Happy Spring greetings from your new co-leads of the GSEMG Newsletter team: Steve Cooper and Diane Hill, Class of 2020. We thank our predecessors Elaine Kolish and Pat Machowsky for their volunteer service dating back to 2018, which has included their leadership to guide improvements for content, readership surveys, and the transition to using Constant Contact.

We're committed as well to newsletter innovations. We're participating with the Publicity team to gain additional exposure for the GSEMG program and to attract prospective new recruits. This includes the repurposing of some articles – originally written for Groundbreakers – for a broader public audience to be published in The Fairfax County Times. The first articles already appeared in print and online in March:

And we're committed to make it easier for all GSEMGs to spread the word to recruit prospective trainees, by including a seasonal GSEMG Recruitment Poster image in each Groundbreakers issue, in partnership with the Publicity team.

We hope you'll enjoy reading Groundbreakers. Many thanks to our Newsletter team members for their input and to all our authors and editors. Here's what you'll learn in this issue:

And be sure to read our regular features, including important program updates from Pamela Smith in her GSEMG Coordinator’s Corner, plus some upcoming events at GSG that you won't want to miss.

We invite all GSEMGs to continue to suggest ideas for future articles (or write one!). We'd love to hear from you, so send us an email. Happy gardening – and see you on zoom for the April 9 All-Hands Meeting!

Happy Spring! The warmer weather has finally arrived and the bulbs are blooming. Just as we planted the bulbs last Fall knowing that our past effort would add to the beauty of our current gardens, the past 20 years of Green Spring Extension Master Gardeners has laid the foundation for a more fruitful future. This year, 2022, is a hallmark year for the GSEMG program as we reflect on our past efforts and plan for our future.

Join us for the All-Hands Meeting on Saturday, Apr. 9 from 9 am - noon. We have a full agenda including an update from the Advisory Council, Better Impact “how to,” and happenings at Green Spring Gardens. I also want to highlight two topics of special interest that we will address on the 9th: (1) the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the GSEMG program with celebrations planned for the Fall; and (2) the Virginia Extension Master Gardener State Office's Task Force on Accessibility and Connection ....

Since its inception in 2004, the GSEMG EcoSavvy Symposium has evolved into a well-respected annual forum addressing sustainable gardening practices to build healthy soil, increase bio-diversity, reduce water usage and runoff, as well as limit pesticide use. This year’s virtual symposium on Feb. 19 carried this proud reputation forward. Our three expert presenters helped us to understand the bio-environmental impact of a declining urban forest and to learn what each of us can do to slow/reverse further canopy loss ....

With contributions from GSG Site Manager Judy Zatsick, Kay has crafted the first of a two-article series telling the story of artist David Barber's sculpture in the Gazebo Garden. She recounts the history of the Sibley family donation and how Judy worked with the Sibleys during artist selection and installation ....

Mariel provides parents and teachers with several online resources from National Wildlife Federation to re-introduce children and young adults to sustainable gardening and habitat preservation. This article has been updated for Spring 2022 ....

The work of GSEMGs with school gardens at Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is off to a flying start this Spring! Partnering with Get2Green, the Environmental Stewardship program in FCPS, the School Garden Advisory team began receiving requests for site visits from schools in all five regions of the FCPS system ....

Did you know that 2022 marks two milestone anniversaries in our metro area for celebrated landscape artist Beatrix Ferrand? Kay highlights the significance of and history behind the 100th anniversary of Beatrix Farrand’s work at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington DC, as well as the 80th anniversary of her garden design and installation at Green Spring Gardens ....

The Green Spring Garden Talks Program ended the Fall 2021 to Spring 2022 season with another wonderful successful series of in-person and community presentations, impacting more than 250 community gardeners. We extend a big thank you to those team members who graciously and safely gave their time and expertise for the in-person series ...

Marylou Wall also reports: GSEMG will have a virtual booth at the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) Green Fair, which will be held online on Friday, April 22, Earth Day. Yes, it was a learning experience, and we are thrilled to announce a successful submission. Congratulations to the EMGs and interns who submitted voiced slides with closed captions for the booth:

Fairfax County Parks website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks