A red barn advertises the greenest-ever mster gardeners exhibit at the Hamilton County Fair this weekend.

“Conservation was big in everybody’s thoughts, so our theme is gardening green, and it is a strong message towards conservation,” said exhibit chairman Bud Hines.

Staff Photo by Margaret Fenton Hamilton Country master gardener Charlene Griffin explains her newly-installed rain barrel watering system. She plans to keep the water falling onto her roof in three rain barrels rather than letting it roll down Signal Mountain. Mrs. Griffin will use the extra water to maintain plants and trees that are often dry this time of year.

The exhibit promotes dry-soil gardening (called xeriscaping), native plants, rain collection in barrels, rain gardens, green roofs, raised beds, composting and compost tea.

“Because we’ve had so little water in the past few years and it’s been so expensive to irrigate, we decided to include rain barrels in the fair,” said Charlene Griffin, a Hamilton County master gardener who installed a rain barrel at her Signal Mountain home last weekend.

Nearly all of the more than 150 Hamilton County master gardeners contributed a hand-made birdhouse to sell at the fair to benefit the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Mr. Hines said. About 90 master gardeners helped build the exhibit.

Visit www.mghc.org for more on conservation.

1Use barrels to harvest rainwater. Rain barrels reduce stormwater runoff, provide water for gardening during dry periods and reduce water bills. Check the newspaper and other media sources for information on upcoming workshops on rain-barrel construction and maintenance, including mosquito prevention.

2 Conserve household water by keeping a container near the sink and bathtub to catch flow before hot water arrives. Chlorination dissipates after 24 hours, making it healthier for watering house, porch and patio plants.

3Compost grass and vegetable trimmings to reduce landfill accumulation and build garden soil health.

4Use native plants. Planting drought-tolerant varieties in dry areas and moisture-tolerant varieties where water collects reduces water needs for your garden, water bills and your time spent watering thirsty plants.

5 Install green roofs where possible on out-structures or roof sections with a 20-degree pitch or less. Green roofs keep structures cooler, reduce stormwater runoff and can look fabulous.

6Use raised beds for water conservation. Raised beds also allow wheelchair gardening and are easier on mature backbones.

7 Plant a rain garden where your yard collects water. Vegetation cleans contaminants from standing water and sends it cleaner to our streams and creeks.

8 Garden with organic fertilizers and pesticides. They’re better all around for the environment.

9Make your garden a bird sanctuary by providing birdhouses, bird feeders and bird baths. They, in return, will reduce your insect population and bring music, color and beauty to your garden.

10 Preserve large shade trees, and use shade-tolerant plants such as hosta, fern, heuchera and pulmonaria. Large trees hold the most carbon and provide shade to keep yards cooler.

Compiled by Bud Hines

and Charlene Griffin