On Thursday mornings at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center in Auburn, dozens of volunteers from the University of New Hampshire Extension’s Master Gardener Program can be found getting their hands dirty, welcoming visitors and sharing their gardening knowledge.Many of these volunteers are graduates of the program, which is a national initiative that began in 1973 in Washington and was adopted by New Hampshire in 1993. The program offers a 12-week course, after which participants volunteer in communities throughout the state.”The Master Gardener Program, it’s a volunteer program. So it’s not just about learning about gardening. It’s about giving back,” said Ruth Smith, manager of the program.”We’ve all become friends. We love gardening together. We love gardening here at the Audubon because it’s supporting so much wildlife,” volunteer Stacey Scaccia said.To join, one must have an interest in gardening, and the program provides education during the 12-week class. “Well, you have to be a gardener to start with. And some people are like, ‘Oh, I don’t really garden much,’ but even a little bit if you’re interested, if there’s a nugget of curiosity, that’s usually enough to get started because we provide a lot of the education during the 12-week class,” Smith said.”Sort of a tagline that I like to use is master gardeners bring plants and people together to benefit both,” Smith said.One way master gardeners give back is by volunteering at therapy gardens, such as the Community Hospice House in Merrimack.”So we’re in the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, New Hampshire, and this is a place where people can come either at the end of life or if they have symptoms that can’t be managed in their existing setting while they’re on hospice services,” said Tanya Prather, Manager of Volunteer Services for Home Health and Hospice Care.”The house has been designed so that every room has a private patio, and the patients can be outside. The idea is to bring life into the rooms and honor the life cycle,” master gardener Jean Abramson said.”And so much of this process is about the living, both the person who is dying, but they’re still living until that moment, and their family that’s surrounding them. And this space holds them in a beautiful way,” Prather said.Barb Young, who joined the program in 2008, wanted to deepen her gardening knowledge.”I had been a lifelong gardener, and I just wanted to deepen and broaden my knowledge and to be among other gardeners, like-minded folks,” Young said.”We observe all the nature, you know, the interactions with insects and the hummingbirds. And, it’s just an incredible opportunity to learn and to expand our knowledge and to see the fruits of our labors,” Young said.”I’ve worked in many gardens. This one is my most favorite besides my own garden. It’s special. The human interaction is what puts it over the top,” Young added.Master gardeners must complete all their classes and do 55 hours of volunteering before earning their title. “It’s just a privilege to be involved here. It’s fantastic and, well, we are very committed to the gardens. We’re first and foremost committed to providing a supportive, serene place for the patients and their families. And interacting with the patients and their families is really super, super rewarding,” Abramson said.Some volunteers opt to spend their time at historic gardens, like those at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth. “I like to say there’s something for everyone in the program,” Smith said.”I’m standing in front of the Victory Garden, which is based on a garden that was in this exact spot in 1945,” said Terry Cook.Cook, joined the program in 2013, has been volunteering at several gardens ever since.”You meet people from all over in this program and we all come from different backgrounds, but we all love one thing in common, and that’s gardening. So we may have different belief systems, we may have different ideas about things in general, but we can all agree that a flower is beautiful and that’s an important starting place,” Cook said.”So my career was very much a blessing for me. I had a nice career, and when I got done, I wanted to have something to do to give back. And the Master Gardener Program was just an excellent program for me to give back. And what I really love, which is gardening,” said volunteer Tamara Henderson.Henderson works primarily in the Thomas Bailey Aldridge Memorial Garden, a colonial revival garden continuously gardened since 1908. “Each one of our master gardeners becomes an interpreter for the stories of the people who lived in these gardens at this museum. And during the periods that these gardens are curated to,” Henderson said.”For over a decade, Strawbery Banke has been relying on and working with master gardeners and all of our gardens, more than 11 gardens. And they do the bulk of the work,” said Matthew Kochka, Manager of Landscape Horticulture at Strawbery Banke.”I regularly have people say, ‘I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I took this class. I knew I wanted to learn more about gardening. I had no idea I was going to get so much information. Have such a rewarding experience. Make incredible connections both with other gardeners and within the community,'” Smith said.
AUBURN, N.H. —
On Thursday mornings at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center in Auburn, dozens of volunteers from the University of New Hampshire Extension’s Master Gardener Program can be found getting their hands dirty, welcoming visitors and sharing their gardening knowledge.
Many of these volunteers are graduates of the program, which is a national initiative that began in 1973 in Washington and was adopted by New Hampshire in 1993. The program offers a 12-week course, after which participants volunteer in communities throughout the state.
“The Master Gardener Program, it’s a volunteer program. So it’s not just about learning about gardening. It’s about giving back,” said Ruth Smith, manager of the program.
“We’ve all become friends. We love gardening together. We love gardening here at the Audubon because it’s supporting so much wildlife,” volunteer Stacey Scaccia said.
To join, one must have an interest in gardening, and the program provides education during the 12-week class.
“Well, you have to be a gardener to start with. And some people are like, ‘Oh, I don’t really garden much,’ but even a little bit if you’re interested, if there’s a nugget of curiosity, that’s usually enough to get started because we provide a lot of the education during the 12-week class,” Smith said.
“Sort of a tagline that I like to use is master gardeners bring plants and people together to benefit both,” Smith said.
One way master gardeners give back is by volunteering at therapy gardens, such as the Community Hospice House in Merrimack.
“So we’re in the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, New Hampshire, and this is a place where people can come either at the end of life or if they have symptoms that can’t be managed in their existing setting while they’re on hospice services,” said Tanya Prather, Manager of Volunteer Services for Home Health and Hospice Care.
“The house has been designed so that every room has a private patio, and the patients can be outside. The idea is to bring life into the rooms and honor the life cycle,” master gardener Jean Abramson said.
“And so much of this process is about the living, both the person who is dying, but they’re still living until that moment, and their family that’s surrounding them. And this space holds them in a beautiful way,” Prather said.
Barb Young, who joined the program in 2008, wanted to deepen her gardening knowledge.
“I had been a lifelong gardener, and I just wanted to deepen and broaden my knowledge and to be among other gardeners, like-minded folks,” Young said.
“We observe all the nature, you know, the interactions with insects and the hummingbirds. And, it’s just an incredible opportunity to learn and to expand our knowledge and to see the fruits of our labors,” Young said.
“I’ve worked in many gardens. This one is my most favorite besides my own garden. It’s special. The human interaction is what puts it over the top,” Young added.
Master gardeners must complete all their classes and do 55 hours of volunteering before earning their title.
“It’s just a privilege to be involved here. It’s fantastic and, well, we are very committed to the gardens. We’re first and foremost committed to providing a supportive, serene place for the patients and their families. And interacting with the patients and their families is really super, super rewarding,” Abramson said.
Some volunteers opt to spend their time at historic gardens, like those at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth.
“I like to say there’s something for everyone in the program,” Smith said.
“I’m standing in front of the Victory Garden, which is based on a garden that was in this exact spot in 1945,” said Terry Cook.
Cook, joined the program in 2013, has been volunteering at several gardens ever since.
“You meet people from all over in this program and we all come from different backgrounds, but we all love one thing in common, and that’s gardening. So we may have different belief systems, we may have different ideas about things in general, but we can all agree that a flower is beautiful and that’s an important starting place,” Cook said.
“So my career was very much a blessing for me. I had a nice career, and when I got done, I wanted to have something to do to give back. And the Master Gardener Program was just an excellent program for me to give back. And what I really love, which is gardening,” said volunteer Tamara Henderson.
Henderson works primarily in the Thomas Bailey Aldridge Memorial Garden, a colonial revival garden continuously gardened since 1908.
“Each one of our master gardeners becomes an interpreter for the stories of the people who lived in these gardens at this museum. And during the periods that these gardens are curated to,” Henderson said.
“For over a decade, Strawbery Banke has been relying on and working with master gardeners and all of our gardens, more than 11 gardens. And they do the bulk of the work,” said Matthew Kochka, Manager of Landscape Horticulture at Strawbery Banke.
“I regularly have people say, ‘I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I took this class. I knew I wanted to learn more about gardening. I had no idea I was going to get so much information. Have such a rewarding experience. Make incredible connections both with other gardeners and within the community,'” Smith said.
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