Jesse’s Greenhouse opens possibilities for Master Gardeners

Published 4:40 pm Friday, December 5, 2025

East Mississippi Master Gardeners will have new opportunities to raise plants from seed, grow new species and expand their knowledge after cutting the ribbon Friday on a new greenhouse at the Lauderdale County Extension Office.

Named Jesse’s Greenhouse, the structure was donated to the Master Gardeners by Bonnie Thompson, whose late husband Jesse had used it to grow fruit trees and other exotic plants prior to his death in March 2024. Thompson said her husband tried growing an array of plants including banana, pineapple, figs and more.

“Jesse was from Texas. I don’t know if you know too many people from Texas, but he was in the opinion that if you wanted to do it, you could do it. It did not matter what,” she said. “So he tried a little bit of everything on God’s green earth in there.”

Originally bought to grow roses, Thompson said an infestation of spider mites wiped out most of their plants within the span of a few weeks. After that, Jesse decided fruit trees were a better use of his time. While the greenhouse may not have made a profit as first planned, it was a place he found joy, she said.

“I decided as long as we could support his hobby, then we were good. He was retired. He worked hard. He had earned it,” she said. “But he loved it.”

Master Gardener Daisy Frazier said the group first saw the greenhouse in November 2024, and work to clean it out ahead of disassembly started in March 2025. The greenhouse at the time was packed full of pots, plants, soil and more that all had to be removed.

“I don’t know how long it took us to clean that out and empty,” she said.

After cleaning came disassembly, then transport to the Extension Office, and putting the greenhouse together again.

Frazier said the Master Gardeners want to thank everyone involved in helping with the process. Local businesses donated materials and time, gardeners donated labor, the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors helped with finding space for the structure and more. Friday’s ribbon cutting was the reward for hours of hard work and persistence in the name of gardening, she said.

“They worked, and it was hard work. It’s like picking up pots with dirt, emptying them out, moving stuff. It’s physical work, and it’s just because you love gardening. I don’t know of any other reason why we do this. We just love gardening,” she said.

Fraizer said the Master Gardeners also want to thank the community for its support as well. For those who’ve purchased a plant or a raffle ticket from the Master Gardeners, that money has gone to make projects such as the greenhouse possible, she said.

With the greenhouse entrusted to the Master Gardeners, Thompson said she is confident Jesse would be happy that his prized possession is being put to good use.

“I’m hoping you get as much fun out of it as he did,” she said.