Re: Iris in the Master Gardeners Program

[Terry Aitken <terry@flowerfantasy.net>]

Hi All
I just got back from doing a local garden club program. That was my 3rd 
for the year with about 5 more to go. I have done programs for the 
master gardeners in Vancouver and they are connected to the County 
Extention Service. I dont know what it costs to belong but "free" is a 
very good price. They seem to be in a general adult education or 
continuing education program about gardening. Their manual of 
instruction looks like 2 very thick phone books! I will contact those of 
our Iris society members who are also master gardeners. Unlike you folks 
out on the prairies, I have detected NO resistance to iris growing 
except "TOO BAD THEY BLOOM FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME". I do my best to talk 
about rebloomers and the plants that bloom for 2 or 3 months  for us. I 
suspect that Bob is running into resistance to species iris which have 
limited garden appeal and about which there is very little general 
knowledge.. There are a LOT of people who have no idea about all of the 
other types of irises. I spend a lot of time talking about "them", 
particularly the bloom sequence that they represent.
Contrary to Bob, I do NOT feel that what we are doing is wrong or a 
failure. There may simply be new facets of communications that we can 
add to our repetoir.
I plan on writing articles to deal with this but it is only going to 
happen if I get stranded in an airport somewhere.
Terry

gary white wrote:

>I echo the comments so far about master gardener programs and perceptions.  I have had contact with master gardeners in both Iowa and Nebraska over the past few years.  I have given a couple of iris programs to master gardeners in western Iowa, and as Ginny mentioned, there is the perception among many master gardeners that irises are difficult to grow.    It was also pretty evident that most of the master gardeners were not well aware of the diversity in the genus Iris.   From my experience, master gardeners are an excellent group for programs like this.  They are interested, invested in gardening education, and are very receptive to good practical information for themselves and to pass on to the public.    
>   
>  In Lincoln, there is a local weekly radio show that is co-hosted by a Master Gardener.  Some of us from the Lincoln Iris Society have been guests on that show twice a year for the past several years.  Now, they routinely contact me and ask for us to schedule dates to appear on the show and talk about growing irises, our shows, etc.  And, a couple of other times, they have even asked, on air, for someone from the iris society to call in and help them answer a question from a caller to the program.  It has grown into a really nice relationship with the radio station (the only community owned, independent radio station in Nebraska) and the hosts.   We have 3 of the local master gardeners as members of our local club. 
>   
>  There also is a weekly newspaper column in Lincoln by 2 Master Gardeners, one of whom is a member of our local club.  Usually twice a year, I also write an article to appear in the gardening section about irises and local iris events.  That relationship has been very good also.   The Master Gardeners are very visible and widely respected in the gardening community, probably helped in Lincoln by location of the land-grant University of Nebraska with an excellent extension service and a large Horticulture department.
>   
>  I think its an excellent idea to work on developing a program for Master Gardeners.  It likely would pull in some new AIS members, and also would get better iris information to some of those folks who are constantly speaking to the gardening public.  If we can teach them about the virtues of irises in their gardens and perennial beds, it will benefit the master gardeners, the public and AIS in the long term.  Sounds like a win-win-win situation to me.
>   
>  I'm sure there are a number of Master Gardeners that are AIS members across the country that could perhaps be tapped as contacts with state MG programs and leaders. 
>   
>  Gary White
>   
>  
>
>Robt R Pries <rpries@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>  Ginny and Don; I greatly appreciate the work you have
>done with master gardeners. It is my understanding
>that Master gardeners are required to spend a certain
>amount of time in classroom type programs. If AIS
>could develop a structured program that we could offer
>as an elective for them to include into their
>educational curriculum and provide designated local
>trainers I am guessing we could educate more Master
>Gardeners. I have heard that many Master Gardenrs in
>some ares of the country have been told that Iris are
>difficult or impossible to grow in a perennial border.
>If we could provide expertize to their curriculum
>maybe we could correct these perceptions. I would like
>to hear from many more people around the country to
>see if we have the potential presenters and interest
>in an outreach program.
>
>--- VSpoon@aol.com wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Don and I have given quite a few talks and also had
>>the garden open for 
>>several of our area master gardener groups
>>throughout the last fifteen years. They 
>>are a great group and we always provide AIS
>>membership information along with 
>>any of our talks. This year we are having a slide
>>show and information to pass 
>>out at one of our local nurseries on iris basics. I
>>have a feeling that it is 
>>the lack of knowledge on care and cultivation that
>>may keep gardeners from 
>>growing irises. Even though master gardeners learn a
>>lot about gardening they 
>>think that irises are hard to grow. I have a copy of
>>the master gardener's 
>>handbook and the information is mostly general
>>rather than specific. I have also 
>>read the information on the basics of iris
>>cultivation on the AIS website and I 
>>think it needs some work.
>>
>>Ginny
>>
>>
>>    
>>
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