Blooms Abound at Master Gardener Demonstration Garden

Tucked away behind the Administration Complex in Fayetteville near the library is a charming garden spot that is lovingly tended by new master gardeners in training. After completing intensive classes on horticulture, the new master gardeners (called interns) each donate 50 hours of volunteer service to be certified and earn their coveted badges. As part of their service, the Fayette interns care for this small in-town plot as a demonstration garden for the community. Recently they hosted an open house to show off their work in the garden.

At the center of the garden is a bird bath with mulched paths leading off in four directions. You will find a rose garden filled with the ever-blooming ‘Knock-out’ rose. Here you can linger on a garden bench with a good book you’ve just picked up from the library. A butterfly garden attracts bees and butterflies; a Zinnia garden, now in full bloom, adds spectacular color and the herb garden adds a soothing fragrance.

Most, if not all, of the plants have been donated by other master gardeners, so there is an eclectic collection of pass-along plants. The Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana), which got its name because the flowers can be easily bent in any direction to make a nice bouquet, is blooming right now in the garden. This plant is also called False Dragonhead because the flowers do resemble snapdragons. The Obedient plant is not so obedient in the garden. It can spread in all directions, but if you have the room, it is a cheerful addition to flower beds.

A long hedge of Confederate roses (Hibiscus mutabilis) defines the back of the garden. Actually this shrub is not a rose at all but part of the Hibiscus family and hails originally from China. It does love our Southern climate and with the name “confederate,” fits right into the South. Legend has it that during a bloody Civil War battle, a Confederate soldier fell slain beside this plant and the white flowers absorbed his blood and turned a deep rose. The Confederate Rose has large lobed leaves and stays in the background until taking center stage in early fall when it begins to bloom. The flowers do change colors as they age and you can see all the various stages of color on the shrub simultaneously for a spectacular show.

Stop by the master gardener intern garden soon and get great ideas for enhancing your own garden space.