Who are the Master Gardeners?
Virginia Master Gardeners are volunteer educators who work within their communities to encourage and promote environmentally sound horticulture practices through sustainable landscape management education and training. As an educational program of Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Master Gardeners bring the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth.
Recent article in the News & Advance
Master Gardeners turning focus onto food, feeding Lynchburg
What do we do?
Education
For more than two decades we have partnered with five inner-city Lynchburg public schools to provide programs for fourth-graders on the importance of healthy soil, composting, plant structure and plant requirements. Each program starts with a lecture complementing VA science SOLs and then moves to a hands-on activity relevant to the topic. We are now teaching the children of those who participated when they were young which is reward enough for the effort. In 2015, we reached 1,163 students!
School Programs
Amherst County High School
Dearington Elementary
Perrymont Elementary
Amherst Elementary Schools
Project Learning Tree
Linkhorne Elementary
Bedford Hills Elementary
R. S. Payne Elementary
Sheffield Elementary
Davis Instructional Garden (D.I.G.)
In addition to demonstration gardens planted and maintained by our membership, plots are available for lease by members of the community. Located on the HumanKind campus at 150 Linden Avenue, there are a limited number of 15′ x 24′ and 15′ x 12′ garden plots in the fenced site that are supplied with water and tilled for planting. Fees to lease a plot range from $20 – $30 based on size. Free courses are taught on site. Free advice from Master Gardeners. Contact Frank Tiller at frank.davtill@gmail.com to reserve your plot.
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Community Projects
Summer, of course, is prime time for vegetables – an opportunity to teach not only sustainable land management but good nutrition as well. From March through November, we run a weekly program at the Lynchburg Boys & Girls Club. Last year alone, our MG team guided the harvest of 1,564 pounds of vegetables which were sent home with the very happy youngsters who participated in that garden!
The HCMGA also has projects at Jubilee Family Center, the Juvenile Detention Center and Fairmont Nursing Home; each is tailored to the venue. At DePaul Community Resources, our MGs work with special-needs participants. With the diversity and scope of our projects, we try to reach all in the city of Lynchburg as well as Amherst and Campbell counties.
Youth Programs:
Community Gardens:
DePaul Community Resources
Amherst Depot Pollinator Garden
Valor Farm
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Public Information
Help Desk
We staff a help desk at the Lynchburg Cooperative Extension office during the growing season to answer garden questions with VCE research-based information and VT laboratory access. We also accept samples of sick plants or insects for identification. Call the Extension office at 455-3740 or connect to our contact form.
The Compost Education Center is located at Old City Cemetery. Master Gardeners are there on Saturdays from 11am to noon during the gardening season to answer questions. Learn more …
Home Visits
Do you have a question about your flowers, lawn, trees or shrubs? Our Home Visit team is available to diagnose problems in your landscape and suggest remedies. Call the Lynchburg Cooperative Extension Office at 434-455-3740 or contact us to schedule a home visit.
MG Tree Stewards
Community Market
Master Gardeners staff an information booth – the Gazebo – at the Lynchburg Community Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from March through October where the community can come to ask questions or just chat about our shared passion for gardening. Community Market Hours
