I joined the Johnson County Extension Master Gardener program in 2001, and was hired by Johnson County Research and Extension to fill the position of Extension Master Gardener Coordinator in 2005. So now I work with the Master Gardeners every day trying to make sure they have a fun, rewarding volunteer experience. I especially enjoy helping with our gardening hotline, and love to talk to people about gardening.
Laura in the gardenI was introduced to the joys of gardening by my first husband. He was a lousy husband, but a great gardener! When I re-married 10 years ago (great husband, lousy gardener!), I moved into a typical suburban house in Shawnee, with just a few trees and “builder’s special” bushes. I quickly began ripping out the old, boring shrubs. Our lawn area keeps getting smaller and smaller as more space is transformed into flower beds. My husband thinks this is great because there is less lawn for him to mow!
Three years ago, we replaced the picket fence around the back yard with an 8’ wide berm of soil in which I planted a wide variety of trees, shrubs and perennials. My goal was to make a living screen of foliage and flowers to give us privacy while providing beauty for ourselves and our neighbors. It is a great joy for me when someone, out for an evening stroll, stops by when I am in out the garden and tells me how much they enjoy the garden and what fun it is to watch it change over the course of the summer. The gardens are designed to look informal and natural, but there is always something blooming from the early spring bulbs to the late autumn wildflowers.
I have a special love for roses, and am completing the training to become a Consulting Rosarian for the American Rose Society. Last time I counted, I had 45 different varieties of roses in my gardens. I am especially interested in roses that require little care and minimal pesticides.
My college education was in biology and environmental science, and I have worked in some aspect of science and nature education throughout my career. I understand and care for my garden as a botanist while enjoying it for its beauty and the joy it brings to my life and to everyone who visits it.