Master gardener volunteers add information station at Lake Park
Lori Everhart, park director, Gail Piper, Coshocton County Master Gardener, and Verda McGraw, Coshocton County Master Gardener intern, are pictured at the new information station that was installed at Lake Park. Josie Sellers | Beacon
COSHOCTON – The phenology garden at Lake Park began as a place for master gardeners to observe plants and record data, but it also has grown into a spot to educate the public.
The Coshocton County Master Gardener Volunteers started the phenology garden in 2004. In 2012 they started cleaning out what they call The Annex and in 2013 they started cleaning out The Orchard. Pollinator plants were then added in 2014.
“We wanted to make the area as educational as possible so we then added plant markers,” said Gail Piper, who has been a master gardener volunteer since 2006. “We’d have people stop and ask what things were so they could get them for their own gardens.”
They then realized it would be nice to have even more information for people in the area so they spoke with Lori Everhart, park director and then started working on an information station, which was installed in May.
“We wanted to bring more information to the people,” Piper said.
The project was paid for by the master gardeners, Friends of the Park contributed and the structure was built and installed by construction technology students from the Coshocton County Career Center. They’ve already put out information about the park, master gardeners newsletters and tick fact sheets, which are all going fast.
“It’s just a quick walk from the office and visitors can step right off the path and pick up things,” Piper said. “We also are in contact with someone about adding a place for bags for dog walkers.”
Piper said the phenology committee includes Tony Hathem, Pam and Coleman Anderson, Reta Grewell, Teresa Donley, Betty Williams, who co-chairs the project with Piper, Marsha Duling, and Dianne McCoy. The 2018 master gardener interns also help out at times in the area.
“The Friends of the Park have been very helpful too,” Piper said. “When they get their mulch for other areas they give us what we need for over here. They also try to get out and help us like when we cut down the trees they came and helped pull stumps or carried them off.”
Master gardener volunteers are typically working in the gardens at Lake Park on Wednesday morning. Piper said walkers are welcomed and encouraged to stop and ask questions.
Category: Clubs & Organizations
