Ana Edwards has been gardening for nearly two decades. Currently, she is the president of Milledgeville Garden Club, a group founded in 1929.
Today, the group has 51 members and meets monthly from September through May.
From June 1-7 Edwards and gardeners across the U.S. will celebrate National Garden Week.
Edwards recently took time out from her yard work to share her insight into gardening practices and techniques.
Q: What does National Garden Week mean to you?
Ana: Every week is garden week to a gardener, but what it means to me is getting together with your community, even if it's just with an individual or working with a small group.
Q: How do you think National Garden Week helps raise awareness about the importance of gardening and green spaces?
Ana: It raises awareness to not only do what you can to help beautify your area but also your communities, and you don't want to forget about those pollinators that are out there like the birds, bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Understanding irrigation and conservation is a very important step in gardening.
Q: What are benefits you've experienced from gardening or spending time in nature?
Ana: One of the benefits I experienced is spending time with my dad. He's 95 years old and we, for the last three or four years, have planted a vegetable garden that we started from seeds. It has been a fruitful and productive garden.
Q: What tips do you have for beginner gardeners who are looking to start their own garden?
Ana: I always tell people there are at least three things. Plant what you love then you're going to want to use it. Share what you plant with your neighbors, family, and your friends.
And if you can, plant from seeds, such as vegetable seeds and brown seeds.
Q: How can people get involved in eco-friendly gardening practices?
Ana: There are all sorts of videos online you can watch and lots of things you can read about gardening. Just talk to any gardeners in your neighborhood or among friends and family – they’re always eager to help out fellow gardeners. Always make sure you keep your yard clean of weeds and debris so that you won't have bad runoffs or any kind of problems.
Q: What plants or flowers do you recommend for people who want to plant during National Garden Week?
Ana: Perennial, hydrangea, lantana, roses, azalea, annuals, geraniums, and zinnia.
Q: How has gardening changed in recent years, in terms of community involvement and urban gardening?
Ana: What I'm seeing is more prominence in attracting pollinators to your gardens and to the community area. The pollinators would be your hummingbirds, your bees, and your butterflies. You want to beautify your environment but you also want to make it friendly for your pollinators. The use of pesticides on our lawns and on our farmland has come to the forefront as well, and it's important to use control resources wisely to ensure that our waterways and lands stay healthy. When you say garden, people think of flowers but garden is also your shrubbery and trees, it can be anything in nature.
Q: What are some unique gardening projects or events that have taken place in Milledgeville for National Garden Week?
Ana: We have two downtown planters in Milledgeville. We work with the Georgia War Veterans Home and beautify their planters so the war veterans can enjoy going outside. We make holiday arrangements and we assist at the Old Governor's Mansion, Garden Mountain Steps, and Sandford House. We also work with the Milledgeville Life Enrichment Center, special adults, and our Boys and Girls Garden Club. We also do “Yard of the Month,” where we choose a yard that is the best looking in Milledgeville.
Q: How can people use gardening to connect with others or enhance their local communities?
Ana: Gardening brings people together; the downtown project with the planters is one of many great ways to connect with each other.
We often reach out to other civic organizations in our community and work together, such as the Georgia War Veterans Home, and other civic clubs in the area to do some activities.
Q: What do you hope people take away from National Garden Week?
How can they make a positive impact on the environment through gardening?
Ana: Never be afraid of color and planting.
Find out what you enjoy planting and share it with others.
To learn more about the Milledgeville Garden Club, visit gardenclub.org.