Master Gardeners of Hamilton County

2023 Fall Garden Festival
2023-09-30 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | UT-TSU Extension Hamilton County / Bonny Oaks Arboretum, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Join the fun at the Hamilton County Extension Center & Bonny Oaks Arboretum as the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County 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: Acid-Loving Plants
2023-09-16 10:00 - 12:00 | UT-TSU Hamilton County Extension, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Master Gardener Lee Anderson shares her passion for acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and gardenias. Her presentation will demonstrate how and where to plant these luscious shrubs for best advantage, as well as techniques for long-term maintenance to keep them producing the best blooms possible.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or online via Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page or visit our YouTube channel for more 3rd Saturday Classes and other educational presentations.

3rd Saturday Class: Gardening Safety
2023-08-19 10:00 - 12:00 | UT Hamilton County Extension Center, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37421, United States
Master Gardener Skeeter Gallagher will remind both new and experienced gardeners of the risks involved in gardening and help you safely enjoy your gardening tasks. Her presentation will highlight how to reduce stress on your body as you garden, how to use ergonomic gardening techniques and tools, and the potential hazards to avoid in order to stay safe while working outdoors.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or online via Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page, which features several past 3rd Saturday Classes.

3rd Saturday Class: Raised Bed Gardening
2023-07-15 10:00 - 12:00 | UT-TSU Extension Hamilton County / Bonny Oaks Arboretum, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Raised Bed Gardening is a great way to grow vegetables and flowers — especially if the soil is compacted or has poor drainage. Master Gardener Peter Markovich will show how to construct and maintain raised beds for all types of home locations.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or online via Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page, which features several past 3rd Saturday Classes.

36th Annual Garden Tour
2023-06-25 11:00 - 17:00
The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County are delighted to present our 36th Annual Garden Tour! This year’s tour features six unique gardens in Brainerd and East Brainerd located around Brainerd Road, East Brainerd Road, and Standifer Gap Road, including five private homes and Audubon Acres Pollinator Gardens. These diverse garden oases highlight the unique visions of the property owners, featuring landscapes with water features, stone work, structures including potting sheds, fences and gates, as well as work done to redesign and replant after the 2020 tornado. In addition, these personal outdoor spaces are filled with a mix of trees, shrubs, and massed plantings to encourage pollinators and other wildlife. Our public garden is located within a preserved wilderness that is being developed to expand their pollinator fields and create awareness and appreciation for our natural habitat.

The tour can be started at any of the gardens, which 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. We recommend carpooling if possible. As most of these are private homes, we cannot guarantee that all locations are handicapped accessible. We suggest wearing comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes for walking. Home 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 and are inspired by these wonderful outdoor spaces!”

For maps and additional information about the gardens: CLICK HERE

Sponsored By

36th Annual Garden Tour
2023-06-24 10:00 - 17:00
The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County are delighted to present our 36th Annual Garden Tour! This year’s tour features six unique gardens in Brainerd and East Brainerd located around Brainerd Road, East Brainerd Road, and Standifer Gap Road, including five private homes and Audubon Acres Pollinator Gardens. These diverse garden oases highlight the unique visions of the property owners, featuring landscapes with water features, stone work, structures including potting sheds, fences and gates, as well as work done to redesign and replant after the 2020 tornado. In addition, these personal outdoor spaces are filled with a mix of trees, shrubs, and massed plantings to encourage pollinators and other wildlife. Our public garden is located within a preserved wilderness that is being developed to expand their pollinator fields and create awareness and appreciation for our natural habitat.

The tour can be started at any of the gardens, which 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. We recommend carpooling if possible. As most of these are private homes, we cannot guarantee that all locations are handicapped accessible. We suggest wearing comfortable clothing and appropriate shoes for walking. Home 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 and are inspired by these wonderful outdoor spaces!”

For maps and additional information about the gardens: CLICK HERE

Number of Tickets
1 Ticket $21.25 USD
2 Tickets $42.00 USD
3 Tickets $62.75 USD
4 Tickets $83.50 USD

Sponsored By

3rd Saturday Class: Plants Discovered by the Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804-06)
2023-06-17 10:00 - 12:00 | UT Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37419, United States
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark, was commissioned by President Jefferson to explore and map the newly acquired territory in the Louisiana Purchase and to find a practical route across the western half of the continent. A secondary objective was scientific: to study the area’s plants, animal life, and geography, documenting over 178 plants new to western science. Master Gardener Carol Davis highlights some of the plants they discovered, where they were found, and how they were used by both Native Americans and the Expedition itself during their journey.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or online via Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page, which features several past 3rd Saturday Classes.

3rd Saturday Class: Container Gardening
2023-05-20 10:00 - 12:00 | UT-TSU Extension Hamilton County / Bonny Oaks Arboretum, 6183 Adamson Circle, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Learn the techniques to create beautiful arrangements in a variety of containers that will enhance any outdoor space whether balcony, patio or other places around your yard with Master Gardener Karen Webster.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or online via Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page, which features several past 3rd Saturday Classes.

3rd Saturday Class: Pollinators & Native Gardens
2023-03-18 10:00 - 12:00 | UT Extension Office, 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37419, United States
Learn about the importance of pollinators and their relationship to native plants, as well as how to sustain them by creating a native plant garden with Sallie Ford, Master Gardener and volunteer at McCoy Farm & Gardens.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or online via Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page, which features several past 3rd Saturday Classes.

3rd Saturday Class: Winter Pruning Basics
2023-02-18 10:00 - 12:00 | 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, TN 37416, 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37416, United States
Come and learn from a team of experienced Master Gardeners led by Joe Nichols, former Hamilton County Extension Agent, proper timing and techniques for pruning your trees and shrubs, what tools to use, and how to assess winter freeze damage.

Classes are held in person at the J. Merle Crawley Agriculture Service Center (6183 Adamson Circle, off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga) or on Zoom.

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

To attend this class online, register for Zoom HERE.

If you miss the class, you can view it later on our Facebook page, which features several past 3rd Saturday Classes.

3rd Saturday Class: Seasonal Decorating with Bows
2022-10-15 10:00 - 12:00 | 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
