Happy Summer!

We hope all our fellow Master Gardeners are enjoying their beautiful yards and gardens, despite the waves of 90 degree days and humidity. We apologize for the delay in getting this edition out to you and appreciate your patience, but it is chock full of Summer updates and articles by our talented fellow GSEMGs.

One of the bonuses of being a Master Gardener is getting to know and befriend so many like-minded colleagues. We continue to be impressed by the creativity and talents of our fellow Master Gardeners in other areas, both professional as well as avocational.

For example: did you know that our colleague Alea Teeters (Class of 2020) is also a talented and successful artist? Pictured here is her piece entitled Roses (Black). "My work pieces together ideas, thoughts, and forms presented by the physical world and the people around me," she explains. "I work primarily in black to isolate shapes that make up the essence of a figure." Visit Alea's gallery website to explore her other creations.

We hope you'll enjoy reading this issue of Groundbreakers. Start your reading journey with Pam Smith's GSEMG Coordinator's Corner. Along with other program updates, Pam highlights two important milestones for the GSEMG program. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of GSEMG and the rollout of the GSEMG Grow with Us! recruiting and training initiative to expand our diverse Master Gardener corps to serve our growing, increasingly diverse community. And be sure to mark your calendar for the mandatory All Hands meeting on Nov. 5.

We invite all GSEMGs to continue to suggest ideas for future articles (or write one!). We'd love to hear from you, so send us an email.

Yikes! Who could have foreseen that 2022 would be a really hot year for Green Spring Extension Master Gardeners – and not just because of the withering heat, humidity, and rain? Yes, we have endured one of the hottest, most humid, and wettest summers in recent memory. But, Virginia summers notwithstanding, this summer has been a hot one for us for reasons more wonderful and worthy of note.

This Summer edition of Groundbreakers is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the founding of Green Spring Gardens Extension Master Gardeners! We all should take time to reflect on our heritage as Master Gardeners, sharing our time, knowledge, and passion through community activities, events, and programs....

Celebrating 20 Years of GSEMG Rich Heritage & Preparing for the Next 20 Years of Service

The 20-year anniversary of the GSEMG program is a wonderful time to reflect on and celebrate our heritage as dedicated Master Gardeners, sharing our time, knowledge, and passion through community activities, events, and programs. Over the years, the GSEMG community has grown to around 190 certified GSEMGs and interns who continue to make significant contributions to the advancement of the Master Gardener mission, educating the public and promoting environmentally sound horticultural practices in Fairfax County.

This 2022 anniversary year is also a time to look forward: a time to envision how GSEMG must evolve with the expanding, ever more diverse, community that we will continue to serve over the next two decades....

I’ve had a vision for my garden. Or maybe it’s better described as a “concept.” I’ve wanted to reduce the grass in my front yard with an edible landscape. I started on this journey about 20 years ago, and over the years I have made progress. I’ve learned a lot, made mistakes, learned more, made adjustments. Rinse and repeat. But I wanted this year to be different. I wanted to have a plan. I wanted to be intentional, deliberate, and make decisions that I wouldn’t have to reverse in a year or two….

Note: For additional background on this GSEMG team, read the feature article in the Summer 2021 issue of Groundbreakers.

Book Review: The Hidden Life of Trees

Note: This is the first in our new series of book reviews. Reading books can count for the required annual GSEMG Continuing Education credits. Current info from the Continuing Education team is available here (shared Google folder).

Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees (2015) is a wonderfully written, easy-to-read book that will significantly enhance the reader’s understanding of the life cycle of forest/woodland and urban/suburban trees. It clearly explains for us why forests matter, and how research into the lives of forest trees can inform our understanding of trees in our home gardens and those living in nearby municipal landscapes....

This is the second of a two-article series telling the story of artist David Harber's Mantle sculpture in the Gazebo Garden. Read Part 1 from our Spring 2022 issue here.

For over two decades, artist David Harber’s workshop in Oxfordshire, England, has been creating beautiful sculptures, sundials, and water features that combine art and nature. Harber’s works have been installed in various locations across four continents. In addition, his works have been showcased at various international events....

With the lifting of pandemic restrictions, the GSEMG Wolf Trap Woodland Garden team has been active working in the garden every other Wednesday morning and has re-initiated educational outreach activities.

The Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts encompasses 117 acres, which includes several native plant gardens. The National Park Service began developing native plant gardens in 2011. The Woodland Garden, located down the hill from and behind the Filene Center, was created in 2014. The GSEMG partnership with the National Park Service to help maintain the garden began in 2016.

The Woodland Garden offers new and experienced gardeners, students, and the public the opportunity to learn about native plant gardening, biodiversity, and microclimates in a natural woodland setting. Through scheduled garden tours, GSEMGs help to educate and promote environmentally sound horticultural practices in our community. Click here for the informational flyer that includes the eventbrite link to sign up for a tour! For questions, email WTWoodlandGardenTour@gmail.com.

The GT-MG team appreciates your help to publicize – and to possibly present at – the Fall 2022 Garden Talks series at Green Spring Gardens! Several libraries and retirement communities are also slated for Community Garden Talks. Click below for the upcoming topics and how to get involved….

We're participating with the Publicity team to gain additional exposure for the GSEMG program and to attract prospective new recruits. This includes the repurposing of some articles – originally written for Groundbreakers – for a broader public audience to be published in The Fairfax County Times. Here are articles that have appeared in print and online so far this year:

We'll keep this list updated as additional articles are featured.

Hosted by the Friends of Green Spring Gardens, the Family Fall Festival (aka Fall Garden Day Plant Sale) is back for 2022! Plant vendors, activities for kids and families, silent auction, bake sale, and so much more. Click here for event details, and it's also at the FROGS Facebook page.

Save the date for our 20th Anniversary Picnic! We are celebrating 20 years of horticultural education, volunteerism, and friendship. Enjoy BBQ sandwiches and sides with ice cream for dessert. A SignUp Genius email will follow in September, requesting side dishes to share. (* This is a GSEMG and invited VIPs only event.)

This annual meeting is required for all Master Gardeners and interns. It will be decided in October whether it will be in person or virtual. Reminder that all 2022 volunteer hours must be submitted by this meeting. The Continuing Education speaker is Peggy Riccio of PegPlant.com. Her free gardening newsletter is a great resource, so check it out!

Read Groundbreakers Past Issues

Fairfax County Parks website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks

Email the Groundbreakers Editorial Team