The Master Gardeners groups of America are a national treasure, able to enlighten and entertain on their area of expertise. Here is this group of people who have a profound interest in gardening: They go through a grueling class, plus an enormous amount of community service and volunteer hours, then share that information for free.

The Douglas County Master Gardeners have a hot line where they’ll answer your horticulture questions. They create fantastic-looking gardens peppered throughout the community, and now here they go again with that generous spirit and willingness to share in their abundant knowledge at Saturday’s Fall Festival, an annual event sponsored by the group.

“We will have several talks and demonstrations on fall garden activities, such as planting trees, lawn care (fall is the best time to renew and plant lawns). We will discuss dividing perennials, rose care and help with any plant questions or problems,” says Connie Spitz, public relations coordinator for the Douglas County Master Gardeners.

“There will also be a children’s corner full of fun crafts and a plant sale,” Spitz says. “Additionally, we will be holding a drawing every hour for great garden prizes donated by local businesses.”

Master Gardener Michele Passman looks over some celosia in the Butterfly Garden at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The garden and other new features were exhibits for the 2006 Douglas County Master Gardeners Fall Festival at the fairgrounds.

The demonstration gardens that the Master Gardeners coddle all year are the catalyst for the event, giving attendees a chance to view these educational community resources that many people don’t know exist. The gardens are living examples of what grows well in Zone 5, what thrives in our sizzling summers and which plants can endure a hit-or-miss Kansas winter.

This year the Master Gardeners have created four new additions to the fairgrounds’ already beefed-up beds: the Butterfly Garden, the Burble Box, the Garden Shed and the Compost Bins.

“The demonstration gardens are a good community resource for the types of plants we can grow in our area, as well as providing ideas for specific gardens such as a Butterfly Garden, the Rain Gardens (both sun and shade), the Ornamental Grass Garden, the Bird Garden, the Shade Garden and a wide variety of trees and shrubs,” says Michele Passman, co-chair of the Master Gardener demonstration gardens. “Are you curious to see what your shrub or perennial will look like after a few years of growth? We probably can show you.”

A monarch butterfly visits the Butterfly Garden created by the Douglas County Master Gardeners.

Jim Blom, festival chairman, explains that the Burble Box is an alternative to a rain barrel.

“It takes the water from your roof and disperses it underground so you can use it as a water source to wet trees, gardens or grass,” he says. “It is attached to the downspout, travels underground and stops at the Burble Box – since the box has holes in it, the water slowly drains into the surrounding ground. The top of the box is at the surface and has holes in it; during a large rainfall, the box overflows and makes a burbling sound. It is said to help keep water away from the home’s foundations as well.”

Passman says another of the additions would make a wonderful project for the family.

Douglas County Master Gardeners, from left, Pat Lechtenberg, Marie Willis and Donna Decedue, look over the many flowers in the demonstration gardens at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The sites will be featured Saturday for the Master Gardeners Fall Festival.

“The Butterfly Garden is full of perennials and annuals for host and nectar plants,” she says. “These include milkweeds for the monarchs, and fennel, parsley and dill for the swallowtails, all of which have been hosting caterpillars this summer.

“It can be done on a small scale, and it is a joy to watch the progression from caterpillar to butterfly in your own backyard.”

The Extension office hot line is generally bombarded with questions on planting trees this time of year, so there will be two demonstrations on that topic.

The office also has completed the garden shed and will share with the public how it was constructed.

So, get out to the fairgrounds this Saturday and by all means pick the brains of these incredibly bright gardeners.