Nassau County Extension Service

Kathy Warner/Special -- Fourth- and fifth-graders in the Emma Love Hardee Elementary School gifted program examine a caterpillar on the Satsuma tree in the Demonstration Garden at the James S. Page Governmental Complex in Yulee in May.

Nassau County Extension Service’s demonstration garden at the James S. Page Governmental Complex in Yulee is earning national praise.

The National Association of Counties has awarded the garden a 2008 Achievement Award, according to a press release Friday from County Coordinator Edward Sealover.

Special -- The Knock Out Double Rose is among the featured roses at the Nassau County Extension Service's Demonstration Garden at the James S. Page Governmental Complex. It is resistant to rose black spot and is tolerant of downy mildew.

By PAUL GOSNELL

Have you completed your New Year’s resolutions yet? Or, should I ask, have you put aside most of those for some other time? If one of your resolutions was to either start or revitalize that rose garden, I hope you haven’t given up hope. February is a wonderful time to be in the rose garden preparing for an abundance of color in early April and throughout the summer.

Special/Nassau County Extension Service -- Bromeliads come a variety of shapes and sizes. This is an example of Vriesea which can be planted in the ground, a rockery or in a large pot.

by BONNIE JOHNSON

Although I’m a master gardener and have received more than the initial 52 hours of training, you won’t find a perfectly manicured landscape at my house. Instead, I have a garden filled with spontaneous buys and interesting treasures from special friends. I’m a Northern transplant and can’t believe the long growing season and warm weather. “Right Plant, Right Place” is a great UF/IFAS Florida Friendly concept but occasionally I long for things unusual. My Plumeria, or frangipani, is too tropical for this area, but it is blooming for the first time this year! I have my fingers crossed for no hard freezes. So, as you may have guessed, my yard is filled with many surprises.
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