Photo submitted by Paige Petticrew

The Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Lenoir County (EMGVs of Lenoir County) are a group of 22 active members that act as an extension of the NC Cooperative Extension, under the direction of the Consumer Horticulture Agent for Lenoir County. They provide research-based sustainable gardening practices to North Carolina residents. 

The EMGVs of Lenoir County are excited to share their new Children’s Garden with the community! They welcomed the community Tuesday, the 21st of May, at their ribbon cutting. This long-awaited day has been a goal for the past several years. 

The Lenoir County Children’s Garden, formally located near the Georgia K. Battle Community Center, was a staple in past programming for the volunteers. In existence for 16 years, the previous garden impacted more than 25,000 children and adults during its lifespan. After being vandalized 13 times and repaired for use, it suffered irreparable damage in 2020 and the volunteers decided to find a more secure site where they could recreate this unique educational learning laboratory with its hands-on gardening experiences.

Throughout much of 2021, Marsha Lovick (Association President), Jeannie Holmes (Children’s Garden Committee Chair), April Houston (volunteer), and Peg Godwin (advisor) searched the county for possible sites. There were many discussions about possible sites which ultimately led to a partnership with the Governor Caswell Memorial State Historic Site. The area, approximately 1 acre, previously housed craft services and was a blank slate to be developed. Two separate structures and a large concrete pad were left on site to be utilized in the garden area. Shane Burke, a Craven County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, and landscape designer, graciously visited the site and provided a landscape design plan that incorporated the structures. 

Going into 2022 the EMGV of Lenoir County were eager to begin at the new garden site. In early 2022, a transition in consumer horticulture agents took place, thus a new advisor to the EMGVs of Lenoir County was brought on board. Paige Petticrew, now advisor, was quickly brought up to speed on the importance of the Children’s Garden and the programming it previously offered. With much excitement, Paige and the EMGVs of Lenoir County set out and began development in the new garden space. 

After much anticipation for water to be plumbed into the site, clean-up dates, the old garden structures relocated new ideas were able to come to light. The EMGVs of Lenoir County had several workdays including laying fabric for the raised bed area and pathways, raking and shoveling mulch and pathway gravel, creating a row garden, sifting the soil to free the ABC garden of weeds, among other tasks! Boy Scout Troop 41, sponsored by Gordon Street Christian Church, approached the volunteers in the hopes of helping with projects that checked off items for a wood working badge. This worked perfectly for the volunteers, as a donated fence was able to be installed as well as raised beds built on site. 

The ribbon cutting was an exciting day for Agent Paige Petticrew and the EMGVs of Lenoir County. Paige stated, “Being able to see the garden come to life after many long days of work with the volunteers was a great day for the group! It has been a long time coming, and getting to be a part of this project from almost the beginning is very special!” She went on to discuss future programming that this learning-laboratory will provide through the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers and the NC Cooperative Extension, Lenoir County Center. Marsha Lovick shared a personal experience from the previous garden area at the ribbon cutting from the stance of a grandma. She shared how she had brought her young grandson to the garden and how he was a timid and shy, but by the end of the lesson, two other participants walked on either side of him hand-in-hand. Marsha continued to share how the garden space allows all participants to be on an equal level, and it is an exciting place to see friendships develop through learning. Jeannie Holmes also spoke at the ribbon cutting, sharing the upsets of the past garden and how exciting it was to find this new space. Jeannie, being with the old garden throughout its lifespan, is tickled to see this new space come to life and is ready to welcome youth for programming!  

The goal of this area is to provide youth in the community with programming centered around gardening with an added historical element, dating to Governor Caswell’s time. By producing vegetables and herbs in the garden, participants will see items planted and growing in real time, harvested, and use it in dishes. 

The EMGVs of Lenoir County have put in countless hours of manual labor getting the garden to the point where it is now. Without the support of grant winnings and sponsors, the work thus far would not have been possible! Agent Paige Petticrew and EMGVs of Lenoir County are appreciative of all of the help and are excited for the possibility of what is to come. Special thanks to the staff at the NC Cooperative Extension, Lenoir County Center for jumping in to help the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Lenoir County whenever asked!

The volunteers would love for you to visit the Children’s Garden, and ask that you leave the produce for programming. For more information please call the Lenoir County Extension Office at 252-527-2191. 

Written by: Paige Petticrew