil, pollinating blossoms, and controlling insect and plant pests. Master Gardener Ann Brown will discuss the many different kinds of beneficial insects and lay out strategies to attract these insects to create environmentally friendly yards and gardens.

To attend this class in person, register on SignUp HERE.

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

Handouts for this class:

Butterfly and Moth Host Plants

Carpenter Bee Prevention

Native Trees for Wildlife

Seven Step Plan to Restore Native Habitat

2022 MGHC Garden Tour
2022-06-26 11:00 - 17:00, 2022-06-25 10:00 - 17:00
We are delighted to present the 2022 Hamilton County Master Gardener Garden Tour! This year’s tour features seven unique gardens located around St. Elmo and Lookout Mountain, including five private homes, the Lookout Mountain Conservancy, and Fairy Trail Garden, a public space with native plantings. These diverse gardens highlight the unique visions of the property owners, featuring landscapes with sculptures, stone work, and unusual specimen plantings, as well as pollinators and native plants, cottage gardens filled with herbaceous perennials; plus a greenhouse and raised vegetable beds with edibles and herbs. The gardens can be visited in any order. Tours of the gardens are self-guided, so feel free to take your time exploring the properties. Parking is on the street or where designated. These are private homes, so we cannot guarantee that all locations are handicapped accessible. We suggest that visitors wear comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes for walking. The owners and Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. There will also be signs and plant lists for identifying many of the plantings. We hope you enjoy the tour!

Sponsored By

Click here for more information

3rd Saturday Class: Building a Butterfly Nursery
2022-06-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Hamilton County Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Newly minted Master Gardeners and nature lovers Becky Donaldson and Kym Martin will share their experience, knowledge and passion for raising butterflies. As part of their presentation, they will demonstrate how to build butterfly enclosures with a few readily available materials, so we can all raise butterflies and increase their population! Focusing on Black Swallowtails and Monarchs, they will also provide information about host plants, the butterfly life cycle, how to spot eggs and caterpillars, and how to release them into the wild. Becky’s yard is both a Certified Monarch Waystation and Wildlife Habitat. Kym has been raising Monarch’s for three years and released sixty-five last year! Please join us and feel free to bring a medium size or larger flower pot with potting soil and a tomato cage to build your own enclosure on the spot!

To attend this class in person, register on SignUp HERE.

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

Monarch

Caterpillars

Nursery

3rd Saturday Class: Identifying Nature
2022-05-21 10:00 - 12:00
You don’t have to be a botanist, naturalist, or other expert to identify an unknown tree, flower or bug. Tom Stebbins, former Hamilton County Extension Agent, will demonstrate how the various free Apps — Google Lens, iNaturalist and others — available on your phone can help you quickly identify many of the flowers, trees, insects, mushrooms, and even birds you may see on hikes in the woods, walks around town or enjoying your backyard. In preparation, collect a few things to ID and share with the class: something familiar like a house plant, as well as a leaf from a tree or shrub, a flowering weed in your lawn, a mushroom, or even an insect. Zoom participants will be able to practice and share their findings as well. Weather permitting, we may even go outside and identify more mysteries there! Now everyone can be a naturalist and appreciate the world around us!

To attend this class in person, register on SignUp HERE.

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

3rd Saturday Class: Worm Composting & Straw Bale Gardening
2022-03-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
Join Master Gardener & Certified Straw Bale instructor Robbie Summerour to learn about worm composting and straw bale gardening. She’ll discuss how to raise and feed worms, how to harvest and sift castings, and how to save cocoons. Next it’s on to straw bale gardening. You will learn how to condition a bale for planting and the proper planting procedure. Plus a quick visit to her own garden to see a straw bale garden in action.

Click HERE to register for our virtual class on Worm Composting & Straw Bale Gardening.

Native Plant Marketplace & Expo
2022-03-19 09:00 - 15:00 | First Tennessee Pavilion, 1801 Carter St, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37408, United States
The TN Valley Wild Ones Marketplace & Expo feature native plant nurseries and other vendors that will offer a wide variety of native plants . Food trucks will also be on site. For the safety of all, masks will be required.

Day of Gardening: Top Gardening Trends for 2022
2022-02-26 09:30 - 14:00 | Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 822 Belvoir Avenue, East Ridge, 37412
Tennessee Garden Clubs, District III presents “Day of Gardening: Top Gardening Trends for 2022.” This year’s featured speaker is John Manion, Arboretum Curator at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center in Chattanooga.

Class topics will be gardening for small spaces, gardens for indoor air quality, planting combinations for color using trending garden colors, and incorporating water features into the landscape for wildlife and wellbeing.

Ticket price includes a boxed lunch, with a dessert and a drink.

Download the registration form below.

Day of GardeningDownload

3rd Saturday Class: Benefits of Keeping Bees in Your Garden
2022-02-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
Don’t miss our 3rd Saturday Zoom class February 19 at 10 am! Master Beekeeper and Master Gardener Kendra Ware will share beekeeping basics and benefits she has seen in her garden since she started keeping bees. She’ll discuss bee basics, including identifying different types of bees, the makeup of a honeybee colony and how honeybees are part of our food supply chain. She’ll address the sweetest subject of all—how bees produce honey.

Click HERE to register for our virtual class on beekeeping benefits.

3rd Saturday Class: Got Bluebirds?
2022-01-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
Join Tri-State Bluebirds members and Master Gardeners, Lisa Lemza and Diane Shelly on Zoom to learn how to attract bluebirds to your yard! Lisa and Diane will discuss nest box basics, including design, construction, location and predator guards. These boxes are essential to the bluebird’s survival due to loss of habitat and competition from other species. Nest boxes also provide habitat for eight other native cavity-nesting birds.

The Tri-State Bluebird Society was formed in 2021 to encourage bluebird conservation by educating the public, constructing and monitoring bluebird nest box trails and developing healthy habitats where bluebirds can thrive. For information about this organization, email tristatebluebirds@gmail.com.

Register

Evening Master Gardener Training
2022-01-06 18:00 - 21:00 | UT Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
The Evening MGHC 2022 Master Gardener Training course will begin on Monday, January 31st at 6:00pm. The Master Gardener Training Program provides a comprehensive education in basic horticulture through a 15-week series of classes taught by highly qualified, trained instructors using the latest research-based information from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. Click here for more information and to register.

Morning Master Gardener Training
2022-01-06 09:45 - 12:45 | UT Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37419, United States
The Morning MGHC 2022 Master Gardener Training course will begin on Tuesday, January 25th at 9:45am. The Master Gardener Training Program provides a comprehensive education in basic horticulture through a 15-week series of classes taught by highly qualified, trained instructors using the latest research-based information from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. Click here for more information and to register.

Third Saturday Class: Holiday Flower Arranging
2021-11-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
This month, learn how local floral design professional, Kakhi Wakefield, creates holiday arrangements for her home. Kakhi will show us how she envisions and then assembles the materials for her creations. She’ll also answer questions about the art of floral design—just in time for the holidays! Register

Third Saturday Class: All About Orchids!
2021-10-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
Learn how you can grow and enjoy orchids in your own home with Charles Davidson. You will learn about different types of orchids, their cultural needs as well as tips and techniques for repotting and propagating orchids.

Fall Garden Festival
2021-09-25 10:00 - 18:00 | UT-TSU Extension Hamilton County / Bonny Oaks Arboretum, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Join the fun at the Bonny Oaks Arboretum as the Hamilton County Master Gardeners celebrate Fall! MGHC’s Fall Garden Festival will feature a variety of vendors with plants (trees, shrubs, perennials), hand-crafted foods, and yard art, along with Master Gardener demos and exhibits plus fun activities for children. People can learn about: Bees, Bluebirds, Composting, Fall Vegetables, Grow Buckets, Herbs, Mulching, Native Plants & Pollinators, Rain Barrels, Raised Beds, and Trees. People can purchase Rain Barrels and Grow Buckets to take home. There will also be a food truck and homemade baked goods for sale. Tickets are $5, children under 12 are free. Details & Tickets

Third Saturday Class: Shade Gardens
2021-09-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
A “too-shady” yard can be an opportunity to create a beautiful garden with plants that flourish with little light. Trees, succulents, flowers, you can have it all even under the shade of old established trees. Master Gardener Fran Gier will show you how to create your own Shade Garden.

Fran notes, “Gardeners are often unsure about what to plant under trees and how to make the shady areas around their yards look attractive. Challenges to shade gardening include: keeping plants under trees watered, creating areas for woodland plants, and dealing with a variety of pests. There are many ways to solve the mystery of planting your not-so-sunny spots. My presentation will cover different types of shade plants, plants that complement each other, and how to create both traditional and naturalized woodland gardens. You’ll come away understanding the elements of a beautiful shade garden and how to create a lovely respite in your backyard.”

Register

Third Saturday Class: Container Water Gardening
2021-08-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
Do you love water gardens, but just don’t have the space for a pond? Join Master Gardener Christine Rymer to learn how to create a water feature that is perfect for small garden spaces, decks and patios.

MGHC Annual Garden Tour
2021-08-14 10:00 - 2021-08-15 11:00
We are delighted to present the 2021 Hamilton County Master Gardener Garden Tour! This year’s tour features four private gardens located in the Ooltewah/Collegedale area, and the Bonnie Oaks Arboretum. This diverse group of speciality gardens includes gardens focusing on edibles, container gardening, perennials and native plants. Master gardeners will be on had to answer questions. Tickets and more info

Third Saturday Class: What's This Buzz About Native Plants? Why do they matter?
2021-07-17 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
There’s a lot of news about how essential native plants are in supporting the North American insect, pollinator, and bird populations. What does the science say? How can ordinary gardeners use this information to build beautiful, cheap, and easily maintained gardens, while also providing essential habitat for urban wildlife?

Lisa Lemza is a lifetime master gardener whose home garden and gardening approach were featured in the March 2021 “Chatter” magazine. She is an active member and former president of the local native plant society, the Tennessee Valley Wild Ones. She co-chairs the community garden at Grace Episcopal Church with Kristina Shaneyfelt, and is in the process of establishing a Level Two certified Arboretum at the church. With Alison Hoffman, she co-manages the Tri-State Chapter of the Tennessee Bluebird Society.

Third Thursdays with Plants: Small Fruits for TN
2021-07-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
We will introduce the very BEST small fruits for TN home gardens and helpful insights on management.

This series of classes highlights a wide range horticulture topics and management practices specific to TN gardeners. Join us LIVE on Zoom each third Thursday at 10am Central/ 11 am Eastern. Register with the website link below.

Third Thursdays with Plants: What is a Sustainable Landscape?
2021-06-24 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
This series of classes highlights a wide range horticulture topics and management practices specific to TN gardeners. Join us LIVE on Zoom each third Thursday at 10am Central/ 11 am Eastern. Register with the website link below.

Third Saturday Class – Installing a Microjet Irrigation System in Your Garden
2021-06-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
Planning to travel and you’re worried about watering your garden? Diane Shelly will share the step-by-step way to install a microjet irrigation system from your hose spigot. The system includes a battery powered clock and a variety of spray heads that you can customize for your specific needs.

Third Thursdays with Plants: Heirloom Vegetables for the TN Garden
2021-05-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
The UT Extension Institute of Agriculture new Third Thursday series highlights a wide range horticulture topics and management practices specific to TN gardeners. Join us as we kick off our 2021 horticulture education series with an introduction to Heritage Vegetables for TN.

Join us LIVE on Zoom each third Thursday at 10am Central/ 11 am Eastern. Register with the website link below.

Lunch & Learn: Cicadas!
2021-05-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
This is the year of the cicadas and there has been a lot of buzz about the topic! Join Hamilton County Extension Agent Tom Stebbins to learn more about this interesting phenomenon and all about the mysterious lives of cicadas. Register

Third Saturday Class - Rose Rustlers
2021-05-15 10:01 - 12:00 | Zoom Video Meeting
This presentation will explore the history of the rose and why it is the most loved of all flowers. Then we will look at the largest plant-hunting exploit of the 20th century by the “The Rose Rustlers” and their quest to save antique roses and return them to the trade.

Presentation by Ann Brown: Ann is a retired librarian and has been a Master Gardener for 10 years. She is an organic gardener who advocates for pollinators by encouraging organizations and individuals to plant native plants. This past year she has been involved in the creation of three new pollinator gardens on Lookout Mountain. She is also a member of the Wild Ones, North American Butterfly Association, Bee City USA, Xerces Society, Lookout Mountain Beautiful Garden Club, and Tennessee Ornithology Society. She will return to volunteering at Reflection Riding in May. She loves roses and has several of the old roses discovered by the “Rose Rustlers” in her garden.
