News

Gardening Program

Helps grow Green Industry

   

Red, white, and blue gardens are popping up all over Virginia. All those red, white, and blue blooms are part of the America’s Anniversary Garden™ project, which was developed by Virginia Cooperative Extension as a way many citizens could participate in the celebration of America’s 400th anniversary. Now in its second year, America’s Anniversary Garden is a way for citizens, communities, and groups to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown and to promote Virginia’s green industry with a signature garden planting.

Governor Tim Kaine joined dozens of gardeners and volunteers to plant the first official anniversary garden on January 11, 2006, as part of his inauguration activities. Gardens have been popping up all over the commonwealth ever since.

“We had a wonderful kickoff year in 2006 with municipal, volunteer, and residential plantings of red, white, and blue gardens all across the state,” says Joyce Latimer, Virginia Cooperative Extension greenhouse specialist, one of the four originators of the project.

The project is supported by a $25,000 grant from the Jamestown 2007 Committee and funding from Virginia Cooperative Extension and several industry partners. Five publications, several promotional pieces, as well as a website were created to promote the project and serve as resources for gardeners and industry partners. The America’s Anniversary Garden website (www.ext.vt.edu/americasgarden/) has received more than 60,000 hits since its inception. The site features garden designs, planting lists, planting instructions, and other resources. In addition, the site features photos of AAG plantings that were submitted by groups from across the state.

More than a million third and fourth grade students have been introduced to the AAG program nationwide through the Weekly Reader® program. Virginia Cooperative Extension established a partnership with the National Junior Master Gardener (JMG) program, which in turn secured a project with the Weekly Reader program to promote horticulture education to elementary school children. Personnel with JMG developed an eight-panel educational poster on horticultural topics including America’s Anniversary Garden.

In addition to the Weekly Reader garden design contest, individual gardeners, communities, civic groups, and businesses are encouraged to enter their gardens in the 2007 America’s Anniversary Garden Contest. Any type of garden, including residential, neighborhood, municipal, business, school, church, hospital, park, airport, racetrack, or arboreta is eligible, as are commercial garden-center and farmers-market displays and landscape design/installation/maintenance projects.

Inspired by a local contest developed by the Historic Triangle 2007 Beautification Committee, the statewide contest was developed to help pull all Virginia horticultural groups together during 2007.

“With a great start last year, we wanted to culminate the America’s Anniversary Garden efforts in this commemoration year with a project that could involve all Virginia gardeners,” says Bonnie Appleton, Virginia Cooperative Extension nursery specialist, who is leading the contest efforts. “Our industry and outreach partners have really stepped up to support the statewide contest. We are looking forward to great participation in planting red, white, and blue across the commonwealth.”

Complete contest rules, garden categories, contest sponsors, and the entry form can be found on the America’s Anniversary Garden website (www.ext.vt.edu/americasgarden/). Contest entries must be submitted by September 1. Winners will be announced during the State Fair of Virginia in September.