USU gardeners show off their green thumbs
Tears were shed and hearts were full as the nation saw the work of Utah State University Extension’s master gardeners, along with dozens of other local volunteers on “Extreme Makeover Home Edition,” which aired Oct. 9.
The show featured the makeover of Gordon and Lisa Harrison’s home in Bountiful. Gordon is recovering from a rare form of pancreatic cancer, and he, his wife, and their three children were nominated for the show by their neighbors, who were grateful for the service they had received from Gordon.
The master gardeners, which included USU Davis County Extension agent Shawn Olsen, were contacted by the overall landscape contractor to volunteer their time and resources in rebuilding the home.
“Myself, Syd Allred, president of the master gardener association, and Jaydee Gunnell, Extension horticulture assistant, then recruited more than 40 master gardener volunteers to help,” Olsen said.
The Harrison family was on vacation while the house and yard were being remodeled, Olsen said. The gardeners met with the family after the house was completed to discuss landscape plans.
The gardeners donated and planted trees, herbs, flowers and a vegetable garden to accent the new home.
With daylilies and irises donated by the Utah State University Botanical Center, the gardeners were able to design and plant a “natural area along the nearby stream,” Olsen said. The color purple was chosen for the iris garden because lavender is the color representing cancer-awareness programs, Allred said.
“Our native plant specialist Lori Matsukawa oversaw the naturalized plantings around the stream area,” Allred said. “Rhea Anderson, our vegetable and small-space specialist, directed the planting of the vegetable garden.”
According to Allred, Pauline Frampton and Mary Garr, daylily curators, planted a lovely garden around the Harrison’s new hot tub area.
The Harrison family was especially grateful for the newly planted raspberries, which were a particular favorite of the Harrison family, Allred said. They had raspberries in their previous garden with original canes that date back more than 100 years, he said.
“We were very impressed with Harrison’s grateful attitude for the new house and yard,” Olsen said. “There was also a real sense of accomplishment to see the landscape and plants come together so quickly with so many volunteers.”
The gardeners were also able to meet many of the TV program stars, take pictures and get autographs, creating an “air of excitement,” Olsen said.
“Everyone at the project was great,” Allred said. “And it’s amazing to think the entire project was donated.”
-jlheywood@cc.usu.edu