Volunteers sought to spread joy of gardening

Hollis Bliss has been a Master Gardener volunteer for about eight months.

The Bostwick resident was encouraged to take the volunteer course by a neighbor, who has been a volunteer with the program for several years.

“She was instrumental in getting me interested in the program,” Bliss said. “I have always been interested in nature and protecting the environment, so learning about ways that gardeners can protect our beautiful Putnam County natural resources while growing beautiful Florida gardens and landscapes really interested me.”

Bliss said she completed the course in October 2022, as well as the 75 volunteer hours required in April 2023.

According to Julio Perez, the horticulture agent with the University of Florida IFAS Extension in Putnam County, Master Gardener volunteers assist in answering horticulture questions, creating and setting up educational displays, giving presentations to different organizations and representing the extension office at public events to complete their volunteer hours.

“Our biggest projects are the Putnam County Fair, where we design and set up our educational booth, set up the Horticulture Show and set up the blueberry project display,” he said. “We also have our annual plant sale each year in April.

The extension office’s next Master Gardener volunteer program will run from Aug. 10 through Oct. 26. The deadline to submit applications, which are available at https://bttr.im/km7fr, is June 30. The cost is $115.

Applicants are required to pass a background screening, per the University of Florida guidelines, and be interviewed in July. If accepted, applicants must attend classes throughout the duration of the volunteer program, pass a class assessment and complete 75 volunteer service hours during the first year. For details, email pjulio@ufl.edu or call 386-329-0318.

Bliss said the course work is quite comprehensive and prepares Master Gardener trainees for their future volunteer work in educating the community about best practices in landscape design and gardening in Northeast Florida.

“The training is a time commitment due to the amount of material covered, but if you are interested in gardening and want to learn ways to conserve our natural resources while beautifying your yard, the rewards of the hard work are many,” she said.

Bliss said the course generally consists of extensive training, including weekly classroom lessons, hands-on activities, field trips and technical reference materials.

“The course covers things like Florida-Friendly Landscaping, botany and tree biology, plant pathology, pesticides and their proper use, fertilizers and their proper use, soil testing, plant propagation, landscape design, vegetable gardening, fruit trees, pollinator gardens, and bees and honey, among other topics,” she said.

Bliss and her husband, Gary, have been married for 46 years and have a son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter who live in St. Augustine.

“Since I am a new Master Gardener and also fairly new to Putnam County, my landscaping and garden are works in progress,” she said, smiling. “Most of my plants are in pots, which allows me to move them around and find out which location makes each one the happiest.”

Bliss said she also likes plants that attract pollinators and other garden wildlife.

“So I regularly change things up and try new plants,” she said. “I also have a few herbs because I enjoy cooking. My yard is very shady, so I have been learning which plants and herbs like shade. And I tend to let volunteer wildflowers and grasses spring up wherever they choose, especially if they attract pollinators.”

April’s Master Gardener plant sale was the first for Bliss.

“I understand that it was one of the most successful sales,” she said. “The gardening community turned out in large numbers and the plants sold very quickly.”

It was gratifying to see how many community members who enjoy gardening were at the sale, she said, and even more enjoyable to talk to those who were new to gardening and wanted to learn about the different plants.

“It was great to see so many kids getting involved, too,” she said. “Being able to share my knowledge with others in my community was very motivating.”

Bliss learned many people who attended the plant sale were interested in caring for individual plants, while others specifically wanted to attract hummingbirds or other pollinators to their yards.

“Growing a garden really appeals to the nurturing side of my personality,” Bliss said. “As a retired forensic architect, it also appeals to my problem-solving nature. It’s always a fun challenge to diagnose the causes of problems a particular plant is having and determine ways to bring it back to health and viability. And my favorite thing about having a healthy garden is enjoying the wildlife it attracts. I truly enjoy the hummingbirds, bees, lizards and other critters I can observe from my porch and yard.”

Bliss believes completing the Master Gardener training and getting to know experienced Master Gardeners has helped her with her own gardening.

“I’ve not only learned from Master Gardeners, but I’ve also learned from neighbors in my community who participate in our monthly Master Gardener volunteer plant clinics and learning workshops,” she said.

Bliss said she has enjoyed working outdoors in her yard for many years. Now that she understands more about the right plants for her yard and the types of plants that attract her favorite wildlife, her time spent gardening is much more focused and meaningful.

“The relaxation I enjoyed while gardening before is enhanced by my new understanding of how to care for my plants,” she said.

The Putnam County Master Gardener volunteers are active in community events and educational outreach, Bliss said.

“I’d like to see even more programming related to educating kids and adults about how their own gardening practices can have a positive impact on the quality of our natural resources and wildlife,” she said. “Maybe there could be more programs highlighting native Florida plants and how they can be used to beautify your yards while requiring very little maintenance.”

Bliss said Putnam County is a small county with big, beautiful natural resources and great opportunities for gardeners.

“I encourage anyone with a love of gardening, nature and community involvement to consider becoming a Putnam County Master Gardener volunteer,” she said.