Meet a Master Gardener #2

Hazel Zink, “O.G.”

Hazel Zink, Master Gardener 2005, has been volunteering locally in horticulture so long that she’s considered an “O.G.” or Original Gardener. Recently, I found her as busy as a bee welcoming volunteers to the Hutchinson Community College Demo Garden, showing them the tool shed and pointing out things to do while giving a running commentary on the various plants at her feet (ex. “The bunny rabbits are eating the hostas!”). Her first tip for newcomers was to get familiar with the names of the plants in the garden because people will ask, and education is the Master Gardener mission.

              

As soon as Hazel retired she took the Reno County Master Gardener's (RCEMG) course even though she said she “didn’t know how to spell gardener.” She knew she wanted to learn more about plants as well as contribute to beautifying Hutchinson’s public gardens. “I consider myself an accidental gardener; I’m not very scientific and I don’t always play by the rules,” Hazel explained. “I love digging in the dirt.” Still referring to the HCC’s demonstration garden, Hazel concluded, “We’re setting up a legacy here. It will be here long after I’m gone.”

Besides her weekly volunteer gardening at HCC, Hazel and a friend garden at the Hutch Zoo. It’s obvious that she enjoys gardening with other people. Hazel firmly believes that when a garden displays a nice appearance then it shows somebody cares, plus it gives others the opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty.

              

Coleus is Hazel’s favorite flower “because it comes in all colors and leaf shapes” and because it’s “so easy to propagate. You just break it off and put it in the ground.” As Hazel imagined the colors “from light green to dark green and purple to browns,” she added that the “new coleus don’t have flowers except for the pollinators.” When I asked if she has a favorite bush her answer hit true to the mark: “Whatever’s blooming,” she replied. On the home front, a new house fifteen years ago, gave Hazel the opportunity to divide the yard into garden areas. Because she wanted a natural back yard she purchased a “K-State bundle for wildlife.” Now she’s planting for pollinators more than she is for the flowers. And this year she will experiment more with sedums. 

Sedums like heat and “when you go on vacation they’ll wait until you get home. You water them and they come back.” Reflecting on her RCEMG classes Hazel recalled, “It was all new to me,” especially plant pathology. Hazel understands how each plant requires a certain amount of sun and rain but then asked “But why do they die? What makes them grow? The plant world is amazing.” When asked where she plans to volunteer her time this year Hazel didn’t hesitate: “Right here (HCC Demo Garden). I really like being here. Between this and my music. Hazel has a few to several gigs a month playing her accordion, "I have a lot going on.”

Hazel looked into the camera while holding a weed she had just picked and identified as common groundsel. “Weeds are so much like life,” she offered. “We all have weeds in our life. You can let weeds take over your life or you can do something about it.” She concluded, “Pull them out and go forward.” Interview & photo submitted by #diginthedirt.