Fairground Demo Garden History
Montgomery County Fairgrounds Demonstration Garden
Brief Historical Report
January 2007
Master Gardeners are trained volunteers of the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, Montgomery County Office, who are dedicated to helping the citizens of Montgomery County, Maryland. Our mission is to educate County residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes and communities. This brief history is based on our long association of working collaboratively with the Agricultural Center Inc at the Montgomery County fairgrounds.
The Early Years 1994 - 1996
MG Fair activity began in 1994, at a shady site shared with Montgomery County Master Recyclers & Composters (previously a part of the Cooperative Extension Office). The display from 1994 to 1997 consisted of container gardens, selected turf grasses, and a few raised beds for vegetables and ornamentals.
1997 - 2002 at the Farmer Triangle
In 1997 the MG group moved to a sunnier, expanded site of its own at the “Farmers’ Triangle”, and began the design of the current garden based on the Environmental Education Garden, which is still located at the MC Extension Office in Derwood, Maryland.
Over the years of development and evolution of the Agricultural Triangle site has maintained an educational focus and has received numerous awards. Each year, the garden has continued to be more conducive to the promotion of horticultural educational priorities of Montgomery County and the University of Maryland to fairgoers, particularly in the areas of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and the utilization and benefits of composting. These efforts led to an award in 1999 from the Keep Montgomery County Beautiful Committee.
2003 - 2006 Trees Planted at Farmers' Triangle
The period 2003 to 2007 marked the introduction of trees to the Farmers Triangle site.. The fairgrounds area has a significant number of mature hardwoods, primarily red oak. A number of these trees are under stress from a combination of factors including soil compaction. Currently, the MG Farmers’ Triangle site is framed by four exemplary tree cultivars. These were planted partly in response to the pending loss of a number of nearby oaks, but also to frame the MG site with trees which will grow in Montgomery County. The trees; an elm, a birch and two crape myrtles, were exhaustively researched and finally selected by the MG Fair group under the advisement of Master Gardener Coordinator, Steve Dubik. The elm was the first to be planted, in the fall of 2003. It is a cultivar of the American elm (Ulmus Americana) named Valley Forge, and is resistant to Dutch elm disease, the blight that killed most native American elms. The tree posses the same stately appearance as the many elms, which used to line the streets of American cities and towns, that were lost to the elm disease and will grow to a height of 80 to 100 feet. This was a most propitious planting as a nearby red oak was lost in the spring of 2006.
The second tree planted in 2004, was a river birch (Betula Nigra) and it was located opposite the elm. The birch, obtained through the Montgomery College Agricultural program, is very vigorous and is noted for its exfoliating (peeling) bark and resistance to wind and ice damage. The inner side of the bark and the exposed tree beneath show color combinations of cream, salmon, orange, lavender and grey. In addition the tree has no dense canopy of leaves, allowing the passage of sunlight to the plantings beneath.
The last trees, planted, in April of 2005, were crape myrtles (lagerstroemia Lipan). These provide a colorful background to the main plantings, are resistant to powdery mildew and have recurrent flowering. The center garden A third Lipan, purchased at the same time, was planted by the MG group at the Heritage House entrance to the Fair grounds.
In 2005, at the request of the Agricultural Center (Fair Grounds) staff, the MG group took on the additional task of improving the landscaping of the Montgomery Fair Grounds Heritage facility entrance area. The cost of the initial plantings was shared by the Agricultural Center (Fair Grounds), the Master Gardener Association. In addition Johnson’s Florists donated annuals for the Heritage Flower Box and a small pink crape myrtle tree. The MG group continues to provide maintenance and additional materials.
Each year there is change, new plants are introduced and older plants are moved, pruned and “retired” by these volunteers. As a result, the site now has beds with varying shade and sun conditions allowing flexibility in display and utilization all within the frame-work of our trees.
The Fairground Garden has grown to well over 80 plants which have been added over the years. These include, in the main circular bed, such perennials as: the showy “Knock out” rose bush (Rosa radrazz); a bed of lavender (Lavendula Hidcote), used to mark the site border; mature Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia); and Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) as well as a diversity of pungent herbs and showy flowers and bulbs. In addition, in response to the growing interest in decorative grasses, there is a unique, separate bed of perennial ornamental grasses, added in 2006, which includes both Japanese Blood grass (Imperata cylindra Rubra), Zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis), as well as striking examples of feathery and plumed grasses.
Also in 2006 work has begun on restructuring the Garden. Gravel paths have been added to the central bed, to allow better viewing of the plant material and, in response to the interest of fairgoers, new bed areas have been prepared for vegetable and specialty garden display.
Planning for 2007
This ever-changing Fair site is ready for the spring of 2007, to provide new graphic examples of vegetable and ornamental plantings that are best adapted to the Montgomery County environment. It will reflect the theme for the August 10-19 Fair which is: Country Fun in the City Sun.
In celebration of our 14th year, a new distribution of plants will be made in the main circular bed to take advantage of the expanded viewing access permitted by the new gravel paths, allowing children to walk among the butterflies always there. Overall, this new design will maintain the educational focus of the garden while providing an appealing diversity for all at the Fair.
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Last updated: 03/25/2007