NSVMGA sponsors a variety of programs in Frederick County, Virginia, including…
Belle Grove Plantation Teaching Garden – Extension Master Gardeners work with the public and Belle Grove volunteers while planning, planting, and improving the historic garden behind the house. Volunteers meet once a week on Tuesday mornings during the growing season.
Bright Futures Plant Donation – This Extension Master Gardener project partners with the Bright Futures Summer Food Program to provide seasonal vegetable and herb plants that EMGs have grown from seed to clients during food pack distribution days. Bright Futures Frederick/Winchester is a nonprofit organization whose initiatives include helping families with students attending Frederick County Public Schools who are experiencing food insecurity.
Fremont Street Nursery Gardening After School – Classes are offered for Fremont Street Nursery elementary children, aged 5-12, from 3-4 pm each Wednesday from March through May and mid-September through October. Gardening facilities include a 22-bed enclosed raised-bed garden and the school greenhouse. Extension Master Gardeners also teach a ten-week Summer Garden Project at Fremont on Tuesdays during June, July, and August for ages 4-12.
Gardening Symposium – NSVMGA sponsors this educational event focused on gardening topics of interest to both Extension Master Gardeners and homeowners in the Valley. The speakers are chosen from the horticultural industry, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and professional speakers on numerous topics.
GardenFest – Extension Master Gardeners sponsor a day of education, gardening fun, and plants every year on the first Saturday in June at Belle Grove Plantation. Highlights include gardening vendors, animals, children’s events, and the Master Gardener Plant Sale.
Habitat for Humanity – The EMG program has a joint project with Habitat for Humanity, currently in Frederick and Warren counties, working with new homeowners to design and execute landscaping for their properties. This enhances their property value and supports them in the path to owning and maintaining their own homes. We work together with homeowners to design their gardens and landscapes, so that the gardens are ones that they want and can maintain over time. We teach them about gardening and about the plants we choose. This project began in 2022 and has the ability to work with Habitat in any of the five counties covered by our EMG unit.
Indoor Plant Clinic – Extension Master Gardeners sponsor a workshop, diagnostic clinic, and informational talks on indoor plants at the Bowman Library in Stephens City in February. Workshops for children and adults are free, and attendees can go home with free plants and cuttings.
Junior Master Gardener Home School Program – Extension Master Gardeners teach children the basics of gardening as well as the value of giving back to the community. Children are enrolled with the 4-H program and work with the Frederick County Extension Office. Classroom portion lasts from March through June.
Nature Surprises for Kids – Extension Master Gardeners teach classes to children at Bowman Library in Stephens City. The classes include hands-on activities to help kids connect with nature. Register on the Bowman Library website for classes at least 10 days before the classes are scheduled. Parent/guardian must accompany children; no drop offs are allowed.
NW Works– Extension Master Gardeners share the joy of gardening with the adult clients at NW Works. Working one day a week with the clients in small groups, EMG’s support growing activities from seed to harvest. In 2024, both flowers and vegetables/herbs will be grown in the gardens. The goal of the project is engagement at many levels–individual, group, and outreach to the community–as the clients donate their vegetable bounty to area soup kitchens. Come join us and watch things GROW!
Russell Watkins Memorial Pollinator Garden – EMGs established a pollinator garden in the Jim Barnett city park, starting in the summer of 2021. It contains 90% native pollinator plants with the primary exception being herbs. EMGs tend the plants, fight groundhogs(nicely), and provide education about the importance of pollinator plants and garden diversity. Visit us in the garden April to October, weekly on Wednesday’s 9-11 am. In 2024, community education programs are planned for June and September, as well as in conjunction with our partners — the Winchester Parks and Recreation department and the Northern Shenandoah Audubon Society.
Seed Lending Libraries – Extension Master Gardeners offer free seeds at Bowman Library in Stephens City and Handley Library in Winchester. Learn the satisfaction and benefits of gardening then harvest and return a portion of the seeds to the library to share with others.
Winchester Farmers Market – The Extension Master Gardener information booth is set up at the Farmers Market on the 1st Tuesday and 3rd Saturday of the month, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. from May through September. Brochures and information sheets are available to the public, and volunteers answer homeowner gardening questions.
To learn more about the projects that take place in Frederick County or to get help with your home gardening questions, contact us at:
- Phone: 540-665-5699
- Email: GreenHelpLine.FrederickCo@gmail.com
- Help Desk Hours: Every Wednesday, 10 a.m.–Noon
- Location: VCE Office, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, VA 22601
If you have questions about our programs, please email us at nsvmganews@gmail.com.
