RE: Iris in the Master Gardeners Program

["E. R. Epperson" <kirklee@triad.rr.com>]

I am scheduled to give a structured talk on iris at Duke Gardens in Durham,
NC, in April.  The local group of Master Gardeners has designated this
presentation for continuing education.  Each of them must pay a registration
fee.  It has been my experience that most Master Gardeners do not have a
sufficient understanding of irises that prosper in their particular locale.
That is what my talk is going to be about. With slides and handouts (BIC and
Bulletins).

Roy

E. Roy Epperson

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org [mailto:owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org]
On Behalf Of Terry Aitken
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 4:49 PM
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Iris in the Master Gardeners Program

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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