Over the summer, things have been heating up at the Demonstration Center! There has been a lot of work done to clean up the existing landscape and we’ve broken ground on several garden features. Special thanks to the tremendous efforts of Master Gardeners and help from County staff and crews from the Sheriff’s Offender Work Program! If you haven’t visited the garden lately, come see the provisional areas for seed starting and propagation, edibles and composting. We’ve also updated the garden web page and installed a pilot waters’ edge demonstration planting. As fall approaches, we’ll continue ramping up our efforts. Here are some of the ongoing initiatives:

• Enhance the lobby with the addition of a reference library, reception desk, indoor plants and an informal study/consultation area.
• Update the building signage and enhance it with landscaping.
• Complete irrigation repairs in the butterfly and pollinator garden in preparation for a MG-lead renovation and expansion of this area.
• Plant the raised beds with edibles and herbs.
• Create a small space garden demonstration feature showing various approaches to container gardening on a patio or lanai.
• Lay a base for future paver paths.
• Construct a permanent, pergola-style shade house area.
• Promote the demonstration garden in the community through the “Down and Dirty in the Garden” series

For more information, check out the Demonstration Center webpage at sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/democenter or check out Facebook to see the latest photos from the garden.

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