Your correspondent is especially privileged to be an intern in the Master Gardener program this fall. Two weeks into the program, I am just amazed at the quality and how much effort has gone into it.  The teachers and the materials so far have been nothing but first-rate.

Our class on Thursday was on the Earth Kind program. The class took a fieldtrip to Clark Gardens where Dr Steven George described the program and then led us on a tour of the Earth Kind rose research gardens there. I had seen the Earth Kind label before but I had just thought it was a marketing trademark. It really is a research program that tests roses and awards the designation to rose varieties that meet the standards for landscape performance and disease and insect tolerance.  Only applicable to Texas landscapes, of course.

The rose program is just one of the Earth Kind research programs, which have as their objective “to combine the best of organic and traditional gardening and landscaping principles to create a horticultural system based on real world effectiveness and environmental responsibility.”

It was a beautiful day to be outdoors, so naturally the class took advantage of the opportunity to tour the gardens.  Although I’ve been there many times I always see something new.  How could I have missed the path through the White Garden that passes under the waterfall?

They have just received certification that one of their mexican plum trees is a state champion.  I think that is based on the trunk size.   Here’s the MG interns passing by the champion tree, escorted by ‘Chocolate’ seen in the lower right.