MGHC Celebrates 30 Years By Hosting 4 Beginner Gardening Classes In March

  • Thursday, February 22, 2024
The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, in association with the University of Tennessee Extension, offer their 30th annual Beginner & Newcomer Gardening Classes, taking place over four consecutive Tuesday evenings in March (5, 12, 19, 26) from 6:30-9 p.m.  

MGHC classes are taught by certified by Master Gardeners and experienced UTIA professionals and take place at the UT Hamilton County Extension Center, 6183 Adamson Circle, located off Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga.  

MGHC’s Beginner & Newcomer series is open to the public.
The fee is $50 or $75 for couples sharing materials for all four classes, and includes notebooks, door prizes, refreshments and other materials.  The deadline to register is March 1.  

For more information and a registration form, go to: https://mghc.org/beginner-newcomer-program/.

Master Gardener Mike Payne, who founded the program, said, “MGHC’s Beginner and Newcomer Gardening Classes was created to provide the both the newbie gardener and those new to our area an overview of gardening information and landscaping techniques based on our 16-week Master Gardener Training Course.  

"Over four consecutive Tuesday evenings, participants learn essential gardening practices, including how to enhance the beauty of their own homes and yards, as well as the basics of growing flowers and vegetables.  

"Each class covers two topics: Soils & Fertilization / Turfgrasses; Landscape Design / Edible Landscaping; Trees & Shrubs / Attracting Wildlife; and Beginning Vegetables / Perennials & Annuals.  Over the past 30 years, these classes have educated several thousand residents of Hamilton County, providing them with the knowledge and skills to improve the quality of life in our area.”

Celebrating its 30th anniversary year in 2024, the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County (MGHC), a nonprofit, educational, volunteer organization, has played an important role in the civic life of Chattanooga and the surrounding area.  MGHC sponsors annual events open to the public including our “Master Your Garden” Expo, Spring Garden Tour, and Fall Garden Festival.  Among the ongoing landscaping and garden partnerships undertaken by MGHC are: Alpine Crest Outdoor Learning Center & Gardens, Tennessee Aquarium Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden, Battle Academy Rooftop Garden,  Bonny Oaks Arboretum, Green Grace Community Garden, Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Chattanooga Zoo, Crabtree Farms, CUMC Community Garden, McCoy Farm & Garden, Orange Grove Center Garden and St. Albans Community & Rose Gardens.  

For more information about MGHC programs and activities, visit: https://mghc.org/.

Class schedule:

March 5 - Soils & Fertilization; Turfgrasses
March 12 - Landscape Design; Edible Landscaping
March 19 - Trees & Shrubs; Attracting Wildlife  
March 26 - Beginning Vegetables; Perennials & Annuals
Outdoors
White Oak Mountain Ranger: Zoned Out
White Oak Mountain Ranger: Zoned Out
  • 7/8/2025

“The second mode [to deal with unsafe cities] is to take refuge in vehicles. This is the technique practiced in the big wild-animal reservations of Africa, where tourists are warned to leave ... more

Woman, 57, Dies At Center Hill Lake
  • 7/4/2025

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officers responded to a call on Center Hill Lake at 6 p.m. (CDT) on Wednesday. Mary Beth Foran, 57, of Brentwood, jumped into the water from a Monterey ... more

Garden Club Meets July 14
  • 7/1/2025

The Green Thumb Garden Club of Collegedale/Ooltewah will meet Monday, July 14 at 7 p.m. (door opens at 6:45 p.m.) at Chestnut Hall (in the Commons), 4950 Swinyar Drive, Collegedale, Tn. The presenter ... more