The knowledge of gardening makes everything grow: Local business owner partners with BOCES for gardening classes

Lovell Board of Cooperative Educational Services is sponsoring a spring garden class every Thursday through April 17 at Lovell Middle School. BOCES has partnered with Gary Emmett, owner of Successful Gardens, who is teaching the important basics of gardening.

Emmett said he has been teaching gardening classes with the BOCES program for two years and is passionate about sharing his gardening knowledge.

“I have taught gardening classes before, and I was approached by BOCES to see if I wanted to continue on classes,” Emmett said. “I have been teaching gardening classes for two years under this current program, and I like sharing the knowledge with my customers and helping other gardeners be successful. Sharing my knowledge through classes helps them answer questions, and when you get a group of people, one question will lead to another.”

Emmett said people who come to his classes are deeply interested in learning. He said everyone always has a question about gardening for him to answer.

“People who come to my classes always ask questions or answer other people’s questions on improving their yard,” Emmett said. “Students in the class share their experience with gardening, and one of the things I stress in my classes is the importance of soil fertility. As you are planting plants, they need something to grow with. If you have healthy soil, you will have a healthy plant.”

Emmett said he has a great group of high school students who work for him. They always like to learn and ask questions, and sometimes try to test his knowledge.

“I have six high school students working for me this year,” Emmett said. “I had this one girl last year who always came to work with a question to stump me. She would do a little research, and every Monday I knew she would try to stump me with a question, whether it be a plant name or how a plant grows, and it’s always fun to see them come up with a question.

“I have one girl this year who has been working her second year with me, and she was all excited and said since coming back this year, ‘I think I know what I am talking about because I am beginning to know what the plant is.’ Seeing the kids get a spark and like their job is fun.”

Emmett said he started his business when he purchased the greenhouse from his brother and had managed greenhouses in Idaho before returning home to Wyoming.

“My brother has been running the greenhouse for 14 years,” Emmett said. “I am currently leasing the greenhouse and property from him with the intent to buy it from him.  I have a degree in horticulture and managed a couple of greenhouses in Idaho for 12 years before moving back home to Wyoming. So, my background in gardening and horticulture is strong.”

For additional information on the next gardening class visit the BOCES website https://lovellrecandboces.com/boces-calendar/ or check the ad in the March 27 Lovell Chronicle. Anyone looking for gardening tips and ideas can visit Emmett at Successful Gardens, 74 Shoshone Ave. in Lovell, or call 307-272-7270.