There is a new club in town for those who like to garden and want to help volunteer in the community. The Boyle and Mercer County Extension Agents for Horticulture developed a new club known as the Fort Harrod Garden Club in response to past Master Gardener’s and community member’s desire to have more social programing revolving around plant topics.

Many of the Master Gardeners between the two counties cut back on activities during covid. So, this club has allowed volunteers to ease their way back into volunteering and participating in Extension programs. Once a month, the club meets and alternates between the two Extension offices to accommodate volunteers in both counties as well as surrounding counties that lack Horticulture Agents. A variety of plant and soil topics are presented by agents or guest speakers and members enjoy doing hands on activities, and tours of some of Kentucky’s nicest gardens and arboretums. The Fort Harrod Garden club is not limited to just Master Gardeners but anyone who is interested in horticulture and is free to join. Making the club accessible to everyone in a way the Master Gardener program was not able to do.  

Many of our members are new to the area as well as to Extension. As a result of their attendance of the Ft. Harrod Garden Club members have begun utilizing other Extension services and programs besides horticulture ones, as well as becoming involved in other community activities at the local library and parks through the connections they have made.Garden Club members hosting a seed swap