Blount County Master Gardeners Celebrate 20 Years in the Community
The Blount County Master Gardeners (BCMG) is a service organization dedicated to representing UT in the community. The 20th anniversary is the perfect time to thank the individuals and organizations the BCMG has partnered with to positively impact our community. Certified Extension Master Gardeners are trained by University of Tennessee Extension Service professionals to provide sound, practical, research based information in the areas of residential and consumer horticulture.
Our work in the community has given us the opportunity to teach future gardeners through partnerships with schools and youth programs and to promote environmental stewardship as we visit with new home owners and invite questions at the “Ask a Master Gardener” booth at the Maryville Farmers Market. The demonstration gardens around the Blount County Extension Office, at the Blount County Public Library, and elsewhere around the area showcase that a garden can be beautiful and friendly to birds and other pollinators while accommodating the area’s terrain, climate and environmental challenges. We have been fortunate to work with other community volunteers to plant and harvest produce for area food banks and with the Blount County Public Library to encourage seed saving.
Blount County has been a wonderful place for the BCMG to call home for the past 20 years. Thank you for allowing the BCMG to be part of your “landscape”. We look forward to another 20 years in Blount County.
Master Gardeners are working in and for the community
Since 2020, Master Gardeners have been working with other community volunteers at the Liles Farm to provide fresh vegetables for area food banks. The 2025 harvest is underway, with produce being donated to the Welcome Table and The Community Food Connection of Blount County. Harvesting garlic, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, squash, okra and kale brought sweat and smiles to the work team. |
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Look What Just Happened in the Shakespeare Garden
Stop by the Blount County Public library and visit the Shakespeare Garden. Mediterranean plants and herbs are used to maximize survival in a hot summer environment. Come see some of the plants mentioned in William Shakespeare's works. The Autumn Joy Sedum is in bloom as are the Lavender, Dianthus, Marigolds and Yarrow. Visitors to the garden include local pollinators.
Master Gardener Intern Class Information NightPlanning is currently underway for the 2026 Intern Class. Join us at 6:00 pm on November 10, 2025 at the Blount County Library for the Master Gardener Information night. Classes begin at 9:00 am on January 27, 2026. Questions? contact John Wilson at jawilson@utk.edu or call 865-982-6430 ext. 5. Congratulations to the 2025 Blount County Master Gardener Intern Class!
| Come Visit the Extension Office's Newest Demonstration GardensFirewise Garden: Wildland fires can occur in residential development areas with disastrous loss of life, property and resources. But, recognizing the problem and knowing how to protect your family, home, property and your neighborhood before a fire happens. View the building and plants used in the Extension Office Firewise Garden project. click on the link. In August, 2022, the Master Gardeners unveiled a Firewise Landscaping at the Blount County Extension Office. This demonstration landscape received a Search for Excellence Award at the 2023 International Master Gardener Conference. Slope Garden: While working on other demonstration garden projects at the Extension Office, the Master Gardeners discovered a grassy slope too steep for mowing. Use of hand trimmers was labor-intensive and the use of herbicides threatened the habitat for bees and other wildlife nearby. An easily replicated plan was implemented, replacing the grass with a garden thereby eliminating the need to mow, hand trim, or use herbicides while controlling weeds, using plants well-suited to a slope and our local environment. click on the link.
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Become a Blount County Master GardenerCertified Extension Master Gardeners are trained by University of Tennessee (UT) Extension Service professionals to provide sound, practical, research based information in the areas of residential and consumer horticulture. We strive to promote environmental stewardship and share the joys of gardening by:
For more information click HERE. |
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Upcoming events
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Members Log Volunteer HoursMASTER GARDENER UT EXTENSION INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE. THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE |
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