Every spring when the forsythia bushes start to bloom, the local Extension Office's phone starts ringing. Clients with home horticulture questions start buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming garden season and as their preparations are made, they have many questions. The string of questions continues as the season progresses, making home horticulture questions a very demanding and time consuming responsibility for Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents, especially those who do not have Horticulture Agents in their counties.

These home horticulture efforts often go unrecognized. Most clients leave with their recommendations and don't return until they have another problem or concern in their gardens. Sometimes, these time consuming "little" efforts make such a large impact on an individual client that they feel obliged to show their gratitude. One client was so thankful with his Agent's previous efforts that he submitted the following thank you note months later recognizing the effects her recommendations had on his gardens and his horticulture knowledge base.

"Ms. Nikki Rhein, thank you for being an excellent, personable, knowledgable, friendly, efficient Marshall County Cooperative Extension Agent! You have always been available and cooperative to assist me with changing my "black thumb" to a "green thumb," gardening questions, problems, and solutions! I have learned so much about my personal property landscape shrubs, trees, and flowers. Thanks to your soil analysis, research and potential planting (recommendations) of nature's beautiful productive plants. I will continue to knock on your office door for my future horticulture plans for beautifying my home! Thank you again! Respectfully,  D.H.R."

As another "question season" begins, Nikki plans to continue to make extra efforts for her home horticulture clientele. She hopes to make many more "little" impacts on her clients.