Adopt a garden program looks to grow interest

By Jomay Steen, Journal staff | Thursday, May 10, 2007

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RAPID CITY -- For some, they might as well admit it — they’re addicted to gardening.

For those who want to cultivate the beauty of native flowers and vegetation, or the fresh tastes of garden fruits and vegetables, The Journey Museum has an ideal program.

The “Cultivating a Native Environment” adopt-a-garden program invites organizations, clubs, groups, families, friends or individuals to hone their basic gardening skills in one or a portion of the 20 gardens situated on 11 acres of museum property.

Education Director Diane Melvin said volunteer gardeners would need to do garden work for a minimum of two hours a week. Volunteers can choose when they work in the gardens.

The program would include free monthly gardening classes, tools for use in gardens, garden gloves, winter planning meetings for the next growing season and more.

“We will need 50 people or more for this program to be a success,” Melvin said.

Tom Allen, a volunteer and Master Gardener, hauled away about 15 bags of leaves and debris last week from the museum plots he has tended since 2003.

Allen, who retired from admissions at Western Dakota Technical Institute and the U.S. Air Force, describes himself as an avid gardener, but he emphasizes that volunteers don’t have to be expert gardeners to take part in the program.

“Everybody knows what a dandelion looks like and can remove it,” he said.

He and Pam Hendricksen both tackled the plots covering the southern berms during their initial volunteer stint. At that time, nearly four years ago, there were a few shrubs, a lot more dandelions and not much more. Last year, he dedicated 120 hours to his adopted garden, and it shows.

Allen’s plot now contains bluebells, Echinacea — a purple cone flower — large groups of Maximilian sunflowers, deep, dark mahogany and yellow coreopsis — both native Plains and perennial plants. Tall, yellow goldenrod, milkweed, switchgrass and blue stem grasses are all given room to grow with a sprinkling of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers planted among the flowers that people can pick if they like, he said.

“I try to incorporate native plants that would look good, but also be eye-catchers that would make people stop to look at them,” Allen said of his garden.

Wayne Farr, whose family came from generations of farmers and who grew up in the neighborhood, works as a part-time gardener in The Journey Museum gardens.

He generally begins his weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. ridding the museum grounds of trash and rubbish before turning his attention to the plants and vegetation.

Last week, he took a walking tour of the 11-acre property, pointing out a variety of areas that would blossom with the care and attention of the right group of gardeners.

“A lot of these gardens didn’t get any loving care from last year. They’re very fallow,” he said.

He knows that over the next six to eight weeks with volunteers helping with the edging, trimming, weeding, mulching, composting, pruning, deadheading and watering, the grounds and trees will evolve into a spectacular showcase of native vegetation and flower gardens.

“We have an enormous variety of native plants and trees here. There are 36 honey locust trees in the parking lot alone,” Farr said.

All of the areas will benefit from gardeners’ experiences in cultivating plants in their own yards.

Farr pointed out that they have a triage system of treating the garden hot spots in the most need of care. A log trellis that supported wild grapevine broke down last winter near the wild sumac. It will need to be replaced, the vines cut back and the area cleared.

Next to it, a tipi ring will be tilled for the planting of gourds, corn, squash and beans. Along the ring’s edge are Alpine strawberries and a perennial wild strawberry that is much smaller and sweeter as its commercial cousin.

“We allow people to harvest the fruits and berries,” Farr said.

This includes the fruits from chokecherry trees and bushes and those of the buffalo berry bushes. Farr personally coaxes these rare trees and bushes to produce year after year.

“I talk to them and tell them not to go away,” he said.

Melvin said that once fall comes, the excess fruits, vegetables and legumes harvested are kept in baskets at the museum so people can help themselves and take some home.

“We’re appealing to groups, organizations, families, individuals and friends who want to get together on a weekly basis and spend time together,” she said.

To adopt a garden, call Melvin at 394-2535.

Monthly gardening and maintenance class schedule

What: “Cultivating a Native Environment” Adopt-a-Garden series

When: Saturdays at 10 a.m.

- May 26 — The Journey Museum Sprinkler System: Everything you wanted to know and more

- June 23 — Weeding, thinning and readiness for planting

- July 28 — Soils and evaluation

- Aug. 25 — From the garden: recipes and crafts

- Sept. 22 — Composting and “Putting gardens to bed”

- Oct. 27 — Keeping track, evaluating and planning for next season

- Nov. 17 — Tree care and pruning

Where: All classes are at The Journey Museum, 222 New York St.

Admission: $10 for adults, free for Adopt-a-Garden volunteers. For information, call 394-2535

Other: Organizers highly recommend that all volunteers update their tetanus shots if needed, because the tetanus bacteria are found in soil, dust, animal waste and insects