'Demonstration garden' planted in Yulee
By Lil Spinks,
West Nassau Correspondent
Nassau County
residents now have their very own "demonstration
garden," officially unveiled at a ceremony
Wednesday at the Nassau County Extension satellite
office in Yulee.
Located outside the Nassau County Government
Complex on Nassau Place Road, the garden will
help residents learn first-hand about the care
and maintenance of landscape plants best suited
for the area, said Rebecca L. Jordi, an environmental
horticulture agent with the extension service.
The 60- by 70-foot garden was designed by master
gardener Anne Mankovich. It features recommended
Florida landscape plants including native trees
and shrubs, groundcovers, grasses, perennials,
and hardy sub-tropicals, vines, shade plants
and butterfly and hummingbird attractors.
Under Jordi's guidance, the garden also features
a "Butterfly Experience" for primary
and elementary school children, with information
about the life cycle of butterflies and their
importance in the pollination of plants, flowers
and trees. It includes a look at Florida's
official butterfly, the Zebra butterfly.
In addition, the children will be able to make
butterfly art they can take home.
The garden was
planted by master gardeners, 4-H youth and
volunteers and will be maintained by master
gardener volunteers.
It will teach basic principles for successful
gardening in Florida, including micro-irrigation,
right plant/right place, mulching, recycling,
attracting wildlife and integrated pest management.
Jordi hosted Wednesday's event, which was attended
by county officials and the public, for Nassau
County Extension Director Dr. Mary Williams,
who was unable to attend.
She said that throughout the United States
the federal government has specified certain
universities to do research. In Florida, they
are Florida A&M and the University of Florida.
These universities have "loaned" counties
employees like herself to establish extension
offices. In addition to being a certified arborist,
she has also trained about 30 members of the
Master Gardening Program.
Jordi said the
extension service and 4-H program could not
accomplish all that they have without volunteers.
This year alone, the master gardeners have
contributed over 500 hours to the garden, she
said.
Visitors are welcome to visit the garden at
any time. It is self-touring, using plant signage.
Guided group or school tours can be scheduled
by calling the Nassau County Exten-sion Office
at 321-5715, or by e-mailing Jordi at rljordi@ufl.edu .
More information about the garden is available
through the satellite office in Yulee during
regular business hours, 8 a.m. to noon Monday
through Friday.
Volunteers are available to answer questions
at the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
noon until 4 p.m.
Story created Dec 03, 2005 - 07:21:12 PST.
